STS 2.0: Supersets Total Body

This workout is part of Cathe Friedrich‘s STS 2.0 program which contains 26 workouts. I am doing the 12 week STS 2.0 rotation. Wow! Another amazing total body strength workout. This workout does get metabolic but some of the supersets are less metabolic than others so you feel like your heart is getting a recovery during some of the supersets–but not your muscles! The first time I did this workout was a learning experience but by the 3rd superset I was using the appropriate weight. When I returned to this workout in Week 2 I used the appropriate weights right out of the gate and got an excellent and intense strength workout. I did feel like my upper body got a lot more work than my lower body.

Most of the supersets in this workout are opposing muscle groups, which I really like because it gives the muscle group you just worked an opportunity to rest. And you need it because each superset is repeated three times with little rest between exercises. However you get a long 2 minute recovery before you move on to the next muscle pairing superset. Those long recoveries really help you come to the next intense superset strong. During the long recoveries Cathe has you set things up for the next superset and sometimes she also has you stretch out the muscles you just worked. So even tho the stretch at the end is very short, your muscles are getting some stretching in the course of the workout.

Supersets Total Body is 58:58 minutes; 6:20 minute warm up and 1:40 minute stretch. Equipment: step bench on an incline, light resistance band w/ handles, light resistance loop, dumbbells, barbell, additional barbell plates (optional) and a fitness mat. The resistance band and light dumbbells (10 and 15 pound dumbbells) are used during the warm up. Each exercise is done for 8 reps and you get 2 minutes of recovery between each superset.

1. Squats (Cathe is using 30# DBs; I used 37.5# DBs)
2. Deadlifts (Cathe is using a 65# barbell; I used a hex deadlift bar @ 105#)
3. Repeat 1 & 2 two more times
4. 2 minute recovery
5. Incline chest press (Cathe is using 30# DBs; I used 32.5# DBs)
6. Barbell wide overhand grip row (Cathe is using a 50# barbell; my barbell was 72#)
7. Repeat #5 & 6 two more times
8. 2 minute recovery
9. Kneeling sweeper curls (in high kneeling on mat, do supination curls–arms start hammer style at sides, as you curl DBs up, rotate them so palms face upward) (Cathe is using 20# DBs; I used 20# DBs)
10. Incline lying tricep extension (skull crushers) (Cathe is using 15# DBs; I used 15# DBs)
11. Repeat #9 & 10 two more times
12. 2 minute recovery
13. Shrugs (hold a DB in each hand at sides of body, shrug shoulders) (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 25# DBs)
14. Calf raise (raise and lower heels) (optional: barbell plates on floor, place toes on plates and heels are on floor) (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 25# DBs)
15. Repeat #13 & 14 two more times
16. 2 minute recovery
17. Alternating sumo squat (hold one DB in both hands at chest level, step out to side into sumo squat, step back in then step out to other side into sumo squat) (Cathe is using one 25# DB; I used one 40# DB)
18. Alternating cross back lunges (curtsy lunges) (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 30# DBs)
19. Repeat #17 & 18 two more times
20. 2 minute recovery
21. Incline chest fly (Cathe is using 25# DBs; I used 25# DBs)
22. Barbell underhand grip row (palms face in front of you, keep arms close to sides–narrower grip than #6 above) (Cathe is using 65# barbell; my barbell was 72#)
23. Repeat 21 & 22 two more times
24. 2 minute recovery
25. Hammer curls (Cathe is using 15# DBs; I used 20# DBs)
26. Single arm tricep kickbacks w/ loop (loop the light resistance loop around the bar of the DB, the other end of the loop goes around the thumb of the non-working arm, hinge forward and hold hand with band looped around thumb to same side shoulder of working arm, do single arm tricep kickbacks) (Cathe is using one #12 DB; I used one 13# DB)
27. Repeat #26 on other arm
28. Repeat #25-27 two more times
29. 2 minute recovery
30. Single arm side lateral raise (Cathe is using 10# DBs; I used 11# DBs)
31. Repeat #30 on other arm
32. Double arm thumb to thumb rear delt fly (bent over rear delt fly, palms face behind you) (Cathe is using 8# DBs; I used 9# DBs)
33. Repeat #30-32 two more times (for rear delt flys (#32) Cathe dropped to 5# DBs for the last 2 sets)

Premixes:

Express #1: Upper Body Only + Calves 46:39

Express #2: Lower Body Only 18:59

Express #3: Total Body Single Supersets 34:54

Express #4: Total Body Double Supersets 46:33

Express #5: Total Body w/out rest 46:46

Mish Mosh #1: Supersets 1, 4, 2, 6, 3, 7, 5 & 8 58:23

Mish Mosh #2: Supersets 1, 5, 3, 7, 2, 6, 4 & 8 58:23

Extreme: Total Body Triple Legs 78:43