Would anyone share their 1RM testing plan with me?

workoutaholic

workoutaholic

Cathlete
I am just getting around to starting STS, so can someone point me to any posts by users that detail their 1 rep max testing plans? Or can you tell me about one that worked for you and didn't take forever?

I am not sure what the most efficient thing to do is. I have dumbells up to 15 lbs each, and then after that I have these really old school adjustable weights with plates that you have to load on and off. I also have the Troy Lite barbell system with the weights that it comes with, but I don't have any plates over 10 lbs. (and only 2 10 lb plates). I can load up to about 90 pounds, but it takes a lot of plates.

Is it better to do all one muscle group together as long as you wait about 5 min. between exercises (I saw SNM post that somewhere)? Or should you do them by disc, or do a few for one muscle, then a few for the next, etc.?

Thanks for any guidance you guys can provide!
 
I did them according to the workout for each disk. That is, for disk 1, I did all the 1RM's that were needed based on what the Work Book called for. Then for disk 2, I did the same, and so on. Not sure that was the best way, but it worked for me. However, I did find that there were lots of 1RM's that were listed in the "Workout Card" that were not in the manual. That became frustrating when I was going to print out the workout card only to find that I hadn't done some of the tests.

There are lots of posts on the different ways that the 1RM's were done if you search back (I think).

As far as your weights go, try to work with what you have at first. Or, if you know it's not varied enough, you can slowly build up a collection. (What I have seems to be Ok... in addition to 5's, 10's & 15's, I have 20's, 25's and 30's.) I don't use a barbell much. I only have a wavy bar, and it's difficult to hold. I use it mostly for dead lifts.

Hope that helps a little!

Marcia
 
I don't think there is really any fast way to do it -- you just have to dig in and get started.

I did mine in several sessions as a circuit workout. I picked three body parts for each session and did one 1RM for each part, then took a break by walking on the treadmill for five minutes. Then I started on the second set of exercises for the same three body parts (but different exercises), then took a break on the treadmill. The longest I was able to go in a session was about two hours before I could tell fatigue was becoming a factor in the validity of the tests.

I selected 3- 4- and 5-star exercises first and then toward the end did some "makeup" sessions of body parts that had more exercises than fit into the circuits.

I really dreaded getting started with them and procrastinated as long as I could. But once I started I got into a rhythm with them. And then once I started STS I was very glad I had taken the time for the 1RM process.
 
I would do several of them before my planned work out. I would do 1 RM on different body parts so I wouldn't have to wait 5 minutes in between. So I did 1 exercise for bis, then tris, then back, etc. Also I did not finish all of discs before I started STS. Instead I did like the first 3 discs, then I would look ahead a couple days in advance to the next set of discs to see what I was missing. For example on the day I did disc 3 I might look ahead and see what I was missing on disc 6 and do them before starting disc 3. All at once just seems so daunting.

Jean
 
I did them by Disc number, much like what Marcia described. I actually considered it a workout by itself, so after doing 1RMs for about an hour, I'd call it a day.

As you work through the discs, the number of exercises that need 1RM testing decreases. You'll be done in no time.
 
Can I add on a stupid question along these lines?

I took the 1RM test for one exercise on Disc 1, entered my poundage and the number of reps I did. Then I got some crazy number which was my 1RM. Ok...what the heck does that mean exactly?

I am just now ordering STS, but I thought I'd get a jump start on the whole 1RM thing since it looks time consuming. Problem is, I don't understand what I'm looking at once I get that number. Is there something I should read up on to clear this whole 1RM thing up?

Does that make sense? I am sorry for hijacking the thread!!

Thank you :)
 
Your 1RM is the amount of weight you can lift for a maximum of 1 rep. It's not actually used in the workouts, but if you know how much you can lift for a max of 1 time, then it helps to figure out how much of that 1RM you can lift for more reps.

In the workouts, and on the workout cards in the Workout Manager, you will be told what percentage of that 1RM to use. So if you have a 1RM of 15 pounds for biceps curls with dumbells, and the workout tells you to use 60% of that 1RM, you pick up dumbells that are 9 lbs. Hope that helps, and sorry if that wasn't what you were asking!
 
Thank you

That does make sense. So after I take all the 1RM tests and print a workout card for each disc, the card will tell me that I would, in the scenario you gave, need to lift 9 lbs for bicep curls, or would I have to do the math prior to the workout to figure that out?

I am used to the Firm workouts where you grab a light/medium/heavy and heavy up or pyramid down as needed. I've never done anything this specific before. Plus, I suck at math!

Thank you again!
 
I am also a former Firmie! I think a lot of us here are. I still do some of them from time to time.

Yep, that is exactly what it would show. The workout manager will calculate everything for you and display it on your workout cards, so all you have to do is lift!
 
workoutaholic said:
Thanks guys! Going to give the by-disc thing a try. Off I go.
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I've been feeling a bit overwhelmed myself as far as where to start! I decided to calc. my 1RMs by disc also. Which rotation are you planning on doing? I thought I'd attempt the STS & Cardio 3 /12 month one and am shooting for starting on August 3rd. Let me know if you (or anyone else on the boards here) might be interested in starting at the same time?! Thanks.
 
Hi! I'm going to do the 3.5 month rotation, too. Starting on Aug. 3 sounds perfect for me. I've done some leg, bicep, and shoulder 1RM's so far. I should be done in time to start with you.

I think I'm probably going to shorten the workouts to 45 minutes, so I can stretch and shower and be done with all of that in about an hour.

I will start a check-in thread on the check-in boards on Aug. 3. See you there!
 
I never did the 1rm. I've been weight training off and on over the years and know about what weight to use. And even if you did the 1rm you tire out during the workout and just because you tested at that weight does not mean you will be able to do that weight at all times during the workout.
 
ImFiddY said:
I never did the 1rm. I've been weight training off and on over the years and know about what weight to use. And even if you did the 1rm you tire out during the workout and just because you tested at that weight does not mean you will be able to do that weight at all times during the workout.
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Yeah, it's certainly not going to be perfect. But I'm glad I'm doing them, because at least it gives me an idea. And after doing some of the tests, I now know that I can lift heavier (of course depending on the reps) that I thought. That will help me to push myself more with the STS workouts.
 
8/3 Start Date!

workoutaholic said:
Hi! I'm going to do the 3.5 month rotation, too. Starting on Aug. 3 sounds perfect for me. I've done some leg, bicep, and shoulder 1RM's so far. I should be done in time to start with you.

I think I'm probably going to shorten the workouts to 45 minutes, so I can stretch and shower and be done with all of that in about an hour.

I will start a check-in thread on the check-in boards on Aug. 3. See you there!
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Wonderful! It will be nice to have someone to compare notes with. I downloaded the rotation into my workout calendar but haven't begun the 1RMs yet. :( I'll try to get some done tonight and then work in what I can between now and Monday. I know what you mean about cutting the workout times down...I may need to do the same thing. It's hard for me to work in a full hour also.
 
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