I don't know what is up with me. I am doing Meso 2 and am doing everything to my 1 RM, sometimes a bit heavier than that. I just don't feel that I am getting worked out! This is my second time through STS. I skipped M1 because I was doing KCM's Muscle Def, other Cathe endurance weight dvds, etc. - in otherwords, my own Endurance Meso 1. Now, in Meso 2, week 3, I am just not feeling like it is enough in terms of weight workouts. I have been adding one or two days of KCM's Muscle Def or Jari's ExRipped just to get that "worked out" feeling I crave. And I have been doing intense cardio too... any advice? Is this what happens? We reach a certain level of tolerance and then we have to up the ante even more? What is odd is that the first time through STS was hard!
STS is not intense enough this time around!
- Thread starter Saturn
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kathryn
Cathlete
IMO, when you did STS the first time around, it was something fairly new for your body, thus the more intense feeling.
If you are using the weights suggested by your 1RM (your RETESTED 1RM, since the amount of weight you can lift should have changed from doing STS), then you ARE working out intensely.
Adding on workouts to get that "worked out feeling" sounds a bit like exercise addiction to me, not a good thing.
There is most definitey such a thing as diminishing returns from doing too much. I can lead to overtraining, of which one effect is weakened immune system, definitely NOT something you want to have during cold and flu season.
Instead of adding on extra weight workouts and doing only intense cardio (if that's what you're doing), I suggest mixing up the workouts a bit: maybe try the undulating STS rotation that has been posted elsewhere. Or change up the order of the weeks in Meso 2. Something to keep your body guessing a bit more. And keep intense cardio to 2-3 days a week at most, supplementing with more moderate cardio.
If you are using the weights suggested by your 1RM (your RETESTED 1RM, since the amount of weight you can lift should have changed from doing STS), then you ARE working out intensely.
Adding on workouts to get that "worked out feeling" sounds a bit like exercise addiction to me, not a good thing.
There is most definitey such a thing as diminishing returns from doing too much. I can lead to overtraining, of which one effect is weakened immune system, definitely NOT something you want to have during cold and flu season.
Instead of adding on extra weight workouts and doing only intense cardio (if that's what you're doing), I suggest mixing up the workouts a bit: maybe try the undulating STS rotation that has been posted elsewhere. Or change up the order of the weeks in Meso 2. Something to keep your body guessing a bit more. And keep intense cardio to 2-3 days a week at most, supplementing with more moderate cardio.
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Thanks for your reply. I don't think I have exercise addiction actually. I think I am just used to working hard and feeling like I worked hard. This time with STS, I am not feeling that. I definitely do moderate and intense cardio- I am not a total extremist. I guess my real question is this: If I am not "feeling" STS as much this time around, does that mean it is not working as well as when I was feeling it?
I also wanted to add that I do remember times during my first go-round with STS when I felt it more than others. I also have NOT retested my 1RMs. I need to do that.
Kathryn, I would be very careful about making a "diagnosis" of someone over the internet on a fitness forum. I posted looking for advice, not for a diagnosis of some pathology. C'mon! Be careful what you say!
Kathryn, I would be very careful about making a "diagnosis" of someone over the internet on a fitness forum. I posted looking for advice, not for a diagnosis of some pathology. C'mon! Be careful what you say!
Maybe you need to increase the weight this time around. I am also doing second round of STS and while I did not re-tested all the RM I did inrease the weight on many excersizes and adjusted my RM in the workout manager. I feel much stronger this time and I think if I was going by old RM numbers I would feel not worked enough. Hope this makes sense.
Thank you! I think this sounds like great advice. I am definitely going to increase my weight and I think I will re-test my 1RMs as well.
Worknprogress
Cathlete
I'm am in Meso 2 right now and I am already noticing strength gains. I am thinking by the end of Meso 3, I should have significant gains. I would think that we would have to redo all of the 1 RM's to make sure you are getting the most out of the program, so it would be my guess that you are lifting too lightly.
It would be my advice to take the time to redo those 1 RM's and start Meso 2 again. Especially since STS hasn't been out that long and it sounds as if you have kept up with weight training in between the first go around and this time, so you probably kept your gains (which is great by the way!).
I would be interested in knowing if others who did or who are doing their second round of STS retested their 1 RM's.
It would be my advice to take the time to redo those 1 RM's and start Meso 2 again. Especially since STS hasn't been out that long and it sounds as if you have kept up with weight training in between the first go around and this time, so you probably kept your gains (which is great by the way!).
I would be interested in knowing if others who did or who are doing their second round of STS retested their 1 RM's.
kathryn
Cathlete
Sorry if I offended you.
I did not intend the term "exercise addiction" as a "diagnosis of some pathology," merely as a caution about going to extremes.
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That's okay Kathryn. I can take it, but some people might really take that kind of a comment to heart, and it might really make them worry! I know I am not addicted to exercise. I am very healthy and have healthy habits. I have been working out for most of my life and I have never experienced symptoms of overtraining nor do I have any issues with eating. I am blessed to know what balance is for me.
Maybe I should have described that I have been lifting weights for years both in gyms and using Cathe dvds. I am in extremely good shape. However, I don't exercise solely for how it makes me look, but also because I love the feel of really using my body. I am into the "feel" of lifting weights, and I think that I just haven't been using the proper weight this time around. The workouts feel easy, and since they didn't the first time, I would agree with the posts that encourage me to test the 1RMs again and up the weights. There is nothing like the feel of having used your muscles intensely. It feels great! We were built to use our bodies and our sedentary culture would have us think differently. We are meant to move, lift, exert.. and if it feels like that is in balance with the rest of our lives and gives us energy rather than depleting it, these are healthy signs.
