When to try for a 1 RM?

subversive99
subversive99 Posts: 273 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I'm plugging away at SL 5x5, about 6 weeks in at this point. I see these people with their 1RM in their profiles and it makes me want to know what mine is. So far I've talked myself out of it as I don't want to mess up my progression. I'm only approaching failure on OH press so far, the rest of the weights I don't really know how far away my upper limit for 5x5 is just yet. If I did want to test my 1RM, suggestions on when to do it? Off day between SL workouts, I guess? Alternatively, feel free to talk me out of it by telling me how dumb it is to care about the maximum I can lift at this point when I still have ~80 pounds to lose.

Replies

  • flabassmcgee
    flabassmcgee Posts: 659 Member
    Bump because I wanna know more, too.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    http://www.strstd.com/ will pretty accurately estimate your 1RM based on the reps you can do. Over 10 reps it gets kinda crazy but something like a 5RM has been extremely accurate for me in the past few years.

    Testing it after 6 weeks? I would only bother if you've fully engrained proper form and technique into your brain. Which, after 6 weeks, is fairly unlikely. It's different for everyone but I wouldn't really even consider it until you're at least 6 months to 1 year in. I don't think I ever tested my squat 1RM for the first two years in fact. Even now I only test my 1RMs for everything once or twice a year, tops. Unless you're competing it's largely just an ego thing. The calculated 1RM will let you know with about 99% accuracy so actual 1RM testing isn't really needed. But it is fun, albeit stressful, so I understand.

    Finally, as far as what day of the week or whatever, I doubt it matters much at this point. I'd do it at the end of a cycle either just before or just after a rest/deload week maybe?
  • jenglish712
    jenglish712 Posts: 497 Member
    Most folks just use calculated 1RM most of the time. But if you really want to try it then you have to be well rested ( a couple days off), warm up well, and know that you probably won't be hitting targets across the exercises for the day. I have never actually tried my 1RM for real. For me I still don't trust my technique enough to really go to max without fear of injury, which would slow progress.
  • LifterDave
    LifterDave Posts: 112 Member
    I always go for a 1RM at the end of my final session of the week while I am still warmed up. But not always then. Give it a try anytime you want though. Just remember this in regards to 1RM calculators, the more reps you do the less accurate they are. I have seen this on forums before where a lifter uses their estimated 1RM. Estimated means nothing. If you feel like giving it a try, then get warmed up and just do it. A good time to test your actual 1RM is before beginning a new intermediate program when working off of percentages of your 1RM.
  • subversive99
    subversive99 Posts: 273 Member
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    it's largely just an ego thing

    It's 100% an ego thing, I admit this. :smile:

    Thanks for the link, will run the numbers when I get to my 5x5 max. I don't want to mess with my progress for now, and what you say about the form makes sense.

  • LifterDave
    LifterDave Posts: 112 Member
    subversive99 wrote: »
    DopeItUp wrote: »
    it's largely just an ego thing

    It's 100% an ego thing, I admit this. :smile:

    Thanks for the link, will run the numbers when I get to my 5x5 max. I don't want to mess with my progress for now, and what you say about the form makes sense.
    Yep, it is indeed an ego thing which will inflate or deflate your ego.
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