STS- what have I gotten myself into?

Zbridget

Zbridget

Cathlete
I just purchased STS- with the June discount coupon, based on all the rave reviews here. However, I am a bit daunted by the cost and the immensity of the rotation- 3 1/2 months is a long time for me to do an entire rotation, which begs the question, "what have I gotten myself into?"

In the last few weeks, I have gotten over my beginner hump after inactivity for 9 months while in school, and am currently doing the June rotation with lots of modifications. I also started spinning classes at 5am before going to work and found them pleasantly intense without being too jarring on the joints.

I suppose I am asking for encouragement- that I used the grocery money wisely;)
Has anyone here done spinning for their cardio with STS?

I will probably meditate over the users' guide for a while before I dive in. What else do I need to know?

Bridget
 
Bridget

Don't wait too long! :p You're just delaying the inevitable...falling in LOVE :D. Seriously, don't allow those doubts to take you over, you'll love STS. Spinning will complement your STS wonderfully ;) . Feel free to come on over to our STS check in and spend some time w/ladies that are doing STS as we speak (some just starting, some further along, some just finished, so all at different levels). You can hang out w/us before you even start, if you like, just to get a feel for things, and ask any questions. Someone over there is bound to have an answer for ya! Or anywhere else on the forums, if you ask me. So many STS vets out there...

If you want to check us out come on over! (You'll soon find we're always over here recruiting STS newbies, so you'll fit right in ;)

http://cathe.com/forum/f102/sts-new-years-challengers-week-june-12th-283432/


Oh, and grocery money.....WELL SPENT! :EEK:
 
Thanks Kiki
I've yet to read a post that says, "you know, I just wasn't that into it." Perhaps those who may feel that way don't have internet access??? I have read countless posts from people who say that it has changed their lives- and that sounds pretty good!

I may join your check in- or at least lurk there for a bit to see what I really am getting into!

Bridget
 
Yep, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. :p I remember reading all the mixed messages and pondering STS forever, lol. Til my DH was just like "just do it already! how will you ever know?" :rolleyes: LOL So I did. And add me to the list of people who's lives were changed. And, as a matter of fact, one of the ladies whose bad review I read before I bought STS is in our check-in (Fit_mommy), and reporting now how much she loves it! Go figure! The first time around, she quit early not happy w/the results, but early this year decided to try it again (doing the 5.5mos rotation) and is in LOVE.

I will also say that many of the people who may not have had good results, also weren't willing to watch their eats too much as well. And in that case, no, unfortunately STS is not some magic pill that will counter act overeating. :( So that is something to consider. I mean you will still notice some results, but w/any w/o program eating will always be key. It doesn't have to be insanely clean eating, but being mindful, and moderating your meals, will definitely help more. Also, not throwing your cardio out of the mix helps as well, too. One can't expect to ONLY do STS for the 3 days/wk, and nothing else, KWIM? That's where your spinning will really help you. ;) So, that being said, I guess different people have different reasons for not liking STS, but just make sure that the above reasons aren't what would make you think negatively about it. :)


ETA: You may even wanna read through some of our older check-ins, to get an idea of how each person evolved throughout the program, and what each persons concerns were... Just a thought :confused:
 
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Spinning will be perfect to compliment STS. I have done the program 4 times & have always done a lot of cycling & spin classes. I have found that cycling/spinning the day after STS legs is a bit ouchie, so I either spin same day as STS legs or on a day I don't plan to ride the following day.

Have fun! Such a great program!!
 
You have made a wise purchase. If you are into fitness, you will love STS. It is like working with a personal trainer three times a week - just not in person. I finished a couple of weeks ago and loved it. I can't wait to start it again. I might do the 5.5 rotation next.
 
Zbridget: I understand being daunted by a Cathe workout, and I was a little bit scared about starting STS, but after I started it, I realized there was nothing to fear but fear itself.

Granted, the first few workouts I was trying to figure out what I was doing, but I soon got into my STS rhythm and everythang was copacetic. Spinning will be the perfect complement to STS.

Oh, and do come see us at STS New Years Challengers.
 
And, as a matter of fact, one of the ladies whose bad review I read before I bought STS is in our check-in (Fit_mommy), and reporting now how much she loves it! Go figure! The first time around, she quit early not happy w/the results, but early this year decided to try it again (doing the 5.5mos rotation) and is in LOVE.
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This would be me and this would be soooooo true!!!!:D
 
Thanks for the reviews, I'm feeling better overall about the purchase! UPS will deliver tomorrow- plan on going light this week- just spinning (if you call that light!) 3x this week and will start on Tuesday. I spin at 5am on monday wednesday & Friday, so my STS will be on Tues, Thurs, Saturday- if Saturday is legs, that will afford me a rest day the next day.

I have lurked a bit on your check in (Kiki- Tiffany!) and will most likely check in once I figure out the 1 rep max thing. It looks as though workout manager does the calculating, so that doesn't look bad.

