These workouts are based on the training principle of Periodization. Periodization is simply an organized approach to weight training and exercise that involves progressive cycling of various aspects of a workout program during a specific period of time. In our case I have designed STS to be a 3 ½ month program featuring three workout cycles called Mesocycles, each lasting four weeks. You will get a different workout every week for a total of 12 weeks along with an active recovery week between the Mesocycles to help your body rejuvenate and prepare for the next cycle.
Another big and important difference is how you will choose a weight that is appropriate for you by testing to find your 1RM for every exercise in this series. You’ve heard us mention our new upcoming Workout Manager in an earlier update which will be available to you at no charge. This will help you easily calculate your 1RM by finding the heaviest weight you can safely handle with good form AND lift for 10 reps… but not 11. Our 1RM calculator will calculate your 1RM based on your input and will store and keep track of everything for you. The Workout Manager will also print a customized workout card for you so you will know the correct weight to use for the workout you do that day. It is important to calculate your 1RM as studies have shown that when left to an individual to choose their own workout weights they usually choose a weight far less than what they should have or what is considered necessary for maximum results.
There will be some premixes in this series (see the section on Mesocycle #3 – Legs below), but I’ve decided to do things a little differently this time. I originally planned on making weeks 2, 3 and 4 a premix but in our production meetings we started running into problems with the premixes fitting on one disc and also having the smooth transitions I prefer. It takes a lot of planning to make a premix look smooth and many times it is just not possible. The solution was to simply make the premix a DVD. This will allow us to control the edit points more precisely and make all the transitions smooth. It will also allow us to film more original footage and add features that we can’t do with a typical premix. We will still combine original footage with existing footage used in the other weeks of the cycle to give you something new as well as something familiar every week of the cycle.
As I said before STS will feature three Mesocycles lasting four weeks each. Each Mesocycle is designed to stimulate your muscles and body in a different way.
#1 Chest, Shoulders & Biceps
#2 Back & Triceps
#3 Legs
These nonstop workouts are sure to test the endurance of even an advanced exerciser and will feature training concepts like drop sets, 21’s and rest periods of 30 to 45 seconds between exercises. You will do one set for each muscle group and then with only about 30 seconds rest do the next body part. For example, you will do one set for chest, rest for 30 seconds, do one set for shoulders, rest 30 seconds, do one set for biceps, rest 30 seconds, do a set again for chest, rest 30 seconds do a set for shoulders and so on until the workout is finished.
Mesocycle #2 (12 DVDs) is all about hypertrophy (muscle building and definition). You will be lifting a weight that is 70% to 80% of your 1RM during these 4 weeks. Each week will feature a different workout for every muscle group. Your rep range will be around 8-12 reps for most exercises and because of the increased intensity you will need a longer rest break between sets of 60 to 90 seconds. Training concepts such as wave loading and back off sets will be used to push you like never before. This cycle is divided into three muscle groupings with four workouts per grouping:
#2 Back & Biceps
#3 Legs
Unlike in Mesocycle #1, Mesocycle #2 works each body part until completion before moving on to the next body part. In other words you will do all of your chest exercises before moving on to shoulders. You will then complete all of your shoulder exercises before moving on to triceps and so on.
Mesocycle #3 (12 DVDs) is all about Strength and is divided into the following three muscle groupings with four workouts per muscle grouping:
#1 Chest & Back
#2 Biceps & Triceps
#3 Legs & Shoulders
You will be lifting a weight that is 80% to 90% of your 1RM during these 4 weeks. Each week will feature a different workout for every muscle grouping. Your rep range will be around 5 to 7 reps for most exercises and because of the increased intensity you will need a lot longer rest break between sets of the same muscle group. To reduce the amount of downtime we’ve arranged the muscle groups in this series so you’re alternating between push and pull muscle groups. This method will allow your different muscle groups to always have at least 3 minutes rest which research shows is the minimum necessary time to replenish the various energy cycles needed for a high intensity workout. This strength cycle will feature a method of training called the “5% Method”. With this tried and true strength training method you will do the following:
Week #1: 7 reps for 4 sets of every exercise at 80% of your 1RMWeek #2 6 reps for 4 sets of every exercise at 85% of your 1RMWeek #3: 5 reps for 4 sets of every exercise at 90% of your 1RMWeek #4: 7 reps for 4 sets of every exercise at 85% of your 1RM
You will note that in every week, except for week 4, you will increase your weight by 5% of your 1RM and decrease your reps by one. In week 4 you will do the same amount of reps as in week one, but at a heavier weight. Since your body and muscles should have grown and adapted during the previous 3 weeks, you should be able to do the 7 reps at a heavier weight just as easily in the fourth week, or perhaps even easier than you did the same 7 reps at a lighter weight in the first week of
this cycle.
