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Old 10-12-15, 08:33 PM  
Jane P.
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Join Date: Oct 2001
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My problem with meso 1 was that she did all these upper body exercises using your body weight in the meso with the greatest number of reps. She also does pull-ups on an assisted pull-up machine. How many home exercisers have one of those? Of course, you can use tubing, but that's not nearly as challenging as the machine would be.

As I recall (it's been a while) there are no pull-ups in the heavier mesocycles.
Doesn't make sense to me.

Lesia, be prepared for lots of push-ups.
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Old 10-12-15, 08:58 PM  
bubbles76
 
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Jane P, the pullups were plenty challenging with the bodylastics tubing You just have to have the right grip. I did find that the grip I used mattered greatly. And you are correct, no pullups in the heavier mesos, which was disappointing.
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Old 10-13-15, 07:11 AM  
Tugger31
 
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The pullups in Meso 1 I found odd as well. Pullups are such a hard exercise requiring alot of strength, so why include them in Meso 1??? I still couldn't do one pullup even after Meso 3.
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Old 10-13-15, 08:40 AM  
mle777
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Taiga View Post
I've done both Body Beast and STS (recently added Edge Booty ) as my main strength rotations over the years.
And now I need to check out Edge Booty...
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Old 10-13-15, 09:57 AM  
Taiga
 
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And now I need to check out Edge Booty...
It's been really nice having reasonable alternatives after finishing an STS rotation. STS delivers spectacular results but I worried about maintaining my results without getting burned out. I now do only one STS rotation per year (though I have done shorter version "touch ups" here and there) and then do a round of Body Beast, and more recently Edge Booty. I really enjoy Edge Booty, partly for the variety but also because so far it seems to be a well designed program in its own right.
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Old 10-13-15, 11:10 AM  
Vintage VFer
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I completed an STS rotation a few years back. I didn't do any of the "1-Rep max" stuff. We have a power rack, so I did the squat rack version.

I ended up lifting very heavy for me and loved it. Oddly enough, when I was done, I still couldn't do a full push up or pull up, even though I lifted heavy.

I did get leaner and did not bulk.
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Old 10-13-15, 11:30 AM  
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I completed an STS rotation a few years back. I didn't do any of the "1-Rep max" stuff. We have a power rack, so I did the squat rack version.

I ended up lifting very heavy for me and loved it. Oddly enough, when I was done, I still couldn't do a full push up or pull up, even though I lifted heavy.

I did get leaner and did not bulk.
From my reading, it seems the only way to master push-ups and pull-ups is to train push-ups and pull-ups. (Like the only way to become a good runner is to go running regularly) STS seems to assume you can already do them, and if not, there are so many high reps that you probably do a very modified scaled down version.

For progressing with push-ups, a great progression is to start with hands elevated on a bench or even the back of a couch depending on what's challenging but doable for you. Then gradually lower the surface your hands are resting on until you can do them on the floor. Doing push-ups on your knees is fine, but if that's all you do, you will not be getting the great core work from push-ups and probably will never progress to harder versions.

There are different schools of thought on the best way to progress to full pull-ups. Negatives are great, where you start at the top and slowly lower down in control. Assistance bands are also great. I have different strength assistance bands I use for different rep ranges. Some people still have trouble making the leap for assistance bands to no assistance.

Anyway, all of that is to say that STS was not designed to master pull-ups and push-ups so it doesn't surprise me that you didn't. Just thought I would throw that out there in case anyone wants to master them.
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Old 10-13-15, 11:35 AM  
Taiga
 
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It's been my experience that lifting "heavy" does not translate to a big improvement in push-up counts. First, when most woman say "heavy", they aren't anywhere near to bench pressing their body weight (which is close to what you do when completing a push up). Secondly, there is more unified core work in a pushup than there is in a bench press. Also, most of the modifications shown in DVD programs involve bent knee push-ups. I did those for years and never made much headway. I had far better luck using straight body (full) push-ups on a bigger angle (wall, elevated step etc) or doing full push-ups with a partial drop. The partial drop can be as little as an inch in the beginning. I could complete 50 full push-ups without much difficulty by the time I finished STS. I could make it to100 push-ups but struggled still.

Of course, a lot depends on individual factors---shoulder & wrist health/flexibility, core strength, personal goals.

ETA: I was typing this reply before I saw the previous post, which addresses some of the same points. I will add that STS did increase my push-up count dramatically. As previously mentioned, Meso #1 was daunting in its count. I was actually irritated initially that Cathe would start the program at such an advanced count. Then I improved dramatically and decided that she knew what she was doing Doing push-ups makes you much better at them. Modified push-ups make you better at modifying. Of course, I was very careful to stretch and use trigger point balls etc to protect my shoulder/wrist health.
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Old 10-13-15, 03:28 PM  
Jane P.
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Cathe considers push-ups to be an endurance exercise. She does them in warm-ups, she does variations that make them harder etc. and she does lots of them.

However I think, for most women, they are a strength exercise, and require you to start with a lower rep count and work up (and also to do a modified style if necessary). STS is built on the model of starting with high reps and working down in number as you increase the weight. For body weight exercises, that approach doesn't really fit.

If I were to do STS again, I think I'd do it pyramid style. Starting with meso 3 and much lighter weights, then increasing the reps until I got to meso1, then going back to mesos 2 & 3 with much heavier weights.
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Old 10-13-15, 04:36 PM  
lesia
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Jane P. I like your idea. I'm going to file it away for the future.

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