The Purpose of a One Repetition Max
What a one-rep maximum (1RM) measures is pretty simple: current maximal strength level for an individual athlete. So, the question for this article is: what is the purpose of having a 1RM?
Once strength is measured by a 1RM, it serves as an important data point to set training loads (weight to be lifted based on percentages of the 1RM) within a thoughtfully-designed program (your method for athletic improvement with exercise selection, sets, reps, percentages, etc).
Disclaimer: Before moving ahead, please note this article does not aim to explain how to facilitate a 1RM testing session with warm-ups, attempts, and so on. Also, there will not be any discussion on 1RM testing versus multi-rep maxes. There are plenty of go0d articles on those subject out there and we would encourage you to consider those.
Not about your Record Board
At Performance Course, we often get the honor and opportunity to take younger athletes into the same weight room where varsity athletes train. During these times, it is likely to find a few boys or girls staring up at the record board with jaws dropped. They are amazed by the big numbers and argue whether or not they know any of the immortalized names.
If there is a weight room full of football players (really, any sport can apply here) who are idolizing the record board, even if there is just one kid, then we as leaders of that training space are missing the boat. Big time.
A sport athlete’s goal should be: being the best ______ players they can be. The exception, of course, is the athlete who competes in weight lifting.
If the high school, all-state defensive tackle is capable of a 600 lb back squat (safely and with great range of motion, etc.), well, GREAT! He is one of the few freakishly athletic studs capable of dominating in sport competition and training. Reality is, many of the other athletes will fall short of that stud DT’s numbers in-season and off-season.
If motivation in training leads team members to only chase the weight room 1RM record board, they need to stop. Using it as a motivational tool in weight training, also probably needs to stop. If weight room accomplishments are all about our record board, we are likely making weight room training all about us and our egos at the expense of the best interests of our athletes.
Incremental Improvements
So, if the purpose of 1RMs in not to glorify and deify athletes who occasionally come through the program, then what is the point? T-shirts celebrating cumulative 1RM milestones, right? Not quite!
The purpose is to set programming. Don’t focus solely on the end-of-training-cycle results, but also what results can be produced on a weekly basis. Buzz word alert! We are talking about the process.
What do you value more from the example below?
Back Squat 1RM at 365
*10 lb improvement from the last 1RM test 6 weeks prior
-or-
Week 1 of the Training Cycle 70% of 1RM (255lbs) for 5 sets of 5 reps
*~5 lbs improvement from identical set/rep/% progression 6 weeks prior
Don’t be fooled by the bigger 1RM number! The improvement is great! However, if you take into account total volume, then the athlete above has increased total volume from 6,250lbs on back squat to 6,375lbs. And that is just the improvement in Week 1 of the training program!
Not Adding Up
A scenario strength coaches will more than likely come across in their careers is feedback from athletes which sounds something like, “The weight is too heavy. I can’t complete the sets and reps at that weight, Coach!”
Don’t forget, a 1RM for a given lift is a measure of maximal strength. This does not necessarily include assessment of power, velocity, or muscular endurance. If you program with the goal of improving a quality other than maximal strength, adjustments may need to be made for your athletes.
- Calculate a training max. This is an adjustment to a true tested or calculated 1RM. Take the 1RM for an athlete and decrease it by 10–20% to determine a training max. Then, set the workout percentages off of the training max instead of the 1RM. Guess what? Strength gains are still very possible with this approach. As Jim Wendler, who writes a good bit about the topic, puts it so well: training is not testing.
- If you ask them, most strength coaches should admit they do not need a 1RM test to know their athletes are getting stronger. A coach should be able to see improvements with their own eyes from one training session to the next. This old-school approach is commonly referred to as the “eye test.” Or, even a simple conversation about how they athlete is feeling. While helpful, no machinery or analytical device is needed to discover an athlete is under-performing. Look and listen. Change your program as you need to — you’ll be fine, and your athletes will be better.
- Consider using the Prilepin system within your program. It may help you more accurately find appropriate sets, reps, and percentages. This also means Prilepin is a great tool for targeting the muscular adaptations you want to see in your athlete(s). The tables below are taken from Athletic Based Strength Training: The Tier System by Joe Kenn. However, these tables and chart can be found many different places.
Lastly, don’t confuse activity with accomplishment. Train smarter in order to train harder. Have fun and help your athletes improve athleticism in the weight room!
