One rep disaster

**goodtobeapimp** · 06-05-2004, 03:24 AM

Anyone wanna share their one rep max working sets? I've used the same method for awhile now and I'm just getting tired of it. I've ran the same weights over and over. I've done a lot of pyramid sets,and thats what id like to continue doing,but its hard to determine exactly where to cut off the reps and go for the kill.

It's getting to a point where it just f*cks with my head two sets in. If i'm not dominating every set before max,I just turn into a baby,and eventually have a crappy max. I'd like to find a formula somewhere that I could apply the percentages on each lift. (squat,deadlift,bench.)

Sample routine:deadlift 635x1

135x10
315x8
475x5
575x1
635x1

When I look at it,it doesnt look like I'm seeing a big gap in between 575 and 635,but if I done say 600x1,would that throw my max down? It's hard to get an honest opinion around here (locally here in town) because no one even trains heavy. It seems like its impossible to get a good one rep max scheme calculated.
Thanks for any help.

**Anhydro78** · 06-05-2004, 08:49 AM

If I was I wouldnt wear yourself out on the lighter wieghts. Im assuming you could at least a 650-660lb deadlift which bud thats great. Right now my max is 550-560lbs. Im with you with the lack of power lifters in the area. My gym originally started out with a power lifting theme and group of good guys. We still have any kind of powerlifting equipment you can think of. But dudes in the gym see me rep out things over 500lb they think im superman.

I bet you could do this rep scheem

135x 10 rep 5 reps
315x 5 reps
405x 3 reps
545or565 4-5 reps
585x 3-4reps
605x 2

I would try to do more volume at higher wieghts, But thats just me you obviously know what to do to get your wieght up there. But I have found with myself that ussually what I can rep out for light wieght is the same for the heavier wieghts, my breath gives out on me before my muscles do. Also I dont find lifting heavy weight as mentally taxing.

**Kärnfysikern** · 06-05-2004, 09:52 AM

I think that after you have warmed upp with **** weights you should not do more then 3reps on each set. Start low do 3 reps and increase the weight set by set until you cant do 3 reps anymore then drop down to 1reps and work upp to a 1rm. Like the westside way. you get the volume of 10 sets or so but still only go to failure on about 2 of those sets.

**goodtobeapimp** · 06-05-2004, 10:31 AM

Originally Posted by Anhydro78

If I was I wouldnt wear yourself out on the lighter wieghts. Im assuming you could at least a 650-660lb deadlift which bud thats great. Right now my max is 550-560lbs. Im with you with the lack of power lifters in the area. My gym originally started out with a power lifting theme and group of good guys. We still have any kind of powerlifting equipment you can think of. But dudes in the gym see me rep out things over 500lb they think im superman.

I bet you could do this rep scheem

135x 10 rep 5 reps
315x 5 reps
405x 3 reps
545or565 4-5 reps
585x 3-4reps
605x 2

I would try to do more volume at higher wieghts, But thats just me you obviously know what to do to get your wieght up there. But I have found with myself that ussually what I can rep out for light wieght is the same for
the heavier wieghts, my breath gives out on me before my muscles do. Also I dont find lifting heavy weight as mentally taxing.

Thanks Anhydro78, what im trying to achieve is a rep scheme that would give me full power at my max day. I was using my sample rountine as a template. My max is 635. My rep scheme just seems so skeptical and takes a lot out of me. Are you using the rep scheme as a working day or as a max day? Thanks for the replies all ideas are considered right now.

**goodtobeapimp** · 06-05-2004, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by johan

I think that after you have warmed upp with **** weights you should not do more then 3reps on each set. Start low do 3 reps and increase the weight set by set until you cant do 3 reps anymore then drop down to 1reps and work upp to a 1rm. Like the westside way. you get the volume of 10 sets or so but still only go to failure on about 2 of those sets.

Johan, Do you feel you were fully ready for the one rep max,and not fatigued from the heavy singles? I am leaning towards a lower single rep type of max day. I know doing more reps has to fatigue my body more,but my problem is I'm questioning my fatigue level compared to being fully warmed up. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks a lot.

**Kärnfysikern** · 06-05-2004, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by goodtobeapimp

Johan, Do you feel you were fully ready for the one rep max,and not fatigued from the heavy singles? I am leaning towards a lower single rep type of max day. I know doing more reps has to fatigue my body more,but my problem is I'm questioning my fatigue level compared to being fully warmed up. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks a lot.

I get fatigued from the heavy singels so if I want to get a good 1rm in bench, dl or squat I take big weight steps. But if Im doing something like floor press, pinpulls ect where I consider the work more important then the acctual weight I push on my last set I take small steps and aim for 10+ sets.
But the heavy singels realy doesnt lower my real 1rm strenght that much

As warmup I take a light weight do 2 sets of 10 with it then I begin the 3 rep sets and when Im on the singels Im as warm as I need to be

**Anhydro78** · 06-05-2004, 01:39 PM

Is what you are wanting is some suggestions on how we all warm up to our 1rep max.

I personally dont do much of a warmup for my 1 rep max. maybe

225x10
315x3
405x1-2
max out and of course my max is lighter than yours so thats what I do to warm up for 550 or so.

I thought that the template you gave for your workout looked like you were wearing your self out with lighter weights. If that is what you are doing to warmup for your max atempt I would think thats a bit much for a warmup. I consider my warmup routine being pretty much on the safe side.

**Brian D** · 06-06-2004, 08:57 PM

- GAL -->

**goodtobeapimp** · 06-06-2004, 11:13 PM

Thanks for the input... ill consider everyones thoughts while writing my workout up here shortly...

**itsallmental** · 06-07-2004, 04:34 PM

when i was into powerlifting i would always use the same routine for warming up. lemme just type out my bench

135x10
grab a 5 lb weight and warm up my delts
225x3
grab a 5 lb weight and warm up my delts
315x2
grab a 5 lb weight and warm up my delts

wait a couple minutes and put your first max attempt on the bar
365, did i with some speed

wait a few more minutes(keep stretching your chest and delts so they dont run cold)
for your 2nd attempt, pick a weight thats only 5 lbs under your personal best but not too far away from your 1st attempted lift so you can give your muscles a chance to get used to the heavyness and so you dont end up tearing a pec.
380, did it with a moderate speed.

now heres the dilemma. based on how your 2nd max lift went, you can either add the least amount of weight possible if you did that rep was hard for you. or you can keep piling on weight if you can conquer your mental deamons.now, everytime i think of my very last powerlifting meet, i cringe, this was the meet i ****ed up badly in decision making. i WANTED a regional benchpress record but i didnt KNOW if i could get it. my head was ****ing with me.
unracked, yelled my brains out and got stuck half way.thats an example of bad decision making based on my 2nd lift. my 2nd lift went moderatly slow, so i should of settled with a 3rd lift of 390. but instead i missed my 3rd lift completely and lost the competetion to some kid who benched 5 lbs more than me.i felt like an idiot afterwards still to this day.