Estimating Your 1 RM

This weekend I've spent quite a bit of time outside with the dog, walking around listening to some CD's I have (yes, I still have a portable CD player), and also sitting around reading Jim Wendler's new book, "5-3-1 for Powerlifting". In it, Jim gives us an equation for estimating your 1 RM.

That means your 1 repetition max - or how much weight you can lift for a certain exercise. I think this formula accurately predicts your best lift from a sub-maximal effort, which is what we should use instead of trying to do a 1RM attempt. Going for a max isn't the safest thing in the world, and this little equation gives us a "close enough" representation so we can plan our training.

So here's the 1RM estimation formula from Jim Wendler's 5-3-1 Powerlifting manual (which you must get)...

Estimated 1 RM = Weight x Reps x 0.0333 + Weight.

So if you bench 225x6, your estimated 1 RM is

225 x 6 x 0.0333 + 225 = 270.

Again, if you can bench 225 for 6 reps, your "theoretical" 1 rep max for the bench is 270.

That doesn't mean you should walk into the gym and try it tomorrow...but if you are training off "percent max", as Jim has you do in his program, then it will guide you.

Cool? Cool.

Today's Kickbutt Mindset Tip:
"The best time to plant an oak tree was 25 years ago. The second best time is today." - James Carville...Stop procrastinating and take action on that one thing you've been meaning to do for so long.

And today's Internet Independence tip:

"If you want to be a top performer, you have to start running things like a top performer even before you are a top performer." - Dan Kennedy.....That means protecting your time and not undervaluing your time either. If you want to be a 6-figure earner, start running your business like you already are one.

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
www.TurbulenceTrainingCertification.com