BUILDING UP TO THE 1 REP MAX
When maxing out and building up to a 1-Rep Max, it’s EXTREMELY important to do so while not tiring yourself out in the process…
It can be SUPER easy to nervously (or unknowingly) complete too many reps and sets while warming up, tire out your body, and then accidentally bamboozle yourself and not hit the weights (1-rep max) you could have / should have because you already emptied the tank.
(Anyone remember when I did this last spring and only lifted 295 on max out day cuz I warmed up too much? And then I was so salty to not hit the 300 club that I maxed out the following week again and smoked 305+ by following this exact outline from Bryan below? Don’t be a dummy like me, but anyway)
It’s definitely a fine line: you absolutely DO want to warm up, as taking super big jumps and not warming up properly could put you at risk of injury, etc — but you DO also want to be fresh and ready to empty the tank (: If you want to hit a 1-rep max, check out the plan below.
MAKING A GAME PLAN
When going for a 1-Rep Max, consider a game plan of something like this:
50% x 6-8 reps
70% x 3-4 reps
80% x 1-2 reps
90% x 1 rep
93-96% x 1 rep
102% x 1 rep
105% x 1 rep
Etc…
** percentages based on estimated/projected max
To go more specific, let’s say you expect/hope to hit a 300 lb Deadlift:
50% = 150 x 6-8 reps
70% = 210 x 3-4 reps
80% = 240 x 1-2 reps
90% = 270 x 1 rep
93% = 280 x 1 rep
96% = 290 x 1 rep
And so on, until you find your 1-rep max.
GIVE IT A SHOT
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Wondering if you’re following a great workout? Check out this post: Signs Your Workout Routine isn’t Working.