The grocery budget is a bit thin- hope DH doesn't mind ramen noodles for a few days!

See you at the checkin!

Bridget
 
I love STS with cycling! It makes everything so much easier for me, weights in the morning and riding in the evening. I've found that STS with cycling is great to keep my muscle mass up when riding too much eats it away.

Plus... Tralaiven has convinced me to try STS six times a week. This is my 4th time through, so I'm willing to experiment. I started my doubling up today (Monday) so we'll see how it works. I will definitely post up if this is not working out for whatever reason.
 
kikster said:
Yep, I know EXACTLY what you're talking about. :p I remember reading all the mixed messages and pondering STS forever, lol. Til my DH was just like "just do it already! how will you ever know?" :rolleyes: LOL So I did. And add me to the list of people who's lives were changed. And, as a matter of fact, one of the ladies whose bad review I read before I bought STS is in our check-in (Fit_mommy), and reporting now how much she loves it! Go figure! The first time around, she quit early not happy w/the results, but early this year decided to try it again (doing the 5.5mos rotation) and is in LOVE.

I will also say that many of the people who may not have had good results, also weren't willing to watch their eats too much as well. And in that case, no, unfortunately STS is not some magic pill that will counter act overeating. :( So that is something to consider. I mean you will still notice some results, but w/any w/o program eating will always be key. It doesn't have to be insanely clean eating, but being mindful, and moderating your meals, will definitely help more. Also, not throwing your cardio out of the mix helps as well, too. One can't expect to ONLY do STS for the 3 days/wk, and nothing else, KWIM? That's where your spinning will really help you. ;) So, that being said, I guess different people have different reasons for not liking STS, but just make sure that the above reasons aren't what would make you think negatively about it. :)


ETA: You may even wanna read through some of our older check-ins, to get an idea of how each person evolved throughout the program, and what each persons concerns were... Just a thought :confused:
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What a great post!
 
DirtDiva: looking forward to hearing your results using the 6x's/wk method. I think I'm ready to experiment a bit more on my next go round, having done it a couple of time too, possibly doing that STS pyramid. We'll have to keep tabs on each other and see how it goes...definitely expands our options and makes STS even that much better! :eek:

Bridget: Yay! We can't wait to hear from you over there! The 1RM is definitely easier than you'd think. I actually just did mine as my workouts for the week leading up to when I started STS. It helped me to familiarize myself w/the program a bit more, and gave me a good workout to boot (I only did one set of each thing of course, but there were so many to do that I still had DOMS, lol. I was already shocking my body!) I just split it up over the days of that week, you know, like leg 1RMs one day, Chest the next, Back the next, and so on... I don't know how others did it, but it worked for me :confused:

Did it come yet :eek: ?

~~Tiff ;)~~~
 
What do you guys do when you absolutely cannot fit an STS workout in? Do you just do that disc the next day and adjust the rest of the week? Also, how many times a week do you do ab work with this?

I am thinking about starting STS again. I did it last fall but felt I gained weight so I quickly put it away but looking back that could have been poor eating on my part. I have since cleaned up my diet and am thinking about starting again.

Thanks,
Regina
 
thebratee1 said:
What do you guys do when you absolutely cannot fit an STS workout in? Do you just do that disc the next day and adjust the rest of the week? Also, how many times a week do you do ab work with this?

I am thinking about starting STS again. I did it last fall but felt I gained weight so I quickly put it away but looking back that could have been poor eating on my part. I have since cleaned up my diet and am thinking about starting again.

Thanks,
Regina
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Yes Regina! We just do the disc the next day. We had this happen last week when we had an awards banquet to attend on our STS night! How dare they schedule it on our weight workout night! :p Good Luck this time around. Diet is such a huge part of the equation for your best results. I wish it was as easy as the exercise! Let us know how it goes!
 
2 questions for Kikster and Dirtdiva....

Well first, DD, I love reading your posts, you are clearly an avid fitness enthusiast, and I really take your advice and suggestions to heart. So with 6 days a week with STS, how many days of cardio do you plan on including? This is an interesting thought going to 6 days/week, as I did gain strength in my STS rotations, but not any real visible results.

Kikster, hi, what is the STS Pyramid?? Inquiring minds DEFINITELY need to know. :D
 
you won't feel like you're doing this big long rotation because each month is different from the other. Each week within each month is pretty much the same, but you're increasing your weight. And the first month is pretty easy because it's endurance. I bought STS and waited over a year to do it. When I started, I hadn't worked out in about a year and I didn't have any difficulty. Just use the weight you can and enjoy yourself. You only wasted your grocery money if you let it sit there and collect dust.
 
thebratee1 said:
What do you guys do when you absolutely cannot fit an STS workout in? Do you just do that disc the next day and adjust the rest of the week? Also, how many times a week do you do ab work with this?

