Comparing STS 1.0 & 2.0

[Gobias]

I hope I am asking this clearly. I am trying to create an STS 1.0 / 2.0 mish mosh rotation and am wondering what the equivalent between the 2 programs are….*IF* there are! Maybe they each are uniquely different and there isn’t a comparison?


What is the STS 2.0 equivalent of STS 1.0 Phase #1 Muscle Endurance?

What is the STS 2.0 equivalent of STS 1.0 Phase #2 Hypertrophy?

What is the STS 2.0 equivalent of STS 1.0 Phase #3 Strength?

Conversely,

What is the STS 1.0 equivalent of STS 2.0 Total Body (Super Sets, Giant Sets, Tri Sets)

What is the STS 1.0 equivalent of STS 2.0 Splits (Upper Body 1 & 2, Lower Body 1 & 2)

What is the STS 1.0 equivalent of STS 2.0 Two Body Parts (Back & Biceps, Chest & Triceps, Legs & Shoulders)

What is the STS 1.0 equivalent of STS 2.0 Single Body Parts (Back, Biceps, Chest, Triceps, Legs, Shoulders)

It almost seems that STS 2.0 is more of a "just lift heavy!" program whereas STS 1.0 is more of a progression, playing with reps & weight and adding a bit of plyo. Therefore, maybe there isn't a comparison/equivalent? I LOVE both programs so much!

Thanks for any guidance.

 

[Hazlady]

I think STS 2.0 lifting exercises are closer to STS 1.0 Phase 2 Hypertrophy. STS 2.0 tends to use between 8-12 reps for most exercises. The lifting exercises in STS 2.0 also seem to be comparable to the lifting exercises in X-Train. STS 1.0 is different in that it splits the workouts into 2 upper body and 1 lower body workout per week throughout all 3 phases and each phase has you use heavier weights based on your personal 1-rep max.

 

[vivbc]

Yes, I am thinking of creating a rotation with both programs. I don’t see an easy equivalency, but I think there are enough similarities to put something together. Some ladies mentioned alternating weeks, which could work, weaving Meso 2 and Splits, Meso 3 and body parts. Meso 1, which isn’t as heavy but has a cardio feel to me, could alternate with Total body.
I was planning an STS undulating rotation this fall. I may alternate weeks with STS2.0. How? not sure yet. but I think an undulating STS is more open than the official rotation. It will likely be a "undulating" STS2.0 as well. I mixed body parts and splits this week, and enjoyed that.

 

[ashaw]

I've done 3 or 4 full rotations of the original STS program, as well as 2 or 3 rotations of XTrain and never got definition in my arms like I have now. I've done phase 1 and just finished phase 2 of STS 2.0 and am now going back and doing one more week of total body just because I love those workouts.

I'm 46 and well into perimenopause, but a few of the differences between then and now is that as of June 2020, I've completely cut out alcohol (hardest thing I've ever done), after the pandemic changed dining out, I've been eating pretty much at home all the time and eat way more vegetables than I did before, my sleep is better (I'm sure that's from not drinking) and back in late 2021 when I got really serious about lifting, its like things just all came together. I started planning my workouts each week, mixing and matching weeks from various Cathe monthly rotations. I would also say that 2 months of the tank top arms rotation that I did from March - May helped me with some extra upper body strength.

I love STS 2.0 and am now deciding how I want to approach the body parts phase. I don't think I have time to do two complete body part workouts per day and it seems from what I've read from other postings that the two parts per day mish mosh premixes are a little on the short side. In a previous post, I mentioned a layout that I saw on how to do all 6 CTX single body part workouts in one week and that's what I'm leaning towards now. I also plan to tack on the bonuses in each workout. Although that would not allow for a cardio day, I know that legs can still count as cardio and Sunday is always my off day regardless.

