Do you want to know what your maximum strength is? There is a method to find out and that serves to know how much we have evolved in our workouts or as a method to establish the beginning of an effective training routine.
It seems perfect to me that you have decided to know more about how to calculate your strength, but first of all we must talk about the Maximum Reps. A strictly necessary term to understand how you are going to value your strength.
What are maximum repetitions?
The Maximum Repetition (RM) is the term used to indicate the maximum weight that each person can lift only once, in a certain movement or exercise. And generally, the maximum repeat in general is reduced to the 1RM expression.
Although it is possible to determine our 1RM through trial and error, in general and for safety reasons, the best method to calculate our strength is the one that we will see later.
So, if you want to know the heaviest load you would be able to lift for a given exercise, calculating the 1RM using formulas is a safe and reliable alternative.
Ah! Note that these 1RM calculations can be used for any type of exercise, there is no specific formula for 1RM deadlift, squat, bench press, etc.
Why is it important to know our maximum strength?
Maximum Force is defined as the highest tension that a person is able to produce with a voluntary muscle contraction.
This force can be isometric if there is no load displacement or dynamic if there is already a weight displacement.
As I mentioned at the beginning, there are two reasons to try the maximum repetition test.
First of all, the one rep max is a classic test of strength.
After spending many days suffering in the gym, it is time to see what our muscles can really do; which even helps us to program our next goals.
Second, knowing the 1RM is key for certain weight training programs, as it allows us to periodize and establish the appropriate weight in our routines from the first moment.
It even allows us to vary a training program, at regular time intervals, to optimize performance.
For example, a muscle hypertrophy program might call for a shoulder press with 5 sets of 5 reps at 75 percent of one rep max.
Without a solid estimate, even the smartest bodybuilder would be lost.
Why use percentages when calculating the maximum force?
This is the standardized way to add manageable weight every set period of time; or backtrack when necessary.
So 75% can turn to 80% the next week, and so on, until you are lifting a weight you never imagined (this is generally called progressive overload in weight training).
This means that if you lift 50 kg on the chest press as 1RM, 75% would be 37.5 kg. The following week you should add 2.5 kg according to the example.
Of course, those who train occasionally probably don’t need to worry as much about numbers (although keeping track of training is essential to tracking progress).
But for newbies or those returning to strength training after a time out, you should know that a 1RM test is not for the first day.
Some strength trainers recommend taking at least two to three months to familiarize your mind and body with the movements before attempting a maximal effort climb.
And this is the adaptation period that we all must go through, when we start training in the gym and that in general consists of a Full Body type routine.
How to calculate the maximum repetition to evaluate strength?
The Maximum Force is valued according to two indicators:
- Absolute strength: which is the muscular capacity to overcome a maximum resistance.
- Relative strength: which refers to the absolute strength value but based on the person’s body weight.
In turn, there are different methods of assessing maximum strength, where these two variables come into play, however today we will see only one of them and it is one of the best applies to bodybuilding practitioners. Furthermore, the rest of the methods require sophisticated equipment.
Tips for performing the maximum force test
But before getting into the tests, let’s see some recommendations that you should take into account to avoid any type of injury:
- First make sure that the body is fully recovered from previous workouts as the maximum lift should be the upper limit of our own strength.
- Second, you must pay attention to warm up properly, to have the muscles prepared and ready for the effort, later I will explain how to do it.
- Lastly, and this is key, call on some training partners for support, maximum effort lifts require maximum supervision!
The maximum strength tests
WARM UP BEFORE TESTING
- Carry out a series of the exercise chosen for the test, using the least possible load. They should be done between 10 and 12 repetitions.
- Perform 1 minute of recovery followed by 30 seconds of stretching for the muscle area evaluated.
- Perform a new series slightly increasing the weight with respect to the previous series, completing between 8/10 repetitions.
- Make 1.30 minutes of recovery followed by 30 seconds of stretching.
- Again, we perform a new series slightly increasing the weight with respect to the previous series, completing between 6/8 repetitions.
- We finished with 2 minutes of recovery followed by 30 seconds of stretching.
The execution of the strength test
- Now you must ask your partners to load the bar or dumbbell, carrying the maximum weight that you think you will be able to lift correctly to do one repetition.
- If it is not the correct weight, adjust as many times as necessary, but resting at least 5 minutes between each attempt, trying not to exceed 4 or 5 attempts.
- Now if you don’t want to try so many times you can write down the weight used and the number of repetitions performed, and with the following formulas you can get a fairly accurate approximate of your 1RM.
What formulas to use to calculate the maximum force?
The 1RM calculation can be evaluated based on seven different equations developed by different authors but with a similar degree of reliability, I describe them below so that you can choose the most convenient one:
- Brzycki: 1RM = P x (36 / (37 – R))
- Epley: 1RM = P x (1 + 0.0333 x R)
- Lander: 1RM = (100 x P) / (101.3-2.67123 x R)
- Mayhew: 1RM = (100 x P) / (52.2 + (41.9 x e-0.055 x R))
- O’Conner: 1RM = P x (1 + 0.025 x R) (it is one of the simplest)
- Wathan: 1RM = (100 x P) / (48.8 + (53.8 x e-0.075 x R))
Where:
- 1RM = One repetition maximum
- P = Weight Lifted
- R = repetitions completed
- e = Euler’s number = 2.71828 (approximately)
The result in all cases is expressed in kg.
Conclusion on the maximum force calculation
After performing these tests, you are in a position to establish your Maximum Strength thanks to the 1RM concept.
This is very valuable as it also allows you to put together a routine based on your 1RM percentage.