Mesocycle 3
Mesocycle 3 is all about strength and is divided into the following three muscle groupings with four workouts per muscle grouping:
#1 Chest and Back
#2 Shoulders, Biceps and Triceps
#3 Legs
You
will lift weights that are 80–90% of your 1RM during these four weeks.
Your rep range will be around six to eight reps for most exercises and
because of the increased intensity you will need a longer rest break
between sets of the same muscle group than you did in the previous
mesocycles. To reduce the amount of downtime, the upper body muscle
groups are arranged in this series so that you’re alternating between
push and pull muscle groups. This method will allow your different
muscle groups to always have at least two to three minutes of rest,
which research shows is the minimum necessary time to replenish the
body’s various energy cycles needed for a high intensity workout.
This
strength cycle will feature a method of training called the 5% Method.
To take full advantage of this technique you will want to select the
heaviest weight you can lift for about nine reps.
The
first week you are going to do four sets of eight reps for every
exercise, resting two to three minutes between each set of the same
muscle group. Do the same for weeks two and three, but increase your
weight by 5% for each workout and decrease your reps by one. On your
fourth and final workout for this mesocycle, you will do eight reps
again, just as in week one, but you’ll use the weight you used in your
second workout. If everything goes as planned you should be 5% stronger
at the end of this mesocycle.
You’re
probably wondering how you’re going to be able to lift weights for the
lower body in this rep range and intensity level. You need at least a
squat rack to safely train the lower body at this intensity level, and
that is why we have included two different leg workout program options
for each week of this mesocycle.
The Plyo-Workout
is for those who don’t own a squat rack and will focus on explosive
strength utilizing plyometric moves mixed with traditional leg strength
training exercises. It will not follow the 5% method for strength.
If
you wish to follow a true strength program and want to follow the same
5% Method used in the upper body workouts in this cycle, then purchase
the optional
Squat Rack
workout option. There are two ways to do the workouts when selecting
this option. The first and best way is to use a squat rack with safety
catches and a spotter. Two members of the cast are shown doing this in
all four squat rack workouts. The other way to do these routines is to
wear a weighted vest (usually available at most stores from 10–40
pounds) and use a short and lighter barbell like we normally use in the
other segments of STS. This still may not be enough weight for some
people to exactly follow the 5% method, but nevertheless it will give
you an outstanding and challenging workout. The purpose of the weighted
vest is to lessen the amount of weight you need on your barbell. This is
beneficial because in an exercise like a squat (without a rack) you are
limited by the weight you can safely lift overhead, not by the amount
you can squat.
Extended Stretch
You
will notice that every workout concludes with our signature STS
extended bonus stretch. This relaxing and thorough stretch is designed
to restore and increase flexibility, relieve stress and improve overall
circulation to the muscles and joints. It will also aid in muscle
recovery. You’ll engage in a combination of yoga-, pilates-, and
athletic-based stretches while targeting all major muscle groups to
ensure a well balanced stretch session. Enjoy this workout after every
STS workout or simply on its own.
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