Maybe I should have described that I have been lifting weights for years both in gyms and using Cathe dvds. I am in extremely good shape. However, I don't exercise solely for how it makes me look, but also because I love the feel of really using my body. I am into the "feel" of lifting weights, and I think that I just haven't been using the proper weight this time around. The workouts feel easy, and since they didn't the first time, I would agree with the posts that encourage me to test the 1RMs again and up the weights. There is nothing like the feel of having used your muscles intensely. It feels great! We were built to use our bodies and our sedentary culture would have us think differently. We are meant to move, lift, exert.. and if it feels like that is in balance with the rest of our lives and gives us energy rather than depleting it, these are healthy signs.
gogigi
Cathlete
Sorry if I offended you.
I did not intend the term "exercise addiction" as a "diagnosis of some pathology," merely as a caution about going to extremes.
Good caution Kathryn! It is sooooo easy to go to extremes. I found your post helpful and thoughtful. Thank you!
ldy_solana
Cathlete
well its also easy to misunderstand somebody over a screen. kathryn has been a LONG time member of two forums i frequent so i am quite used to her posts and sometimes understand what she means. i get the same way,most of the time i type how i talk and ppl can misunderstand that.
i don't think she was trying to "diagnose" you but overtraining does sound like a possibility in your case b/c you are talking about lifting weights for an extreme amount of time and that gives NO time for your muscles to recover. as kathryn and many others have stated(many times on both forums), weight training breakdowns the muscle tissues and rest and proper eating restores them so i really think she meant to say you could lead yourself into over training b/c you are trying to get that worked out feeling so you are going for that rush(feeling worked out) but its not healthy for the body(overtraining).
but on the same page i totally get what you are saying. there are some workouts i just don't feel the "burn" so to speak so to me its like i am not working hard enough or something but sometimes its your body adapting to that exercise. maybe your body is used to the weight selection,exercises, or order of exercises so try upping the weights maybe mixing the exercises around or just trying a variation of the exercise and see if that helps. you could be getting stronger but sometimes the weight is to heavy to lift for the recommended reps or to is to light that you don't get a workout. its our workout so modify up or down where you need to and make it work for you.
just my thoughts though.
kassia
i don't think she was trying to "diagnose" you but overtraining does sound like a possibility in your case b/c you are talking about lifting weights for an extreme amount of time and that gives NO time for your muscles to recover. as kathryn and many others have stated(many times on both forums), weight training breakdowns the muscle tissues and rest and proper eating restores them so i really think she meant to say you could lead yourself into over training b/c you are trying to get that worked out feeling so you are going for that rush(feeling worked out) but its not healthy for the body(overtraining).
but on the same page i totally get what you are saying. there are some workouts i just don't feel the "burn" so to speak so to me its like i am not working hard enough or something but sometimes its your body adapting to that exercise. maybe your body is used to the weight selection,exercises, or order of exercises so try upping the weights maybe mixing the exercises around or just trying a variation of the exercise and see if that helps. you could be getting stronger but sometimes the weight is to heavy to lift for the recommended reps or to is to light that you don't get a workout. its our workout so modify up or down where you need to and make it work for you.
just my thoughts though.
kassia
michefit
Cathlete
This actually happened to me - I was working out really intensely and feeling strong and kept adding more to each workout and fewer rest days. I was up to almost 10+ days without rest. Then my body hit the wall. I got two colds back to back - canker sores and no energy. My joints are really sensitive to any high impact work and I have plantar fascitus (sp?) I know this sounds extreme - but since then I have back off to 5 days a week only and have breaking out the LowMax DVD a little more often. MUCH better! I am now feeling better and easing into Meso1 of STS. I will not hesitate to take an extra rest day whenever I feel like it now. I guess my point is to maybe back off a little and come back again... those workouts will feel challenging without over doing it.
Sorry for the long post - but it is amazing how the body does have its limits and does recover when given time.
Shadowpup
Cathlete
You might try retesting a few per body part and use those to estimate the rest. If you find that the legs (say) are significantly low, you could do a more thorough job on those. I found that my strength increased unevenly - some parts made huge gains, others merely large gains. All parts are far more than 5% stronger That probably won't happen next time through, sigh, but it certainly was fun to see such rapid changes the first time!
That probably won't happen next time through, sigh, but it certainly was fun to see such rapid changes the first time!
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shoegoddess
Cathlete
I also did this.
syzygy314
Cathlete
Hi!
Just wanted to ask if you feel more like you've hit a plateau? If so, have you tried doing negatives for a few weeks before going back to STS? When I plateau, I change my workout to doing negatives only for a few weeks to shock my muscles so they respond again when I go back to more "normal" workouts.
Just wanted to ask if you feel more like you've hit a plateau? If so, have you tried doing negatives for a few weeks before going back to STS? When I plateau, I change my workout to doing negatives only for a few weeks to shock my muscles so they respond again when I go back to more "normal" workouts.
Thanks for your reply. I don't think I have exercise addiction actually. I think I am just used to working hard and feeling like I worked hard. This time with STS, I am not feeling that. I definitely do moderate and intense cardio- I am not a total extremist. I guess my real question is this: If I am not "feeling" STS as much this time around, does that mean it is not working as well as when I was feeling it?
Do you use dvds for this or lift on your own? I haven't spent a great deal of time doing this, but I am familiar with the technique. Could you tell me more about how you do these workouts? Thanks!
Worknprogress
Cathlete
I am curious about this too. What do you mean by doing "negatives"?