noob question: best way to work up to a 1 rep max

[colinm]

simple question: what is the best way to work up to a 1rm. i did it just for kicks in my last workout and felt that i was too fatigued by the time i worked up to it to hit my full 1rm. so whats the best way to lift maximum poundage while making sure you are adequately warmed up?

btw, i did search for this and found shit.

 

[Urban]

there's actually quite a bit on this floating around, but without getting to specific I can tell you with complete confidence that it varies from exercise to exercise and person to person. you need to find what works best for you. If you were too fatigued last time you tried a 1rm, then learn from it and adjust your warmup accordingly.

 

[colinm]

thanks urban, ill change things up next time i try for my 1RM, but something a little more specific would definitely help.
here's what i did last workout, its also in my log:

bench: 6/135, 6/135 (warmups) 8/185, 5/205, 2/225, 1RM at 235

i confess that i decided to work up to my 1RM after my second working set (5/205) just because i was curious about how much i could lift. i feel like i could have easily lifted 250, not fatigued, because my double at 225 was easier than the single at 235.

so here's a more specific question:

do i work up to a 1RM with singles/doubles/triples or start at a working set of like 8-10 reps and gradually strip reps down/add weight.

thanks in advance

 

[carped33z]

thanks urban, ill change things up next time i try for my 1RM, but something a little more specific would definitely help.
here's what i did last workout, its also in my log:

bench: 6/135, 6/135 (warmups) 8/185, 5/205, 2/225, 1RM at 235

i confess that i decided to work up to my 1RM after my second working set (5/205) just because i was curious about how much i could lift. i feel like i could have easily lifted 250, not fatigued, because my double at 225 was easier than the single at 235.

so here's a more specific question:

do i work up to a 1RM with singles/doubles/triples or start at a working set of like 8-10 reps and gradually strip reps down/add weight.

thanks in advance

go 6/135. 2x185, 2x205, 1x225 and then final set. 8x185 and 5x205 is way too much if you really want to focus on your last set.

 

[colinm]

go 6/135. 2x185, 2x205, 1x225 and then final set. 8x185 and 5x205 is way too much if you really want to focus on your last set.

thanks man, i thought so. so basically stick to doubles/singles after a couple warmup sets?

 

[carped33z]

thanks man, i thought so. so basically stick to doubles/singles after a couple warmup sets?

ive been working like you said you have for about 7 months now and my gains have really tapered off, which is scary after only 7 months. got some advice from carnal to skim off some of the reps in the middle sets and i tied my dips PR at +75 lbs and also my squat PR of reps at 365 lbs on a pretty mediocre-feeling day (had been up all night). it just makes more sense to leave gas in the tank for the last set. thats where you get stronger. the rest of the sets just pave the way it seems.

 

[HUNEBED]

so why you wanna do 1 RM ? to see what you can handle, 'can't seem to picture the real benefit from 1 RM, just 1 RM... but okay it's always awesome to push yourself to new levels (which you can better reach by for example; negative(excentric) reps, where available, 105 % and up)

but to warm up for 1 RM, do 2 sets lightly and then go near (say 5 / 80-85 %) of your 1 RM and then hit the jackpot > a spotter should be there at your side (depends on the excercise)

but then again there are so many different exercises that can put you to other levels !

 

[CarnalSalvation]

Here is how I might work up, to a 700lb squat for example:

145X5
235X3
325X3
415X1
505X1
600X1
700X1

 

[rEmY]

so why you wanna do 1 RM ? to see what you can handle, 'can't seem to picture the real benefit from 1 RM, just 1 RM... but okay it's always awesome to push yourself to new levels (which you can better reach by for example; negative(excentric) reps, where available, 105 % and up)

but to warm up for 1 RM, do 2 sets lightly and then go near (say 5 / 80-85 %) of your 1 RM and then hit the jackpot > a spotter should be there at your side (depends on the excercise)

but then again there are so many different exercises that can put you to other levels !

ill let somebody else tackle this one.

 

[CarnalSalvation]

Yeah, I skipped that too. Jesus.

 

[Fedorable]

Here is how I might work up, to a 700lb squat for example:

145X5
235X3
325X3
415X1
505X1
600X1
700X1

I think this is good advice, it's how I might work up to a 700 squat also.

 

[CarnalSalvation]

Yeah except I really did it! neener neener!!!

 

[Ted-P]

Yeah except I really did it! neener neener!!!

700 pound?

Holy crack.

I'm starting to wonder..........

Did you ever keep track of your vertical leap and sprint times before you started squatting?

Do you feel it has helped with your leap and runs?

 

[Fedorable]

Yeah except I really did it! neener neener!!!

video? I bet you can't crack 680.

 

[Urban]

video? I bet you can't crack 680.

HAHAHAHA... oh wait... you're serious?

 

[CarnalSalvation]

I have it on video if you'd like to see it, just not in any format I can post here. If you are genuinely that skeptical about my lifts, you can PM me and I can give you my coaches phone number. You can call her up and get the real deal on all my lifts.

For anybody on this board who doubts what I do, if you're ever in the michigan area, come on by and I'll show ya in person.

 

[E C Monee]

I agree with Urban, it all depends on the person and exercise. Also keep in mind you want to be warmed up but don't fatige yourself, depending on the weight you might want to do just a couple warm ups and then go to just singles cause your first 1rm attempt might go up nice and smoothly so in that case you will want to go up again. If I'm maxing out unless my 1rm is extremely hard I keep going up in weight until I need a spot to get it up, you might do your 1rm and not know that you can go up another 40lbs or so. Just play around with it every so often and you'll know how much warmup your body needs, remember everyone is different and not everything will apply to you so just try different things and figure which works best for you.

 

[Sean S]

I have it on video if you'd like to see it, just not in any format I can post here. If you are genuinely that skeptical about my lifts, you can PM me and I can give you my coaches phone number. You can call her up and get the real deal on all my lifts.

For anybody on this board who doubts what I do, if you're ever in the michigan area, come on by and I'll show ya in person.

Which reminds me, I gotta lift with you guys sometime. I'm just afraid of being called out on my "pussy back".

 

[Sean S]

Oh and a question actually... should a "noob" be even bothering with 1rm? At least on a regualr basis.

 

[CarnalSalvation]

You're welcome anytime Sean!

I'd be nice to ya, and not call ya any names besides wattevah you're momma put on your birth certificate, Lynne I can't make any promises for. She finds "glassbacks" especially amusing so watch out.