How to Determine One-Repetition Maximum

For those of us who workout on a regular basis, we know that the most frequently asked question floating around the gym has always been, “How much weight can you lift?” While some like to exaggerate and add an extra 100 pounds to the actual weight, there is a proper way to determine the maximum weight lifted for one repetition. This test is called the one-repetition maximum.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Bench press or leg press
• Spotter
• Recording materials

1. Determine whether you are assessing the strength of your upper body or lower body. The bench press is used to assess strength of the upper body, while the strength of the lower body is determined by the leg press.
2. Complete a warm up set between five to 10 repetitions of the exercise at 40 percent to 60 percent of your estimated one-repetition maximum. This will help bring blood to the working muscles and decrease the chance of injury when lifting for maximum weight.
3. Take a one- to two-minute rest and lightly stretch the working muscle group.
4. Complete a set between three to five repetitions of the exercise at 60 percent to 80 percent of estimated one-repetition maximum. This will be the final warm up before the real attempt.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are attempting one-repetition maximum, have a spotter available in case help is needed.
• Be sure to properly warm up before attempting your one-repetition maximum. This will decrease the risk of injury when trying to lift for maximum weight.