Do you know what your 1RM is?

Finding your 1RM

1RM is the amount of weight that you can lift only once with perfect technique. Your one rep max is generally measured by a few compound exercises such as the squat, deadlift or bench press, but it can be tested using any exercise.


The main reason that you would want to measure this, is to give you an idea of what weight you should be lifting before starting an exercise program. You would also keep track of this measurement in order to track improvements and progress with your training.


How do you find your 1RM?
To find your 1 rep max, it is recommended that you warm-up for 5 minutes and perform one warm-up set (using light weights) for each muscle group. Once you have warmed up, you want to choose an exercise and choose a weight that you can lift approximately 6-12 times using perfect form.


For example: to do a 1 rep max test for the bench press. You decide to lift a 20kg Barbell and discover that you can only lift that weight 7 times until your muscles are completely fatigued.


• 1 Repetition= 100%
• 2 Repetitions= 95%
• 3 Repetitions = 90%
• 4 Repetitions = 88%
• 5 Repetitions = 86%
• 6 Repetitions = 83%
• 7 Repetitions = 80%
• 8 Repetitions = 78%
• 9 Repetitions = 76%
• 10 Repetitions = 75%
• 11 Repetitions = 72%
• 12 Repetitions = 70%


By using the above percentages, you can see that the ability to lift a weight 7 times until failure is equal to 80% of your 1RM. Use a calculator and divide the weight you lifted by the percentage. That will give you the 1 rep max for any exercise. Stay with me here… this is easy!


So let’s finish this example: we lifted a 20kg weight for 7 repetitions. The chart above tells us that 7 repetitions equals 80% of our 1 rep maximum. So we take 20 divided by 80% (.80). Our trusty calculator tells us that the answer is 25kgs. That is our 1 rep maximum.


For everyday programs approximately 70% of your 1RM is generally a good guide for the weight to lift and 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions is a general standard for frequency.