I am thinking about starting STS again. I did it last fall but felt I gained weight so I quickly put it away but looking back that could have been poor eating on my part. I have since cleaned up my diet and am thinking about starting again.

Thanks,
Regina
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I just adjust my week so that I'm doing it on a different day than I had planned. And I do that ALL the time! I only do abs 2 - 3 times a week, and I'm starting to move those to my rest days since, between running 5 days a week and doing STS 3 times a week, I'm pretty burned out from exercising by the time I get to abs. I find that I'm able to put more intensity into the ab work and do longer routines.
 
Dela said:
2 questions for Kikster and Dirtdiva....

Well first, DD, I love reading your posts, you are clearly an avid fitness enthusiast, and I really take your advice and suggestions to heart. So with 6 days a week with STS, how many days of cardio do you plan on including? This is an interesting thought going to 6 days/week, as I did gain strength in my STS rotations, but not any real visible results.

Kikster, hi, what is the STS Pyramid?? Inquiring minds DEFINITELY need to know. :D
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Hey Dela...Thanks...:) Sorry in advance for how long this is.

This is the 2nd week into doubling. Yesterday I finished legs (Disc 9) and that was after back and biceps on Tuesday. My concern is doing legs right after back can have some over-lapping on muscle groups. Example, deadlifts. Yesterday I was more aware of doing dumbells deadlifts (again) and squats. I was thinking about placing the leg work in-between the two upper body discs but looking over the entire program, it will still tend to over-lap in areas and probably complicate the process.

My reason for trying this is I'm super busy in the summer/fall months. That's my riding season and I want to stay as muscular as possible when mountainbiking. I ride mostly with men (unfortunately) so it can get very competitive and muscle is a definite secret of mine. My idea is, working a group of muscles in the morning and then the weekly rides (about 4 a week) are in the evening. My hope is that the extra lifting will keep the muscle engaged, so all the riding doesn't eat it away.

I think nutrition and sleep is going to be critical. I've upped my protein intake to a target of over 95 grams a day, which isn't easy for me because I'm not a huge red meat eater. The right *type* of carbs are also key. I can't stress enough that you need carbs to make the protein synthesize properly and you need that for ATP later in the muscle. This is my typical day: Morning is coconut milk and whey protein with a banana for potassium and some trace minerals and MSM in there. Ughh..sounds awful but not. MSM is sulpher and I use that for muscle/ligaments/ instead of glucosamine. Lunch is Alaskan wild-caught salmon (only) a big honking salad mostly spinach, tomato, organic peppers (red/yellow/orange) mushrooms and organic broccoli. Dressing is oil-based like olive oil with lemon, and lots of ground flax seed. I have a cup of Greek yogurt (more protein) and blueberries. Before I ride, I eat a bowl of oatmeal with a handful of raisins and blueberries in coconut milk. After the ride I am really careful to hit my bases with something like chicken breast and carbs or a lower-fat buffalo burger. At night I munch on almonds and more yogurt. I'll figure out my protein ratio and if I hit all my bases I'm done, if not I tack on something before I go to sleep that has casein protein (milk protein) because it digests slower through the night so my muscles don't catobolize. Yup, I am not cooking for anyone :D, so that makes a world of difference. I also take supplements, but nothing earth-shattering or scary sounding. I especially make sure I get at least 8 to 10,000 iu of vitamin d3 a day. Sounds excessive, but I'm low on it (I'm the pale Nordic type) plus I live in Minnesota where one stays fairly covered up 9 months out of the year.

I track my daily hours, miles, etc., on Polar ProTrainer 5 so I'm able to fine tune my performance like crazy by downloading everything from my watch to the software. Crazy cool stuff, so I'm watching really close to see when/if I start to lag. I'll be able to tell if my performance starts to suffer on the bike too, the charts this thing produces is wicked! Plus I sleep at least 8 hours. So this is going to be my big experiment. Not to mention I now need to get disc #10 done!
 
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thebratee1 said:
What do you guys do when you absolutely cannot fit an STS workout in? Do you just do that disc the next day and adjust the rest of the week? Also, how many times a week do you do ab work with this?

I am thinking about starting STS again. I did it last fall but felt I gained weight so I quickly put it away but looking back that could have been poor eating on my part. I have since cleaned up my diet and am thinking about starting again.

Thanks,
Regina
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Yep, Regina I just do it as soon as possible, ( hopefully the next day ;) ). If the next workout will not compromise the muscles just worked, then I stay on track for the rest of them or double up and just add cardio on to an STS day to make up for maybe skipping it on another day to get back on track. I'd do abs on cardio days (2-3 times/week or more).

As long as your eating is on track, you'll notice that it all falls into place. It really is the most important part (as much as it pains me to admit to MYSELF sometimes :rolleyes: , lol). We just can't out work a bad diet :(
 
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