Now you’re probably wondering how you’re going to be able to lift weights for the lower body in this rep range and intensity level. The problem is you really need at least a squat rack to safely train the lower body at this intensity level and it would also be helpful to have some gym equipment like a leg press, leg extension and leg curl machines. I will tell you now that I will be releasing my first MP3 workouts this year called STS – Gym. It will follow the same formula as STS, but will take advantage and utilize equipment mostly found in gyms. I’ll have more about STS-Gym at a later date but for now let me get back to explaining what we will be doing to maximize the intensity for the leg routine in Mesocycle #3. There will be two workouts for each week of this cycle. One will be the actual scripted workout for those who don’t own a squat rack and the other will be a premix with specially filmed footage utilizing a squat rack. The shoulder work will be the same in both the scripted and premix workout. The scripted routine will still follow the rep pattern above; with the understanding that you will be limited to choosing weights you can safely handle and or lift into position. For this reason and in this particular case, we will define your 1RM as the weight you can safely handle and lift into position. We will also giant set the exercises in the scripted leg routine and reduce the rest period since we have had to decrease the intensity for practical and safety reasons. Still, this will be a very intense workout that is a cross between a muscle endurance workout and a strength workout. For a strictly pure strength leg workout you will need a squat rack. We realize that only a few people have squat racks in their homes, but we wanted to add this premix for those who do since this is truly the most authentic way to build pure strength.
Finally, STS Ab Circuits will offer six unique, fresh footage, ab/core routines on one DVD. Each routine will be approximately 10 minutes in length, and offer a nice mix of traditional and non-traditional ab/core exercises that will strengthen and condition all of the muscles in the ab/core region.
As you can tell STS is a massive undertaking, but I strongly feel this will become our most popular weight training series and will help you reach your utmost fitness goals. STS is based not only on the latest science and research, but also on my own weight training experience and what I have observed through the years in our own health club. I’ve chosen the best of the best exercises for this series that have been proven over time and by various iEMG studies to be the most effective exercises. I’m very excited to bring STS to your home. There really is nothing like it on the market today!
Filming will start around mid February and our presale will start on Saturday, January 12th. Though we will work as fast as possible to produce this series our focus as always will be on quality – not speed.
Our special Presale offer allows you the following payment options:
Option A: Our Best Deal! (only $5.38 per DVD +S/H)
Purchase Mesocycle #1, #2 and #3 (all 36 DVDs) and get Ab Circuits for Free
Paid in Full at $199 + s/h (normal PIF price excluding Ab Circuits is $279 + s/h)
Purchase Mesocycle #1, #2 and #3 (all 36 DVDs) and get Ab Circuits for Free
Pay in 3 monthly payments of $70 each + s/h (credit card required)
Total $210 + s/h
If you choose the 3 monthly payment option your credit card will be charged ($70 + s/h) plus any current DVDs you may also order within a few days of your purchase and then your next payment ($70)will be charged about 30 – 40 days later and you r final payment ($70)will be charged about 60-70 days after your purchase date.
As long as you PREORDER STS DVDs ABOVE, you can also order any of our 66 DVD that we currently have in stock and save on shipping (USA customers only). You will only be charged a shipping charge for the presale DVDs. Any current DVDs that you order with your preorder will be shipped immediately by UPS ground at no charge to you! Your presale DVDs will ship once they’re available. International Customers: Due to the high cost of shipping (usually well above what we charge), we cannot ship a partial order. Any current DVDs you order will ship along with your presale DVDs once they’re available