 

[randidiane]

I made this rotation and it's working out pretty good for me. A good variety so I don't get bored lol! Thought I might share

 

[Hazlady]

I made this rotation and it's working out pretty good for me. A good variety so I don't get bored lol! Thought I might share

Thanks for sharing. Your rotation is kind of what I was thinking, using the Hypertrophy phase of STS 1.0 along with STS 2.0.

 

[randidiane]

Guess I'm still brainstorming .... it would also depend on one's goals. I see in randidiane's rotation, she's starting with Meso 2. I note that some people don't care so much for Meso 1 as it's endurance-based. I was thinking of crafting a rotation that was more undulating than progressive as I like the results I had from the 12-week Xtrain rotation. I'm almost done with my STS2 Rotation & although I note strength gains, it doesn't seem as impressive as i had with Xtrain. I'm going to re-read/skim Michael Matthew's Thinner, Leaner, Stronger as I think he doesn't use a Meso cycle program, just progressive overload.

Randidiane, could you elaborate on the kind of results you're getting with your rotation? And the reason why you skipped Meso1? And the thinking behind adding the Endurance Leg ... are those Meso1 workouts?

Thanks for your ideas ... I enjoy reading how people are using the workouts, combining them with other workouts, etc.

Hi Debinmi!
I want to stick with Hypertrophy. It works best for my muscle my growth and definition. I get better results with variety so I do one heavy leg day and one endurance leg day. It keeps my muscles shocked . I'm really hard on my legs because Lower Body is hard to get defined for some reason and I've been working out for years and eating healthy. I don't understand why my legs are losing their firmness especially in my quads and thighs I'm so frustrated!! I don't know if it's because I'm 43 now and my body is not responding anymore to how it was! So I'm trying a variety now it's working out good so far I'm on my second week and I'm not getting bored lol. But on leg endurance I'm doing any of cathes videos like butts and guts or any light weight high reps. I even use alot of cathes Live leg workouts.
Hopefully this makes since

 

[randidiane]

Guess I'm still brainstorming .... it would also depend on one's goals. I see in randidiane's rotation, she's starting with Meso 2. I note that some people don't care so much for Meso 1 as it's endurance-based. I was thinking of crafting a rotation that was more undulating than progressive as I like the results I had from the 12-week Xtrain rotation. I'm almost done with my STS2 Rotation & although I note strength gains, it doesn't seem as impressive as i had with Xtrain. I'm going to re-read/skim Michael Matthew's Thinner, Leaner, Stronger as I think he doesn't use a Meso cycle program, just progressive overload.

Randidiane, could you elaborate on the kind of results you're getting with your rotation? And the reason why you skipped Meso1? And the thinking behind adding the Endurance Leg ... are those Meso1 workouts?

Thanks for your ideas ... I enjoy reading how people are using the workouts, combining them with other workouts, etc.

Hi Debinmi!
I want to stick with Hypertrophy. It works best for my muscle my growth and definition. I get better results with variety so I do one heavy leg day and one endurance leg day. It keeps my muscles shocked . I'm really hard on my legs because Lower Body is hard to get defined for some reason and I've been working out for years and eating healthy. I don't understand why my legs are losing their firmness especially in my quads and thighs I'm so frustrated!! I don't know if it's because I'm 43 now and my body is not responding anymore to how it was! So I'm trying a variety now it's working out good so far I'm on my second week and I'm not getting bored lol. But on leg endurance I'm doing any of cathes videos like butts and guts or any light weight high reps. I even use alot of cathes Live leg workouts.
Hopefully this makes since; This sounds bad but I'm almost wanting if anyone takes a fat burner or some kind of natural supplement to help get more defined

 

[Kellyro77]

As women mature, our bodies' compositions change. It's natural. Even when you compare Cathe in her younger years (ie: Butts & Guts) to her latest videos, you can see her body composition has changed. She's "thicker" - and I don't mean that in a negative way - it's just that her body has started storing what little fat she has and has been building her muscle different from when she was younger. It's what its genetically programmed to do.

