# are 1 rep max lifts useful in anyway?



## baggsy1436114680 (Jan 23, 2010)

Hi guys been training with this new guy at my gym, hes not big just a beginner really. In alot of exercises especially bench press he always wants to do 1 rep max at some point, i let him do it and i dont do it myself as i dont see the point. I know plenty do 1 rep max as i read alot on forums is there any benefit to these in anyway??


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## murphy2010 (Dec 17, 2010)

I only do em once in a while too see how im progressing, dont see any real benifit to it been a regular thing. Maybe its better for strength training ?


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## Mingster (Mar 25, 2011)

If you do 'em it means you can reply to a lot more threads


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## Mighty Sparrow (Apr 10, 2011)

1RM should just be, for most people, a benchmark really. Helps you see progress and gives you something to aim for, the next weight up or whatever. I do it ever 6 weeks or so, usually on bench or squats.


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## Fatstuff (Mar 2, 2010)

its mainly to see how big your c0ck is!!


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

I never do it on bench or squat, ALWAYS on the deadlift though!


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

For training purposes you do not need to do them but they are fun to do just to see how much you can lift. It gives you a target to beat but you don't actually have to do them.


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## energize17 (Jul 25, 2009)

I never do them on any excersies apart from tricep kickbacks:lol:


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## C.Hill (Nov 21, 2010)

energize17 said:


> I never do them on any excersies apart from tricep kickbacks:lol:


YEAH BUDDY!!


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## quinn85 (Jul 30, 2010)

I can imagine there is a ukm member somewhere out there that could give a proper answer with big words and a link to a decent article.

I am not that member.

I reckon it's a case of what you prefer, I use it as a way of seeing how much i've progressed and then using 80% of that total to do my working sets


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## BLUTOS (Mar 5, 2005)

Unless your an olympic lifter or a power lifter , I don't see any point in going less than 3 reps.

I have done singles but more like a rest pause n when benching or pressing or squatting (ie the bar will fcuk u up if you dont complete) I try n keep a cowards/just in case 5kg off what I think I can do so I know I can complete the lift.


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## LunaticSamurai (May 19, 2009)

The point of a 1rep max is to push your muscle beyond the point of its limit, tearing a different set of muscle fibres abling you to progress.


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## scotty10 (Jun 7, 2011)

monkeybiker said:


> For training purposes you do not need to do them but they are fun to do just to see how much you can lift. It gives you a target to beat but you don't actually have to do them.


Or how much you cant lift, thought you could lift..!! :lol:


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## quinn85 (Jul 30, 2010)

Surely whether you do them or not the key is progression, and not just plugging away at the same weight week in week out?


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## Ninja (Apr 28, 2010)

It's a good way to increase your strength...I did heavy singles for a couple of months -big strength gains an some muscles.


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## xpower (Jul 28, 2009)

Works well on deads IME for muscle & strength


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## big steve (May 8, 2011)

i thought it was ammo for down the pub!


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

1 rep maxes are obviously most important if you are powerlifting or olympic lifting... for a bodybuilder less important, although they can help you assess progression, provide a decent stimulus as part of a heavy phase of lifting, and can be useful to know for certain periodised routines that get you to use precise percentages of your 1RM for all main exercises.

Focusing all your training all the time on them though would almost certainly mean that you weren't optimally bodybuilding - do them once in a while if you want to but not all the time.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

Ninja said:


> It's a good way to increase your strength...I did heavy singles for a couple of months -big strength gains an some muscles.


Was that 1 rep max's or multiple sets of single reps using a weight slightly under your 1 rep max.


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## Wardy211436114751 (Jan 24, 2011)

I use them at the end of a heavy few weeks building up to a 1RM. Pretty pointless for someone whos in to bodybuilding though.


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## barrettmma1436114759 (Feb 28, 2011)

C.Hill said:


> I never do it on bench or squat, ALWAYS on the deadlift though!


what u deadlift dude


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## barrettmma1436114759 (Feb 28, 2011)

i thought it was aimed more towards strength training tbh........


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## Greyphantom (Oct 23, 2003)

yes, yes they are... unless you are a pure bber...


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

Ninja said:


> It's a good way to increase your strength...I did heavy singles for a couple of months -big strength gains an some muscles.


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## scouse2010 (Mar 17, 2010)

WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK OF THIS

http://dinosaurtraining.blogspot.com/2010/11/heavy-singles-what-works-best.html

Now, I will note this - doing 100 singles - what I call "The 100 rep Challenge" (an idea I got from from Kim Wood, who got it from an old Iron Man with an article by George Irving Nathanson, a training partner of Joe Hise) - is really tough, really grueling, and takes a long time to do. It also takes a long time to recover from your workout. It's hard to do on a regular basis. It usually works better as a once in a while thing or as part of a one exercise specialization program.


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## Ninja (Apr 28, 2010)

monkeybiker said:


> Was that 1 rep max's or multiple sets of single reps using a weight slightly under your 1 rep max.


It was my 1 rep MAX. Lot's of rest between the sets . I'ts very CNS taxing but strength gains are insane. I train Natty , in 2 months time my deadlift jumped from 180x1 to 230x1 ,bench from 127 x1 to 160x1 , squat from 140x1 to 180x1. Keep in mind that i train 1 day on 3 days off-lot's of rest needed to recover.

hope this helps


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## Jux (Jul 23, 2008)

As dtlv said, it's a tool that can be used to calculate a weight sufficient for higher rep ranges... can save time compared to the usual hit and miss approach when it comes to nselecting weights to use.


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## Replicator (Apr 4, 2009)

best way to injury is..........................

1 rep maxes


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## toxic (Jul 22, 2011)

i have done them a lot for strength and power.


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## BLUE(UK) (Jan 9, 2008)

I think it's beneficial because when you go back down the weights,they will feel lighter than they did on their way up. Quite often i find i can lift more weight for a set amount reps(about 6) after doing a 1rep max......with plenty of rest in between sets of course.


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