STS with no 1RM

Indy · 03-09-10, 09:07 AM

Has anyone done this series without doing the 1 rep max testing??? I have had STS for quite some time but the 1RM testing is proving to be a major road block for me. I just don't want to do it. I am considering removing the road block by just working through it without all that.

So I'm wondering if anyone out there has done the whole thing without using 1RM - and how it went? Impressions??? I know it is probably more effecient with the testing - but I'd like to know if it is really a waste of time or not. THANKS!

Jane P. · 03-09-10, 09:28 AM

I did Mesos 1 & 2 without 1 rep max testing. I didn't have the patience for it.
What I did was do week 1 of both mesos twice. I considered the first week to be a break-in week where I could get an idea of how much weight I could lift for the number of prescribed reps. The following week I began doing the mesos in earnest. I did keep careful track of what I was lifting so I could increase the following week, and that did take extra time when working out.

When I did STS, I hadn't lifted weights in a long time so I really wasn't sure how much weight to use for many of the exercises. If you've been doing weight lifting recently, you may already have a good idea of what you can lift and can get started without taking the extra week.

Don't let the lack of 1RM testing hold you back from giving STS a try! Good luck!

Sara1000 · 03-09-10, 09:30 AM

I think the danger of not doing it is in Meso 1 you may try to start too heavy based on your previous workout experience, not accounting for the number of sets and different exercises for a given muscle group on each day. I believe several people have injured themselves this way (tendenitis mainly I think).

I would say if you are not going to do the test, start lower than you think you should at the beginning and follow the % of increases week by week from that point. Of course you can make additional adjustments if you found you started too heavy or too light.

Pam61 · 03-09-10, 09:41 AM

Hi Indy,

I'm currently in the 3rd meso, and have done it all without taking my 1RM. I wouldn't say the program has been a waste for me, at all! I have gotten good results (toned arms, tight glutes, some muscle definition, etc.) with just lifting as much as I think I can for each meso.

I would do the rotation again though, and do the 1RM next time. It slows you down having to keep track of what you've lifted in the past so you can progress. If I'd taken the 1RM it would be on the workout cards that you print out from Cathe's website, which I'm still printing out and filling in the blanks for each workout.

It's smarter to do the 1RM, but I didn't want to take the time. But, it's totally up to you! If you don't want to mess with it, you still get a very good workout using your best judgement on weight selection.

This is such a good program, even winging it, you'll see some changes in your body if you're using your weight to the best of your ability. It might just take a bit of experimenting the first time through or on a few of the reps. If the weight feels too light, grab another one instead!

Either way, it slows you down a bit by taking the 1RM before you begin the program, or it slows you down while you're doing the workout, when you're writing things down and having to change weights.

Don't let not taking the 1RM keep you from doing the program! It's terrific!

Tugger31 · 03-09-10, 09:42 AM

I didnt do the 1 RM either. For me, Meso 1 was pretty similar to Cathe's other workouts in that it was more endurance oriented. I picked what I normally wouldve used with other Cathe workouts and it worked out just fine. I just starte Meso 2 (after a hiatus from Cathe in general), and repeated the first week, using the first time around as a way to gauge my weight and take notes along the way. I doubt I'll have to do this with the rest of Meso 2 but I might repeat each week twice anyways b/c I'm really enjoying Meso 2 much more than Meso 1.

Indy · 03-09-10, 11:12 AM

I wanted to thank everyone for weighing in on this and sharing your experiences - I did Disc 1 last night and just loved it - I just picked up what I thought I could lift and went from there so I thought perhaps if I just did the program without the testing I would be fine but wanted to hear what others have done. Thanks.

msladybug · 03-09-10, 11:08 PM

I'm on the third week of meso 1, and I didn't do 1rm either. I had been lifting prior to starting STS, with various rep ranges, so I had a general idea of what weight to use. And plus with the chest day...the start of the workout is pushups...so the 1rm doesn't apply. I figure with all the different exercises for each body part I'm sure to get close enough.

Though frankly.....I never could understand why she did not enclude a 1rm routine with each MESO...along with a worksheet for calculating your own along with blank workout sheets. Once I get a DVD I don't like to be tied to my computer or anyones website to tell me how much I should be lifting. I've had STS over a year and just now got around to doing it mainly because I'm put off by that.

ladysaraii · 03-10-10, 10:04 AM

I'm in the 2nd week of STS (I'm doing each week twice) and I didn't formally do 1RM tests.

I track what I lift, so I jsut looked over my notes and used those to figure my IRMs. And then I guess on the exercises I hadn't done before based on other exercises.

So far it's worked and I've been pretty accurate with my lifting

LynnO · 03-10-10, 01:00 PM

I did the whole thing without doing the 1RM too. At the end of Meso 3, I lifted heavier than I ever had for some moves- the results I wanted.

Like others said, I have an idea how heavy I can lift safely since I don't have a spotter. For Meso 1, I used weights about or a little heavier than what I use for my videos. For Meso 2, I used the weights I traditionally start with for non video lifting (so pretty heavy). For Meso 3, I started with a few pounds below my absolute lifting max. (from the last 20 years.)

For the last 20 years I've gone through spurts where I did traditional gym style lifting. Almost always start with a similar weight and switch when I plateau, so it's been a similar range.

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03-09-10, 09:07 AM
Indy Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pennsylvania	STS with no 1RM Has anyone done this series without doing the 1 rep max testing??? I have had STS for quite some time but the 1RM testing is proving to be a major road block for me. I just don't want to do it. I am considering removing the road block by just working through it without all that. So I'm wondering if anyone out there has done the whole thing without using 1RM - and how it went? Impressions??? I know it is probably more effecient with the testing - but I'd like to know if it is really a waste of time or not. THANKS!