I'm really working at embracing my body and accepting what it wants to give as far as shape and composition goes. I don't do myself any favors by continually battling it and wanting it to be different. The irony is when I let up on my unrealistic expectations and just love myself and my body, it just naturally starts to look good. Maybe it's just psychological, but that's my experience.

I recommend reading some books on peri-menopause and menopause, too, so you can familiarize yourself with what's naturally occurring for you or coming up eventually. You were not able to avoid puberty and how it changed your body - same goes with the other end.

Regarding male fitness "experts" having an opinion on what works best for women's bodies... don't get me started... lol. We already have a hard enough time getting male doctors to be understanding of women's health needs. I suppose I'm biased there. Just would rather hear from a woman who's "been there" about what's good for myself than some dude who probably just wants all women to fit a certain physical stereotype.

I'll get off my soapbox now. We're all free to read what we want in the long run. And i acknowledge my opinion on the male perspective on women's health wasn't asked for either, so do feel free to tell me to take a hike. lol

 

[Lady Vol Fan]

All opinions are welcome Kellyro77! I also question the "authorities or experts" whose
It would be nice tho to see the aesthetic rewards of my efforts more too - although I am very grateful for the functional & health benefits. And maybe I should be satisfied with that ... hmmm ... food for thought ....

I agree. I just try to remember in the long run that's not where my focus needs to be because aging and everything that goes with it is natural.
It would also help if I didn't need so many recovery days and could follow the rotations as written.
Mentally, more than physically, I need more recovery days than any of the rotations provide.

 

[Kellyro77]

It's definitely helped me mentally to shift my workout goals from "I want to fit into a certain dress size" to "I want to make sure I don't break a hip if I fall"! I'm peri- right now, or so far as I can tell. I was watching a physical therapist the other day talk about how after we hit a certain age, we just start automatically losing bone density, so yep, strength training helps mitigate that, and any improvements to physical appearance I get from doing it is just icing on the cake.

I'm just really loving STS 2 because it just makes me feel so powerful!

RE those recovery days in Phase 3 - I was also at first thinking "jeez - no just pure rest days at all??" when I read the rotation, but I'm really finding that they're enough. I even excuse myself from foam rolling or yoga on a recovery day if I just flat out don't want to do anything. So far no negatives to doing that. All I can really say is that this system has improved my energy levels so much that it's just rare that I feel like I need a whole day doing nothing. And maybe it's as simple as just going for a brief 20 minute leisurely walk if the idea of popping in a workout DVD and workout clothing is just annoying for the day.

 

[randidiane]

I agree with the getting thicker part makes since. My hips and thighs are wider;( And my arms are thicker and less defined but still solid. I want my "shreddingness to come back;( It's making me depressed I've never looked like this. Sorry guys just whinning. I'll get over it It just happened this year

 

[Hazlady]

This sounds bad but I'm almost wanting if anyone takes a fat burner or some kind of natural supplement to help get more defined

I've definitely gotten thicker around my stomach area even though my weight hasn't changed. I've tried fat burners like Oxyshred, thermogenic protein powders, supplements that are meant to melt the fat away etc, etc. None of them have worked for me for reducing fat. Many of them contain caffeine so I get an energy burst, which can help a bit with being able to focus, but that's about it. My menopausal hormones seem to override any of these sports supplements. The one thing I do take is protein powder, but I use a standard one now, not a thermogenic one.

It's definitely helped me mentally to shift my workout goals from "I want to fit into a certain dress size" to "I want to make sure I don't break a hip if I fall"!

Same for me. I started getting a sore hip around November last year and was freaking out thinking I might need a hip replacement. As it turned out it was tendonitis. But it did leave me feeling vulnerable. I certainly do more flexibility and mobility now, along with weight training.

It would also help if I didn't need so many recovery days and could follow the rotations as written.
Mentally, more than physically, I need more recovery days than any of the rotations provide.

