STS Week 21 (Disks 31, 32 & 33)

For more info on STS see STS Overview and Prep.

Like I mentioned in the last review, these reviews are going to get shorter because, just like last week, these workouts are very similar to the first two weeks of Meso 3 (Week 19 and Week 20). The difference? For the upper body workouts you are now at 90% of your 1RM and your reps are reduced even further to 6. Other than that, the workouts are the same. For Plyo Legs, you have some new exercises but the structure is the same and you are still lifting 70% of your 1RM.

Let me note however, that STS has helped me to impress even myself. 90% of my 1RM is a lot of weight (in my eyes)–heavier than I ever imagined I’d lift. And yet, here I am, lifting it–and for all 6 reps. I will say that sometimes, for the last rep or two my form isn’t all it should be, but I am doing this! And I am loving it!

Disk 31 Chest & Back 63:30 minutes; 3:45 minute warm up, 58:30 training time, 1 minute stretch. Wow! Incredible workout. I never in a million years thought I could lift this heavy. I never thought I’d be doing chest flies with 40 pound dumbbells. Never! And that moment when you lay back and have to get your arms above your body and into position for the fly. Every single time I wasn’t sure I was going get those dumbbells up there, that I might have to lower my weight for the remaining sets–and yet every time I powered it up there into position. Once it’s in position it is easier–not easy! But not such a struggle. That is a great feeling though.

As mentioned above, this workout is identical to Disk 25  and Disk 28 with the exceptions that you are lifting 90% of your 1RM and only lifting 6 reps.

Equipment needed: barbell, dumbbells, bench or step with 5 risers

Exercises:

Flat Bench Press (barbell) (warm up set–so lighter weight)
Flat Bench Press (barbell) (warm up set–so lighter weight)

1st Set (repeated 4 times)
Flat Bench Press (barbell)
Barbell Rows

2nd Set (repeated 4 times)
Chest Flys (Flat Bench) (dumbbell)
One Arm Row (dumbbell)

3rd Set (repeated 4 times)
Incline Bench Press (barbell)
Deadlifts (barbell)

4th Set (repeated 4 times)
One Arm Horizontal Row (dumbbell)
Incline Chest Flys (dumbbell)

Disk 32 Plyo Legs 48:30 minutes; 8 minute warm up, 38 minute training time and 2:30 minute cool down and stretch. I love the Plyo Legs workouts. LOVE THEM! They are fun, tough and effective giving you both strength and cardio in one workout. I will say that Disk 32 and Disk 29 simply are not as difficult as the first Plyo Legs of Meso 3 (Disk 26). But they are still tough!

Equipment needed: dumbbells, step with 4 risers, a chair, a band and weighted gloves

Exercises:

Lateral Step Ups (dumbbell and step at 10 inches)

Sit N Stand Up with Jump and Weight in Hand (dumbbell and chair)

Walking Lunges (dumbbell)

Reach and Tap Corner of Step with weighted cloves (weight gloves and step at 4 inches)

Step Up with Hand Weights (dumbbell and step at 12 inches)

Butt Kicks Over Step (step at 12 inches)

Close Stance One Leg Squats (dumbbell)

Rock Climbers on Floor

Drop Side Lunge onto Step (dumbbell and step at 6 inches)

Straddle Down jump Up with Knee Lift (step at 12 inches)

Back Lunge Alternating off Step (dumbbell and step at 10 inches)

Explosive Running Man (step at 12 inches)

Deadlifts Wide Stance (dumbbell)

Lateral Crossovers on Step with Weight (step at 12 inches)

Drop Side Lunge on Floor into Leg Abduction (dumbbell)

Squat thrust and Jump onto box (step at 12 inches)

Alternating Front Lunge (dumbbell)

Lunge taps on Step with fingertips touching (step at 12 inches)

Alternating Side Lunge (dumbbell)

Band Hop One leg and Turn corner hop with other leg

One Legged Deadlifts (dumbbell)

One Leg Squat Thrust

Squats Narrow Stance (dumbbell)

Lateral Jumps over Step Platform (step at 12 inches)

Low Lunge/Squat Combo

Slow Straddle Jumps (step at 12 inches)

Disk 33 Shoulders, Biceps & Triceps 60 minutes; 4 minute warm up, 55:30 minute training time and 30 second stretch. 90% of my 1RM! Wow! This is a tough workout–I am making all sorts of grunting noises to lift these weights, but I am doing it! My weighted gloves are also getting excellent use during Meso 3 more than any other Mesocycle. For shoulders and triceps there is really no other way to increase your weight by only 1 or 2 pounds each week. As mentioned previously, this workout is structured the same as Disk 27 and Disk 30; the only difference is you are lifting 90% of your 1RM and only doing 6 reps.

Equipment needed: barbell, dumbbells, bench or step with 5 risers, stability ball and chair (or you can use the step to sit on)

Exercises:

Standing Barbell Front Press (warm up set with lighter weight)
Standing Barbell Front Press (warm up set with lighter weight)

Trio 1 (repeated 4 times)
Standing Barbell Front Press
Barbell Curl
Flat Bench Tricep Extensions (dumbbell)

Trio 2 (repeated 4 times)
Seated Lateral Raise (dumbbell)
Incline Curls on Stability Ball (dumbbell)
Seated Overhead Extensions One Arm (dumbbell)

Trio 3 (repeated 4 times)
Seated Rear Delts (dumbbell)
Seated Concentration Curls (dumbbell)
Cross Body Kickbacks (dumbbell)

Week 21 Rotation

Day 1:  Pyramid HIIT + Ab Circuits Stabilty Ball Abs

Doubles: Crossfire premix 7

Day 2: Disk #33 Shoulders, Biceps & Triceps

Day 3: Imax 1

Doubles: Xtrain: Hardstrikes premix 16

Day 4: Disk #32 Plyo Legs + Extended Stretch

Day 5: Xtrain: All Out Low Impact HIIT premix 1 (includes Core 1)

Day 6: Disk #31 Chest & Back + To The Max Triple Tabata premix

Day 7: Rest