03-09-10, 09:28 AM
Jane P. VF Supporter Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Colorado Springs	I did Mesos 1 & 2 without 1 rep max testing. I didn't have the patience for it. What I did was do week 1 of both mesos twice. I considered the first week to be a break-in week where I could get an idea of how much weight I could lift for the number of prescribed reps. The following week I began doing the mesos in earnest. I did keep careful track of what I was lifting so I could increase the following week, and that did take extra time when working out. When I did STS, I hadn't lifted weights in a long time so I really wasn't sure how much weight to use for many of the exercises. If you've been doing weight lifting recently, you may already have a good idea of what you can lift and can get started without taking the extra week. Don't let the lack of 1RM testing hold you back from giving STS a try! Good luck!

03-09-10, 09:30 AM
Sara1000 Join Date: Sep 2008	I think the danger of not doing it is in Meso 1 you may try to start too heavy based on your previous workout experience, not accounting for the number of sets and different exercises for a given muscle group on each day. I believe several people have injured themselves this way (tendenitis mainly I think). I would say if you are not going to do the test, start lower than you think you should at the beginning and follow the % of increases week by week from that point. Of course you can make additional adjustments if you found you started too heavy or too light.

03-09-10, 09:41 AM
Pam61 VF Supporter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: The Ocean State!	Hi Indy, I'm currently in the 3rd meso, and have done it all without taking my 1RM. I wouldn't say the program has been a waste for me, at all! I have gotten good results (toned arms, tight glutes, some muscle definition, etc.) with just lifting as much as I think I can for each meso. I would do the rotation again though, and do the 1RM next time. It slows you down having to keep track of what you've lifted in the past so you can progress. If I'd taken the 1RM it would be on the workout cards that you print out from Cathe's website, which I'm still printing out and filling in the blanks for each workout. It's smarter to do the 1RM, but I didn't want to take the time. But, it's totally up to you! If you don't want to mess with it, you still get a very good workout using your best judgement on weight selection. This is such a good program, even winging it, you'll see some changes in your body if you're using your weight to the best of your ability. It might just take a bit of experimenting the first time through or on a few of the reps. If the weight feels too light, grab another one instead! Either way, it slows you down a bit by taking the 1RM before you begin the program, or it slows you down while you're doing the workout, when you're writing things down and having to change weights. Don't let not taking the 1RM keep you from doing the program! It's terrific! __________________ Pam April Focus: Linda Stejskal Wooldridge (Barlates) Dean Pohlman (Man Flow Yoga) April 8th Everyday Yoga Four Week Challenge Jessica Smith Cardio Walks/Pilates Fusion Lee Holden Qi Gong 30 Day Challenge

03-09-10, 09:42 AM
Tugger31 Join Date: Feb 2002	I didnt do the 1 RM either. For me, Meso 1 was pretty similar to Cathe's other workouts in that it was more endurance oriented. I picked what I normally wouldve used with other Cathe workouts and it worked out just fine. I just starte Meso 2 (after a hiatus from Cathe in general), and repeated the first week, using the first time around as a way to gauge my weight and take notes along the way. I doubt I'll have to do this with the rest of Meso 2 but I might repeat each week twice anyways b/c I'm really enjoying Meso 2 much more than Meso 1.

03-09-10, 11:12 AM
Indy Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Pennsylvania	I wanted to thank everyone for weighing in on this and sharing your experiences - I did Disc 1 last night and just loved it - I just picked up what I thought I could lift and went from there so I thought perhaps if I just did the program without the testing I would be fine but wanted to hear what others have done. Thanks.

03-09-10, 11:08 PM
msladybug Join Date: Jan 2010	I'm on the third week of meso 1, and I didn't do 1rm either. I had been lifting prior to starting STS, with various rep ranges, so I had a general idea of what weight to use. And plus with the chest day...the start of the workout is pushups...so the 1rm doesn't apply. I figure with all the different exercises for each body part I'm sure to get close enough. Though frankly.....I never could understand why she did not enclude a 1rm routine with each MESO...along with a worksheet for calculating your own along with blank workout sheets. Once I get a DVD I don't like to be tied to my computer or anyones website to tell me how much I should be lifting. I've had STS over a year and just now got around to doing it mainly because I'm put off by that.

03-10-10, 10:04 AM
ladysaraii Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Maryland	I'm in the 2nd week of STS (I'm doing each week twice) and I didn't formally do 1RM tests. I track what I lift, so I jsut looked over my notes and used those to figure my IRMs. And then I guess on the exercises I hadn't done before based on other exercises. So far it's worked and I've been pretty accurate with my lifting __________________ Carmen July 08 Cathe Road Trip

03-10-10, 01:00 PM
LynnO VF Supporter Join Date: Nov 2001	I did the whole thing without doing the 1RM too. At the end of Meso 3, I lifted heavier than I ever had for some moves- the results I wanted. Like others said, I have an idea how heavy I can lift safely since I don't have a spotter. For Meso 1, I used weights about or a little heavier than what I use for my videos. For Meso 2, I used the weights I traditionally start with for non video lifting (so pretty heavy). For Meso 3, I started with a few pounds below my absolute lifting max. (from the last 20 years.) For the last 20 years I've gone through spurts where I did traditional gym style lifting. Almost always start with a similar weight and switch when I plateau, so it's been a similar range.