Determining your one-rep max

I can’t stress how important this piece of info is, but suffice it to say, it’s the backbone of the program. If you just guess your 1RM, you might as well forget it. This program is based on precise mathematical formulas, and if you try to guess your 1RM or don’t do the test to determine 1RM properly, you’ll get mediocre results.

To determine your 1RM properly, you should refrain from training chest, shoulders, or triceps 48 hours prior to testing. You should also perform the test before you start your normal workout. No use trying to determine how strong you are in a particular lift if you’ve just finished an incredibly grueling workout, regardless of what body part is involved. You should also warm up properly and make sure you’ve got a conscientious spotter handy in case your 1RM is less than the weight you’ve piled on the bar. Here’s how to determine your 1RM:

1. Warm up with a light weight for four to five reps. (Doing too many warm-up reps might generate too much lactic acid and screw up your 1RM.) Repeat twice.
2. Rest two minutes after your final warm-up set.
3. Increase the weight to one you can handle for eight reps.
4. Rest three minutes.
5. Increase the weight to one you can handle for three to four reps.
6. Rest three minutes.
7. Add weight, and attempt to lift the weight once.
8. If you failed, rest three minutes, reduce the weight, and try again. If you succeeded in lifting the weight, rest three minutes, add some weight, and try again. Repeat steps six and seven until you fail at lifting the weight.

Record your 1RM here: 1RM __________________ DATE: __________________