What is the best way to go about finding my one rep max? I was looking into maybe starting up Waterbury's ABBH, but the loads are all set as 80% of 1RM, or 60% of 1RM, and I thought, hmmm :confused: I dont' actually know what my 1RM is. Should I just spend an entire day maxing out on all my lifts? Or should I spend a week, only maxing one or two exercises out of my workout, or should I spend a week and only max out piece by piece with no other training... and what is the best way to max out anyhow? Obviously, I need help, heh. :)

Mate, what I tend to do is build up slowly by having 2 or 3 good weeks of training of your particular program

then for example on squat day

go for your warm up say 10 reps @25% of what you reckon a one rep max would be

then
5reps@50%
5reps@75% then really decrease volume as you come up
3reps@85%
2reps@90%
1rep@95%
1rep@100% you may find you misjudged and bottom out @90% or somewhere else on the build up, or you may find you can go to say
1rep@105%
1rep@110%

I wouldn't recommend trying for more than 1 exercise 1 rpm pre session and also I would suggest that it be the first exercise of the session.

I have done bench,dead,squat,OHP in one week, different sessions, but it may be worth spreading over 2

Also don't try and 1rpm to often, unless you have a specific routine that contains these theories or you will find that you burn out and don't see improvements IMO

JJ

If you use Google's homepage, I have a One Rep Max Google Gadget (http://www.google.com/ig/directory?root=/ig&dpos=top&num=24&url=http://www.goldensummitinc.com/gadgets/onerepmax.xml) you can add. :)

Jeremy

Others may disagree, but I don't like 1rm...I prefer 3rm. For me, it's just a safety issue, and also what zlaty79 says at the bottom of his post. But, that's just me.

cheers, MK

But he isn't really interested in doing 1RM just in doing the Waterbury program.

http://www.thepumpingstation.com/1repmax.html

Plug in the weight you are now doing and the number of reps. Then pick the weight closest to 60% or whatever percentage the program calls for.

What is the best way to go about finding my one rep max? I was looking into maybe starting up Waterbury's ABBH, but the loads are all set as 80% of 1RM, or 60% of 1RM, and I thought, hmmm :confused: I dont' actually know what my 1RM is. Should I just spend an entire day maxing out on all my lifts? Or should I spend a week, only maxing one or two exercises out of my workout, or should I spend a week and only max out piece by piece with no other training... and what is the best way to max out anyhow? Obviously, I need help, heh. :)

You don't even need to know your 1RM for Waterbury's programs. He essentially wants you to complete each rep of each set without reaching failure. He typically prescribes coming to near failure on the last rep of the last set. I wouldn't even worry about finding your 1RM, and just starting ABBH. Choose a weight that you think you can do for 10x3 or 3x10, and if you can't, drop the weight down a little bit, then adjust for the next week.