Erin Stern Elite program

christylynn622

Has anyone else followed Erin Stern's Elite program via bodybuilding.com? I really enjoy strength training and have done strong lifts in the past. Got back on the wagon on Monday and started her program the same day. Liking it so far. Just curious to see if anyone else has followed the program.

h7463

Yes, I've done it 3 times in a row. Worked very well for me. How are you doing so far? Are you following the version she explains in her videos?

christylynn622

I'm following the format that's on her page- is it different than the video? I can't access the video at work but can watch them at home if you recommend doing so. It's going well so far but man am I sore, which is a good thing. I know the following weeks will get better once I can run through all of the exercises and get familiar. For example, I've never done supersets and didn't know until after that I was supposed to have done each of the two THEN rest (right?).

Did you follow the meal plan as well?

h7463

The video has a few more details. It also explains the purpose of the exercises a bit better. A few exercises are different from what is posted on the page, e.g. line jumps, rev hyperextensions... In the video you can see how she actually does it. It's a lot less intimidating that way...lol.
Yes, superset means that you do one set of each, then rest. This is important, because you'll have to pick your weights to be able to make it all the way to the very last rep. Sometimes, it feels like they would be too light at the beginning, but after 4 supersets, your arms will fall off, anyway. I found, that this program is not one to set any PRs, just to get through. You've gotta feel out the rest times a bit, though. It's not supposed to be more than one minute, to keep the pace and the heart rate up, but you can take a little longer, if your muscles are still shaking from the last superset. If in doubt, lower the weights for the next round.
The split worked very well for me, and I found that I had plenty of rest before I had to work the same muscle groups again. I got really hooked enough to do it for 3 months. I improved in almost every exercise, and pushed the weights higher as well. The decline pushups were evil, though...by the time I got to them, I was already tired enough to fall on my face....
Nope, I'm on maintenance as it is, and I did not use her meal plan. In this case, I was going for strength and muscles, not weight loss. But she gives advise about nutrition and how to adjust for different goals, too.

christylynn622

Ok thanks, I'll check out the video before I go to the gym tonight. That way I don't have to wait for the video to load at the gym either, which is so frustrating. I am following her meal plan suggestions along with tracking here, so I'm hoping the combination of the workouts and diet will yield some good results. I want to lose weight and get strong. Thanks again for your help. Might bug you again if I have some questions along the way.

h7463

Sure! Keep bugging....lol
Happy lifting!