Finding Out MAXES

[qwerty666]

i wanted to know how you figure out your max lifts....do you just go in one day and max all 3 lifts? i mean one day bench is 250 and another i can barely put up 225...same with DL and SQ. I want to go on a PLing program preferably maybe Westside Barbell or Wendlers 5/3/1 and i know you need to know % of your maxes...so i guess my question is:

How did you come about your current 1RM's?

 

[SRS2000]

The only way to know is to just go in and work up to a max. Make sure you are adequately rested so you get an accurate max. Also, for maxes to work from for % you don't have to go crazy getting whacked out of your head. Focus and get a little fired up, but you don't have to go crazy. Finally, if you work up to a single that is heavy and it feels within 5-20 lbs. of your max, you can stop there and use that as your max to calculate %'s. Best to start a little low than too high. You can do it all on one day or spread it out over a week, it doesn't matter that much when finding maxes for training purposes.

 

[brownstown89]

start messing with repping like 3-5 reps say ur hitting 225 for 3 on bench then ur like i wanna go for 235 u hit it 2 and get stuck midway on the 3rd rep.. use a max calculator that should be like 245 ish. they usually give u 5 pounds per rep and since u got the 3red rep half one ur max output might be 250.. just mess around with the weights and ur body will tell u what its capable of.

 

[suncloud]

i wanted to know how you figure out your max lifts....do you just go in one day and max all 3 lifts? i mean one day bench is 250 and another i can barely put up 225...same with DL and SQ. I want to go on a PLing program preferably maybe Westside Barbell or Wendlers 5/3/1 and i know you need to know % of your maxes...so i guess my question is:

How did you come about your current 1RM's?

so what changes on these days? the only variables i can think of (there may be more) are :
diet (pre workout meal doesn't have enough carbs/protein, or you didn't eat enough the day before)
working the same muscles without proper recovery
stress

just wondering how you can maximize your new workout
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/1rm.htm <-- nothing is 100% accurate though.

 

[nemo]

FOR UPPER-BODY EXERCISES: (5RM weight x 1.1307) + 0.6998 = 1RM Example: If you bench 300 pounds for five reps, your 1RM would be (300 x 1.1307) + 0.6998 = 340 pounds

FOR LOWER-BODY EXERCISES: (5RM weight x 1.09703)+14.2546 = 1RM Example: If you squat 400 pounds for five reps, your 1RM would be (400 X 1.09703) + 14.2546 = 453 pounds, or 455 pounds (rounded up)

I got this from an issue of MnF from last year. They say it's 99% accurate. Hope it helps!

 

[pmiller383]

Dude just get under the bar and lift something heavy, theres no need to calculate your max with some formula if your going to be getting into powerlifting anyways. If your going to switch over to a westside program all you have to do is estimate your percentages for the first training cycle based off of what you have hit in the gym before. So if your best bench recently was 250 that use that as your max until you break it in training. Also if you are just starting westside and don't have much lifting experience you can get a away with just doing rep work in place of your dynamic days for the first couple cycles.

 

[AE14]

gotta agree with PM on this one. Have a trusty spotter and off you go

 

[qwerty666]

Dude just get under the bar and lift something heavy, theres no need to calculate your max with some formula if your going to be getting into powerlifting anyways. If your going to switch over to a westside program all you have to do is estimate your percentages for the first training cycle based off of what you have hit in the gym before. So if your best bench recently was 250 that use that as your max until you break it in training. Also if you are just starting westside and don't have much lifting experience you can get a away with just doing rep work in place of your dynamic days for the first couple cycles.

Good answer man, thanks

 

[Chubbie]

Wendler does a great job explaining "Maxes" in his book. Buy the book.

 

[Chubbie]

Weight x Reps Lifted x 0.0333 + Weight = Max 1RM

 

[qwerty666]

Wendler does a great job explaining "Maxes" in his book. Buy the book.

Wendler is a good lifter but he seems like a wannabe Dave Tate.....but he does know his ****. Thanks bro!

 

[Bonecrusher92]

im like the others on here, i see no reason to calculate your max with a formula, like myself i can always tell about where i am

 

[MK9]

Not having the luxury of a spotter, would any of you agree that using %'s or the formula listed above to give you what your max is?
I use db's and workout at home and there is no way I can get a spotter to help me, so I just go by what I feel I can do for my 3RM, 5RM and 12RM. Would that approach be valid?

 

[SemiBulimic]

i'm doing the 5/3/1 program which calls for a calculation of your max but i choose my fights if you what i mean. i lift according to how i feel. if i can hit the required % for the required reps and no more i'm happy.

Your 1rm, 3rm and 5rm are always going to be different according to that day's stresses, aches and pains, diet, working hours etc. etc. Intuitive training is the mark of an advanced lifter. If you have to do the minimum then do so and live to lift another day.

 

[2k2ser]

Sorry to bump the old thread......
Give 5/3/1 a shot! It's working great for me. Just take a week or so to get current maxes on the 4 lifts. I guesstimated on a couple of my lifts, way too low. You can also start low and judge it from there. Within a couple weeks you will have some accurate numbers.

 

[Sweekaters]

I find that after lifting for awhile, most guys can take a decent guess at their 1RM and be within a 5-10lb range of it, no need for a formula. I rarely train under three reps, but I find that I can guess my single rep max fairly accurately based on how I feel that day.

 

[10bathroomsO]

how about just go lift something that you know you can bust off 4 or 5and only do it once add 10 pounds and if it dont feel too heavy do it once add 10 pounds and so on
when you get to the point where you cant lift it or even get it halfway then the one before that is your max, theres no reason to make percentage up to add 5 more pounds that you never really lifted when you can just get alot more food in you and a lot more rest and bamm your lifting that 5 extra pounds on your max that you didnt before

 

[MongoSS]

get a few days rest and go to the gym on monday and max your squat, then wed. max your bench and friday max your deadlift. this should give a fairly accurate picture of your strength with enough rest to hit peak numbers. but there is also nothing wrong with going in meet style and knocking out all three in one day. It will be stressful however.

 

[10bathroomsO]

what he said... plus take a pre workout like your about to go push your brains out for an hour and a half


i tell you what got my highest max yet, i layed on my a$$ for like 6 days straight and ate what ever i wanted, taking creatine and protein, i came home and it had been like a month before i tried my max

apparently my bench shot up 15 pounds, i hit 270 once that day, ive been working out too much since then to try my max trying to cut up a bit, but maxes are my best intrest when im bulkin son