Probably the *dumbest* 1RM question :)

pippa

pippa

Cathlete
Okay, so I'm doing my 1RMs and I'm not having any problems at all(yeah!) except for this silly thing that I'm not 100% sure about. When I enter my weight do I put the total or the individual number?

For example, when I do a 1-armed kickback I used an 8lb dumbbell so I just entered 8 as the weight and that, of course, made sense to me. But when I did the wide stance deadlifts I used 2 15 dumbbells(so 30 lbs total) should I enter 15 and assume that the calculator *knows* I mean 2 15lb dumbbells or do I put 30 since, in actuality, I was deadlifting 30lbs, not 15?

I'm sure this was obvious to everyone but me, but I'd appreciate it a lot if someone could clue me in.:)

Thanks!
 
Someone more official may have a better answer, but I don't think it should matter. I used the weight of a single dumbbell when I did my calculations, so my 1RM was calculated as the weight of a single dumbbell not the total weight. So, if my calculated % of the 1RM was 8 lbs, I would grab two 8 lb weights for the exercise. If I'd calculated the 1RM using total weight my % of 1RM for the same exercise would likely be calculated as 16 lbs and I would have to divide that in half to determine how much each dumbbell should weigh. It would seem if you were using multiple sources of weights, like for some leg exercises, where you might wear a vest and lift two dumbbells and have weighted gloves, etc, you would need to use total weight. Its probably more important that you know which way you calculated the value so you use the right weight in the end.... Also, if you are comparing yourself to the averages and you use a different method then the comparison wouldn't be valid.
 
No question is a dumb one!:D

I entered total weight for things like deads.
Single weight for kickbacks.

If it shows Cathe using a barbell enter total weight.
If it shows Cathe using dumbbells enter the single dumbbell.
 
My understanding is that the purpose behind the 1rm is so you will be challenged and also so you know which weight you need quickly. That being said I think most people are putting in the size dumbbell you are using. If the set requires one dumbbell then just put its size in. If on the other hand it requires two say 10lb dumbbells then put a 10 in (the siz of the single dumbbell). That way you will know what weight to grab.

Alternatively, if using two dumbbells, you could put the total weight in but I don't think this would be preferable as then you would have to remember whether it was total or not and then have to divide in half to come up with your weight selection.
 
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