How to estimate your one-rep max

[Ox 51]

HOW TO ESTIMATE YOUR 1RM

Estimate your one-rep max and utilize this chest program for serious results
By Jim Stoppani, Ph.D.
December 21, 2009
FLEXONLINE.COM

If you don't have a spotter you can trust, do not attempt a true one-rep max. Your best bet is to estimate your max bench press weight by doing a 10-rep max test.

HOW TO ESTIMATE A 1RM: Find a weight that you can do for 10 reps. The tenth rep is the absolute last rep you can perform with that weight. If you think you can get 11 reps, then you need to rest a good 5 minutes and add another 5-10 pounds to the bar and try again.

Yes, you will still need a spotter to do this properly, but at least the spotter will not have to lift a ton of weight off of your chest. Once you have the weight that limits you to 10 reps on the bench press, multiply that by 1.33. That will give you your estimated 1 rep max.

For example: If you bench pressed 200 pounds for 10 reps:
200 x 1.33 = 266 pounds
Round down to 265 pounds


BENCH PRESS FIVE-DAY SPLIT

MONDAY: Heavy chest, plus shoulders and abs
TUESDAY : Back and traps
WEDNESDAY: Legs and calves
THURSDAY: Light/explosive chest, plus abs
FRIDAY : Triceps, biceps and forearms
*On light chest days, perform reps as fast and explosive as possible.

FLEX BIG BENCH PROGRAM


<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="50%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: #b10b1c; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" colSpan=4 align=middle>WEEKS 1-3: HEAVY DAY </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #000000; COLOR: #ffffff; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid">Exercise </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid" align=middle>Sets/Reps </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Weight (% 1RM) </TD><TD align=middle>Rest </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Bench press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/10 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>50% </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>60% </TD><TD align=middle>2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/4 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>70% </TD><TD align=middle>2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>4/6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>85% </TD><TD align=middle>3-4 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/to failure </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>60% </TD><TD align=middle>2-3 min. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="50%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: #b10b1c; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" colSpan=4 align=middle>WEEK 1-3:LIGHT/EXPLOSIVE DAY </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #000000; COLOR: #ffffff; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid">Exercise </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid" align=middle>Sets/Reps </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Weight (% 1RM) </TD><TD align=middle>Rest </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Power Push-up (try to clap hands together at top) </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>2/3-4 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Body weight </TD><TD align=middle>3 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Bench Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/5-6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>30-40% </TD><TD align=middle>3 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Incline Dumbbell Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/12 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>12 RM </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Cable Crossover </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/15 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>15 RM </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min.


</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>


<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="50%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: #b10b1c; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" colSpan=4 align=middle>WEEKS 4-6: HEAVY DAY </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #000000; COLOR: #ffffff; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid">Exercise </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid" align=middle>Sets/Reps </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Weight (% 1RM) </TD><TD align=middle>Rest </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Bench Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/10 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>50% </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>60% </TD><TD align=middle>2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/4 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>70% </TD><TD align=middle>2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>4/6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>90% </TD><TD align=middle>3-4 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/to failure </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>70% </TD><TD align=middle>2-3 min. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="50%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: #b10b1c; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" colSpan=4 align=middle>WEEK 4-6:LIGHT/EXPLOSIVE DAY </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #000000; COLOR: #ffffff; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid">Exercise </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid" align=middle>Sets/Reps </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Weight (%1RM) </TD><TD align=middle>Rest </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Power Push-up (try to clap hands together at top) </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>2/5-6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Body weight </TD><TD align=middle>3 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Bench Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/5-6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>40-50% </TD><TD align=middle>3 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Dumbbell Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/10 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>10 RM </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Incline Dumbbell Fly </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/12 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>12 RM </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="50%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: #b10b1c; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" colSpan=4 align=middle>WEEKS 7-9: HEAVY DAY </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #000000; COLOR: #ffffff; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid">Exercise </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid" align=middle>Sets/Reps </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Weight (% 1RM) </TD><TD align=middle>Rest </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Bench Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/10 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>50% </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>60% </TD><TD align=middle>2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>1/4 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>70% </TD><TD align=middle>2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>4/2 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>95% </TD><TD align=middle>3-4 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid"></TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/to failure </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>80% </TD><TD align=middle>2-3 min. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>



<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="50%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: #b10b1c; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" colSpan=4 align=middle>WEEK 7-9:LIGHT/EXPLOSIVE DAY </TD></TR><TR style="BACKGROUND: #000000; COLOR: #ffffff; FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid">Exercise </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #ffffff 1px solid" align=middle>Sets/Reps </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Weight (% 1RM) </TD><TD align=middle>Rest </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Power Push-up (try to clap hands together at top) </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>2/7-8 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>Body weight </TD><TD align=middle>3 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Bench Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/5-6 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>50-60% </TD><TD align=middle>3 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Incline Bench Press </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/8 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>8 RM </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR><TR><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid">Dumbbell Fly </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>3/10 </TD><TD style="BORDER-RIGHT: #000000 1px solid" align=middle>10 RM </TD><TD align=middle>1-2 min. </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>




<TABLE style="COLOR: #000000" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=5 width="50%"><TBODY><TR><TD style="BACKGROUND: #b10b1c; FONT-WEIGHT: bold" colSpan=4 align=middle>WEEK 10 - Do not train until Thursday, then retest your 1 RM or 10 RM on the bench press </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

 

[big in vegas]

That's good info, but I prefer just to get online and find a calculator to get it lol

 

[skinny1]

That has to be the dumbest shit I've ever heard of. The only way to know your 1rm is to get under the weight and do it. If you have to do ten reps then calculate it ......your just a pussy :nope:

 

[ajwestie87]

That has to be the dumbest shit I've ever heard of. The only way to know your 1rm is to get under the weight and do it. If you have to do ten reps then calculate it ......your just a pussy :nope:

i would have to agree here.

 

[big in vegas]

That has to be the dumbest shit I've ever heard of. The only way to know your 1rm is to get under the weight and do it. If you have to do ten reps then calculate it ......your just a pussy :nope:

This works for me because I train by myself and refuse to risk another injury by trying to do something ignorant. Just my opinion though, I mean I'm into powerlifting, but that's only when I would train with people and now that I train by myself, I can't afford to try a 1RM on my own and I don't trust enough people to save me if I have a problem. I mean dumb shit can happen at any time and if some random moron is spotting you, it's lights out