I'm finding this too. After some workouts I need two recovery days not one. Usually, I am a bit sore the next day but I'm finding that sometimes the following day, when I would normally do another workout, I am too sore and need to take an extra day.

 

[Kellyro77]

This reminds me... years ago I worked on a large college campus. We often had young women coming in who were at risk for eating disorders ... they were mourning their adolescent bodies & didn't like coming into full womanhood, with curves and fat deposits in places they didn't have as young, athletic teens. Most of them adjusted to their new bodies over time, some went full into disordered eating & body dysmorphic disorders. Entering into middle-age is sort of like that - the passing into another womanly phase ... we mourn what we are losing & not too sure about what's coming ... but it's better than the alternative and all a part of life.... Maybe we need some role-models on how to age gracefully ... I think I was blessed to watch my mother, aunts and their friends accept this stage of their lives .... hmmm, more "stuff " to reflect on ....

Yes, I wish my aging wasn't so traumatic, too. Western culture is so anti-elderly. I remember having my ear talked off and my mind crammed with "this is what happens at puberty!!!" messages when I was young and in school, but there's really not much out there for maturing and peri-menopause or menopause unless you advocate for yourself and do the time to research it.

I'm just grateful I have a lot of women friends who are at varying ages, many whom are older than me who have been great in pointing out to me that I may be starting into peri/menopause based on my descriptions of what's been going on with me. Else I'd have been pretty clueless and outright frustrated for a lot longer than I initially was.

Not saying it's something I'm skipping around happy to be experiencing. Again, some of that is cultural conditioning that when women age we become obsolete. But some if it is just being fed up with insane mood swings, graying hairs, and new, confounding aches, brain fog, etc.

I do look forward to eventually no more periods, though - and therefore no more menstrual products.

 

[Braille]

I'm really hard on my legs because Lower Body is hard to get defined for some reason and I've been working out for years and eating healthy. I don't understand why my legs are losing their firmness especially in my quads and thighs I'm so frustrated!! I don't know if it's because I'm 43 now and my body is not responding anymore to how it was! So I'm trying a variety now it's working out good so far I'm on my second week and I'm not getting bored lol. But on leg endurance I'm doing any of cathes videos like butts and guts or any light weight high reps. I even use alot of cathes Live leg workouts.
Hopefully this makes since

I'm really petite and physically active. I wasn't accustomed to developing fat, which is what I thought was causing my thighs to lose definition. I talked to my doctor about menopause and some of my symptoms. While I was in her office, I asked if there was anything I could do to combat fat. She took one look at me and said, "what fat?" I explained that my thighs used to be tight, firm, and defined. She just laughed at me and told me that the "looseness" wasn't fat. It was lack of muscle. I told her that was impossible, because I'd added strength training to my workouts. She asked me if I'd also added additional protein. I told her no, but I get enough protein according to the recommendations on the charts. She told me that I needed to get enough protein for my body, the changes it's going through, and the amount of physical activity that I do, regardless of what the charts say. So, I increased my protein intake. Within 2 months, my body was back to being tight and defined, even the parts that I hadn't noticed as much as the thighs. The next time I talked to my doctor, I thanked her. She said that a lot of active women that eat "right" are accidently starving their bodies by not increasing their protein levels when they are going through the change. Peri-menopause is a lot of work for our bodies. Working out puts additional work on it, even though it's good for us. We have to feed our bodies enough of what it needs if we want it to handle the work it's going through. Insufficient protein is often the culprit. After I increased my protein, my strength started increasing as well. I'm turning 53 later this month and am still learning to listen to my body. This last year, I also learned that I get more gains from my workouts if I take 2 active recovery days. I was pretty negative about menopause, but I'm starting to develop a more positive attitude about it. My body and it's needs are changing, and I just need to listen to it and respond accordingly. Everybody's body is different and mine evidently needs 2 active recovery days and more protein, so that's what I'm giving it, until it changes it's mind and starts misbehaving in it's attempt to tell me it needs something else. lol I thought I'd been listening to my body all along, but I know now that I wasn't. I was doing for and to my body what it used to be telling me it needed. My body's needs changed, and I was stuck in the past. Then, I tried doing "extra" of what it wasn't responding to in order to "fix" it. It turned out that I just needed to feed it and rest it differently. Lesson learned. Hopefully I'll be quicker on the uptake next time.

