Here is a handy link to some predictive tables. Predictive 1RM testing is safer and less demanding than 1RM testing and is a viable option for most people.
http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/OneRepMax.html
However, with that said it is important to realize that a prediction is just that......a prediction. The only way to truly know your 1RM is to lift to a 1RM.
Till next time.
M
Thursday, August 13, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Strength!
Strength in the purest sense of the term has a rather complicated description. We can look at two basic definitions, maximum strength and muscular endurance.
Most trainers tend to focus more on muscular endurance as it is generally safer, and it brings about the most physically appealing results. Most people are not interested in seeing "how much they can lift". Furthermore, most clients do not want to bulk up excessively.
However, it is indeed important to occasionally lift heavy to see overall improvements in strength. Over time our bodies become accustomed to prescribed rep loads (ie 15-20X) and we tend to see a plateau in terms of strength and reduced gains in terms of physique.
Maximal strength is defined as the maximum weight that can be lifted by a particular muscle group over one repetition. This is termed a 1RM max. The 1RM is a useful tool for evaluating changes in muscular strength as well as providing a criterion for particular athletes. For example, a strength coach for a professional football team may want to see a linebacker prospect be able to 1RM squat 350-pounds to determine if the athlete is strong enough to perform at the NFL level. Obviously other criteria are important for analyzing athletes but the 1RM can be an important indicator for strength and conditioning coaches.
To err on the side of caution we will work to a 5RM maximum for these exercises. We can predict a 1RM from a 3 or 5 RM max test. It is in fact much safer to do so this way. Various scales differ so I will post a reliable scale on my next post. This wokout is called "The Beast" and the structure of the workout will look like this:
1). Each exercise will begin with a warm-up weight performed for 20 reps
2). The second set will be a 10 RM max
3) The 3rd and 4th sets will be performed to a 3 or 5 RM max.
The Beast
* good 10-minute warm-up*
Front Squats
Standing shoulder press (olympic bar)- dip and press is acceptable
Deadlifts
Pull-ups (weighted if neccesary)
Bench press (olympic bar)
The pull-ups may require a lat-pull machine to ensure a proper warm-up. If you are not able to access a lat-pull, perform 1-set to 15RM of jumping pulls as a warm-up. The last three sets should be performed to failure (no jumps).
Have fun,
M
Most trainers tend to focus more on muscular endurance as it is generally safer, and it brings about the most physically appealing results. Most people are not interested in seeing "how much they can lift". Furthermore, most clients do not want to bulk up excessively.
However, it is indeed important to occasionally lift heavy to see overall improvements in strength. Over time our bodies become accustomed to prescribed rep loads (ie 15-20X) and we tend to see a plateau in terms of strength and reduced gains in terms of physique.Maximal strength is defined as the maximum weight that can be lifted by a particular muscle group over one repetition. This is termed a 1RM max. The 1RM is a useful tool for evaluating changes in muscular strength as well as providing a criterion for particular athletes. For example, a strength coach for a professional football team may want to see a linebacker prospect be able to 1RM squat 350-pounds to determine if the athlete is strong enough to perform at the NFL level. Obviously other criteria are important for analyzing athletes but the 1RM can be an important indicator for strength and conditioning coaches.
To err on the side of caution we will work to a 5RM maximum for these exercises. We can predict a 1RM from a 3 or 5 RM max test. It is in fact much safer to do so this way. Various scales differ so I will post a reliable scale on my next post. This wokout is called "The Beast" and the structure of the workout will look like this:
1). Each exercise will begin with a warm-up weight performed for 20 reps
2). The second set will be a 10 RM max
3) The 3rd and 4th sets will be performed to a 3 or 5 RM max.
The Beast
* good 10-minute warm-up*
Front Squats
Standing shoulder press (olympic bar)- dip and press is acceptable
Deadlifts
Pull-ups (weighted if neccesary)
Bench press (olympic bar)
The pull-ups may require a lat-pull machine to ensure a proper warm-up. If you are not able to access a lat-pull, perform 1-set to 15RM of jumping pulls as a warm-up. The last three sets should be performed to failure (no jumps).
Have fun,
M
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