What does this mean?

[lala1]

After having done rotations with GS and the the 4DS, my DH mentioned that he thought my shoulders were actually looking not quite as cut (rotations mean nothing to him, he was just commenting). This month I'm doing more cardio and more endurance type lifting (MM, ME, etc) and I've noticed that I do seem more cut.

So my questions are: does this mean that a more endurance focused workout is best for me or is it a result of the heavy lifting and then leaning out more? And if it is the former, does that mean that the new STS series will not be right for me?

 

[Fit_mommy]

You very well could have put on muscle with the heavy lifting w/o dropping much fat but now that you are doing more cardio you are beginning to drop body fat thereby creating more definition.

It could also be that endurance work outs and/or more cardio simply work better for your body.

I know when I did my first X rotation I gained definition and dropped fat and was very happy with my results. I then followed it up with a Slim Series rotation (endurance lifting + cardio) and became even MORE defined!

You have to keep trying different things in different orders until you find the right "formula" to get the results you are seeking.

 

[kathryn]

The 'cut' look has more to do with body fat than with muscle itself (two people with the same muscle mass can look very different---the one with less fat will look more cut).

Endurance training and circuit weight-training is said to burn more calories, so that could be where the cut look is coming from.

Alternating a heavier-weight routine and an endurance routine in 1-2 week cycles (or something like 1/2 of what your GS/4DS rotation length was)rather than doing two strength cycles in a row could keep you looking more the way you want.

 

[jacmar]

Do you mind me asking which Slim Series rotation you did?
Was it the one that come with the workouts?
I received the workouts a few weeks ago and have yet to try them.
Thanks!

 

[Fit_mommy]

>Do you mind me asking which Slim Series rotation you did?
>Was it the one that come with the workouts?
>I received the workouts a few weeks ago and have yet to try
>them.
>Thanks!

I created my own rotation. I used 2-3 SS/SSE work outs mixed in with various cardio, ab and leg work. I am not fond of the SS lower body work out so I used Cathe instead.

When I was looking at my SS rotation I realized I did a 3 week BBC rotation first and followed it up with SS. It makes no difference really as they are both endurance based.

 

[lala1]

Thanks, for your replies, they make a lot of sense, so, for those of you familiar with a periodization workout, does that include both heavy weights as well as endurance?

 

[jacmar]

Thanks for sharing!!