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Testing my maxes

How often should I go for my 1RM on my lifts (particularly the big 4)? Is it even important to do?

jcgadfly
jcgadfly g Jeff Craft
192 Post(s)
192 Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Gain Muscle Date Joined: May 5, 2015
Posted

Before I tried to do the shred challenge, I was on 5/3/1 4 days a week. Now that the challenge has let me know that I'm way too much of a beginner to do it justice, I've returned to 5/3/1 but I'm doing a full-body routine 3 days a week so I can add in more cardio.

 

5/3/1 allows one to progress using "training maxes" that are 90% of one's 1RM. The lifts are built on percentages of the training max. every 4-6 weeks you deload and add weight to your training maxes abd adjust your lifting weights accordingly (+5 lbs for bench and standing military press, +10 lbs for squats and deadlifts).

 

Occasionally, I've gotten the urge to test and see if my 1RM for those lifts has improved. Is that something I should even worry about as I'm still a novice lifter? If so, how often should i test?

Old enough to know better, young enough not to care. I'm an eternal rookie - As soon as I stop learning I start dying.
jmboiardi
jmboiardi p John M Boiardi
2.6K Post(s)
2.6K Post(s) Gender: Male Goal: Bodybuilding Date Joined: October 10, 2013
Posted
Posted By: jcgadfly

Before I tried to do the shred challenge, I was on 5/3/1 4 days a week. Now that the challenge has let me know that I'm way too much of a beginner to do it justice, I've returned to 5/3/1 but I'm doing a full-body routine 3 days a week so I can add in more cardio.

 

5/3/1 allows one to progress using "training maxes" that are 90% of one's 1RM. The lifts are built on percentages of the training max. every 4-6 weeks you deload and add weight to your training maxes abd adjust your lifting weights accordingly (+5 lbs for bench and standing military press, +10 lbs for squats and deadlifts).

 

Occasionally, I've gotten the urge to test and see if my 1RM for those lifts has improved. Is that something I should even worry about as I'm still a novice lifter? If so, how often should i test?

Jeff, I do full body training as well. Figuring out your 1RM is OK from time to time to see how you are progressing. I wouldn't make it an obsession unless you plan on shifting to powerlifting or strength training specifically where 1RM is a key measuring component. John
34 years of lifting and nutritional experience and resident "old man" :-) MS Athlete and past Super Hermanite since 2013.
crood
crood a Chris P.
467 Post(s)
467 Post(s) Gender: Female Goal: Train for a sport Date Joined: August 8, 2014
Posted
Posted By: jcgadfly

Before I tried to do the shred challenge, I was on 5/3/1 4 days a week. Now that the challenge has let me know that I'm way too much of a beginner to do it justice, I've returned to 5/3/1 but I'm doing a full-body routine 3 days a week so I can add in more cardio.

 

5/3/1 allows one to progress using "training maxes" that are 90% of one's 1RM. The lifts are built on percentages of the training max. every 4-6 weeks you deload and add weight to your training maxes abd adjust your lifting weights accordingly (+5 lbs for bench and standing military press, +10 lbs for squats and deadlifts).

 

Occasionally, I've gotten the urge to test and see if my 1RM for those lifts has improved. Is that something I should even worry about as I'm still a novice lifter? If so, how often should i test?

As John already said, unless you are wanting to join the powerlifting or olympic lifting fraction, you do not need to test your maxes all the time again.

 

You do that once, so you have your measurement point and can derive the 90, 80, 70 etc percent from that value.

 

By adding more weight to the workout weights progressively you "already know" that your strength is increasing!

So another point towards not even needing to check on your max again.

 

Checking a 1RM also need propper preparation of about 2-3 weeks, in which you have completely to adjust your training towards testing your maximal output.

And for a novice lifter as well as for hobby lifters this is nothing you'd like to spend your time with.

 

On top of that testing your real 1RM, is very taxing on your nervous system and musclular system, and will drop you and your capability to lift heavy down for a while to come. (Depending on how high and close to your genetic potential the weight already is this can be from 1 week to a full month until you have fully recovered from such a max load)

 

I think most people misunderstand a 1 RM Max test as .. what is the maximal weight that can i under every day circumstances pull off the floor.

But it is not.

1RM testing, means having deloaded completely, slowly adjusting your body with sets of 3 reps, and even down to sets with just 1 reps over the course of 1-2 weeks to get 'away' enough from the usual high volume training and yet used enough to one really heavy load. And at the peak of this period you'll perform a single rep and put your ALL into it. To find out what really is the whole maximum your body is capable to perform under the most perfect and unstressed circumstances.

 

Just keep progressing, every time you can add more weight in the according phases of the 5/3/1 you are completely fine and you'll know that your strength is increasing.

If a 1RM is higher or not also really depends on the preparation period (see above) and your daily form that particular day.
So they are "not" always an indicator if your strength increased overall.

 

For novice powerlifters i.e. it is adviced to do this only once every 2-3 month. As they also have to break their normal progression plan to prepare for this test, which would throw them back all the time if they did this more often. Plus the above mentioned wear down of your whole system after such test, which renders you incapable of full performnace for some time after as well.

 

 

I hope that cleared the whole topic and strcuturing a bit more :)

Admin + MS Athlete You will get nowhere, if you don't move :) - crood -
muscular strength
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