1RMs

[itsbruce]

I see quite a few people here test their 1RMs in the different lifts every so often. Now, I can see the motivation in knowing what your absolute limit is and whether you're improving it, but does finding your 1RM have more direct benefits? I can see a psychological benefit to knowing that "I can squat 10kg more than this, so I'm damned if I'm going to fail at 5 reps of this", but does the occasional (or regular) push to find your 1RM also help your strength?

I've never even tried to push my 1RM on SL5x5 yet - wouldn't know how to go about it without risking my recovery and possibly my back. So I'd also be interested to know how people work that into their routines.

[Mouse]

Obtaining a 1RM can be done using a RM Calculator.
Those testing their maxes are usually beyond the beginner stage and need to find out their max to work on percentage lifts.

Usually at the end of a routine before starting a different routine would be a good time -

Eg, having got to squatting 1.5xBW for 5x5 on SL and no longer making much progression, you decide to try a run of Korte's 3x3 or Wendler's 5/3/1 - these are percentage based programs so you need to have an idea of your 1RM.

Don't worry about it unitl you are ready.

[itsbruce]

Heh, I have no ambition to start testing my 1RMs - I don't really think it would be meaningful information at the moment. But it's not something covered in the main SL5x5 literature, so I was curious to learn some more about why/how people do them.

[Van]

I remember while reading Starting Strength, Rippetoe mentioned somewhere that a beginner has no place testing 1RM on any lift. The reason being that the act of testing the 1RM would actually increase the beginners strength and therefore make it a pointless test.
I've also read that you have no reason to test a 1RM unless you're actually at a PL meet. Testing your 1RM takes so much out of you, you can spend up to 2 weeks recovering. That's valueable time that would be better spent getting stronger don't you think?

As mouse said, at the end of the beginner program would be a good time to test because those numbers would be relevant for your next program. In addition, some time off to rest before starting your next program is also a good idea.

[NorthstarUK]

Testing your 1RM takes so much out of you, you can spend up to 2 weeks recovering.

I test my 1 RM about every 2 or 3 months, doing singles working up to failure. I find it less taxing and quicker to recover from than doing 5x5 at my 5x5 max. Is Rip saying this is just the case for beginners?

[mjh]

I agree that they shouldn't be a major part of a beginner's lifting. For one, if you haven't got good form down they might not be totally safe, and also they don't really reflect your true max to any accurate degree. However, telling a beginner not to test out their 1RM once in a while is like telling a hungry puppy to ignore the big bones until he's a little bigger. 1RMs can be a great motivator, in my experience.

[luco]

I've also read that you have no reason to test a 1RM unless you're actually at a PL meet. Testing your 1RM takes so much out of you, you can spend up to 2 weeks recovering. That's valueable time that would be better spent getting stronger don't you think?

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're misquoting starting strength here. I think what you're talking about only goes for the deadlift. This makes sense as a 1RM deadlift usually doesn't have perfect form and this combined with maximum loads makes for a high risk of injury.

1RM tests (or part of training) are very taxing for your nerve system, which means that 1. You'll need more recovery time. 2. Your nerve system will be forced to adapt and become more efficient at recruiting muscle fibers, making you stronger. Needing time for your CNS to recover doesn't mean you can't lift for 2 weeks, you just shouldn't lift too close to your max. It's not your muscles that need so much time for recovery, so they can still be trained.

Long as you don't do 1RM tests every week, I think they can help your maxes increase once you're past the beginner/intermediate stage.

[Van]

Testing your 1RM takes so much out of you, you can spend up to 2 weeks recovering.

I test my 1 RM about every 2 or 3 months, doing singles working up to failure. I find it less taxing and quicker to recover from than doing 5x5 at my 5x5 max. Is Rip saying this is just the case for beginners?

Being that you could do your beginner routine and get stronger by following that routine. Testing a 1RM in the middle of a beginner program isn't a part of the program and would be wasteful and pointless.
You can modify your routine as much as you want to when you've moved on past beginner phase. It has been my experience and the recommendation of the majority of people around here(and strength coaches like rip) to not mess with the program!You will get stronger by following it as laid out.

Just to clarify, this was from Starting Strength:

I remember while reading Starting Strength, Rippetoe mentioned somewhere that a beginner has no place testing 1RM on any lift. The reason being that the act of testing the 1RM would actually increase the beginners strength and therefore make it a pointless test.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're misquoting starting strength here. I think what you're talking about only goes for the deadlift. This makes sense as a 1RM deadlift usually doesn't have perfect form and this combined with maximum loads makes for a high risk of injury.

1RM tests (or part of training) are very taxing for your nerve system, which means that 1. You'll need more recovery time. 2. Your nerve system will be forced to adapt and become more efficient at recruiting muscle fibers, making you stronger. Needing time for your CNS to recover doesn't mean you can't lift for 2 weeks, you just shouldn't lift too close to your max. It's not your muscles that need so much time for recovery, so they can still be trained.

Long as you don't do 1RM tests every week, I think they can help your maxes increase once you're past the beginner/intermediate stage.

Not too sure where I read this(might have been a tmuscle article):

I've also read that you have no reason to test a 1RM unless you're actually at a PL meet. Testing your 1RM takes so much out of you, you can spend up to 2 weeks recovering. That's valueable time that would be better spent getting stronger don't you think?

I was just mentioning some random thing I had read concerning testing 1RM's. My view is that beginners should not test 1RM's because it's not really a true test. You could come back two days later and test again and get a higher number. and then again in another two days.. that's the same as if you were getting linear progression in a beginner program right.

For everyone else beyond beginner stage, it is logical to test your 1RM at the end of your program(including people just finishing a beginner program) to see what progress you've made.

I'm still a beginner with just over three months in the strength game. I don't claim to have any knowledge about anything beyond what I have accomplished. I was just contributing what little I could based on my experiences.

[NorthstarUK]

Van, I agree, test your 1 RM after you have finished the beginner programme, providing you have gotten your form tight.

I also agree with Mike, that 1RM testing can be very motivating and rewarding (providing it improves!)

Interestingly, I have only had 2 debilitating injuries in over 10 years of weight lifting / training, both occured working with lighter weights during warm up sets, never during heavy sets or a 1RM. I realise that I maybe the exception rather than the rule in this though!

[Van]

People get hurt knees walking down stairs and ankles on the street and backs bending over to pick up boxes and tie shoelaces. But not so many people get injured while doing heavy sets or 1RM's. It seems the human body just doesn't like to do anything cold. We warmup before doing heavy lifting at the gym, but no so much in day to day activities. heh, imagine warming before you tie your shoelaces!

[RobCosimo]

Yeah, I think generally you are so prepared and pumped up doing a 1rm, your body is nice and tense. I think there's more chance of injury from doing a high rep set, where it's easy to drop off your intensity and concentration, providing, of course, you use safety bars/spotters etc.

Beginners might not need to do it, but what strength trainee wouldn't be curious what their limits of maximum strength are?

[Leot]

Personally I find performing 1rms a lot less taxing than heavy sets. Probably because I am still not very strong, but the texas method I am doing calls for 1/2/3rm (alternating) once each week. Putting up big weight on the squat has given me a confidence boost in that lift and pulling heavy weight on the deadlift is very satisfying.

[Sam277]

I often test my 1RM at the very end of my workout, (although that does take energy from the true lift).

Having said that, i do each lift once per week. I wouldn't test it if i did a full body 3x a week.