 

[Gobias]

In a previous post, I mentioned a layout that I saw on how to do all 6 CTX single body part workouts in one week

Do you mind pointing me to this post? I would love to see the layout.

 

[Gobias]

Thank you to everyone who replied. I had initially made a template of taking the 16 weeks of STS 2.0 and the 12 weeks of STS 1.0 and alternated weeks in order (had to throw a few double STS 2.0 weeks in there since it is longer) for a 7 month rotation.

However, there are some good ideas here that I am going to think about and I will incorporate. I am especially interested in the undulating ideas....not exactly sure what that means, but I do remember Cathe mentioning it in the XTrain era, I believe. Thanks to all!

Side note: Regarding some of the tangent posts above, I will try to keep this short, as I could go on for days....

I have always been thin. I started working out at about 20 yrs old. I always felt muscle and knew I was strong, but never looked "cut"; I was always a bit "soft" looking. About a decade ago, I changed my way of eating to 100% unprocessed / clean. I immediately lost 20 pounds of softness I didn't know I even had and I wasn't even trying! (took 3 months max). I then looked "cut" and I swear there is rarely a day that goes by that someone doesn't mention my arms or legs or stomach (when at the beach). It was the food! I thought I was eating healthy, but I still had a softness on me and the muscle underneath couldn't be seen.

Even though I lift about the same weight as I did 30 years ago (I keep track of all of my workouts!) and do about the same type of variety of exercise as I have the last 30 years, and have been told I am a healthy weight and BMI, I feel and look so much better than I did 30 years ago. I also have almost zero cellulite (sorry for the visual, but you can only see cellulite on me if I squeeze my bottom really hard and the lighting is harsh....you can see just a little bit - and I am not even sure it is cellulite as it looks more like just squeezing. Whereas before I changed my way of eating, I had cellulite on my bottom and it started creeping down my thighs in harsh lighting.)

Upon changing my diet, I also immediately started sleeping better and way less (cut my sleep hours by more than half and am always energized). I have energy all the time and haven't been sick in over a dozen years - not a sniffle, tickle...nothing. I am on zero meds and am around sickies all the time. (I used to get the obligatory spring and fall sicknesses like clockwork every single year). My skin and eyes are clear and bright.

I have never counted calories or macros or even watched or worried what I ate. However, after this transformation for me, I now get asked about my calories and macros. About once per year I will monitor what I eat so I can answer others. Without planning, I just automatically gravitate towards 80%-10%-10% of Carbs - Protein - Fat. I eat about 3,000-4,000 calories per day. 100% unprocessed foods.

I was never unhappy with my body at 20 yrs old, but boy do I prefer my 50+ year body now! I look and function so much better, IMO. For those interested, I follow Chef AJ, Alan Goldhammer, John McDougal's way of eating. (And that doesn't mean I follow them for recipes, etc. I just happened upon this lifestyle on my own, saw it worked, and then found out there is a plethora of people, including the above, who also eat the way I eat with the same results! There are so many more people who eat this way, usually called "SOS-Free" or "SOFAS-Free".) It is cheap, easy, delicious, satiating and healthy!

Hope this helps someone.

 

[ashaw]

Do you mind pointing me to this post? I would love to see the layout.

I can’t find the original post but I took a screen shot of the order and it’s as follows: back/leg circuit, chest, legs, shoulders, biceps and triceps.