Why Do I Want to Know My 1 RM and High Bar Back Squat 1 Rep Max Test Out
It’s finally here! The day you’ve been working towards for a few months now! Yes, after all of the math that we’ve made you do every time you come in for a High Bar Back Squat day, it’s finally time to put your ultimate strength to the test and find your 1 Rep Max. Why do we care about this number? Well, there are a few reasons.
First, helps you understand what your strength truly is, especially when you might need it for real life. Say you had to lift something (or someone) off the ground. If you know that you can squat or deadlift far more than the weight of the object you’re trying to move, then you know that you can most likely lift that object safely – with proper form, of course!
Second, knowing what we can ultimately lift in regards to a particular movement gives us the number that we need in order to work on building our strength. Strength gains do not come from constantly lifting our 1 RM, they come from constantly lifting percentages of that weight. That’s the method to the madness behind any strength training program – consistent and targeted overload of your muscles. That’s why you get sore!
So, what is a 1 rep max, really? It is defined as the maximum amount of weight you can safely and fully lift in a single repetition through full range of motion for a given exercise. It’s helpful to know the 1 RM for a lot of the movements we do here: bench press, deadlift, clean, snatch, front squat, overhead squat, and military press. Today we’re testing out the High Bar Back Squat.
Now, how do we safely find our 1 RM? It’s very important to have some previous numbers so that we can have a target in mind, but for those of you who have never attempted a 1 RM, don’t worry, we’ll get you close today! For those who do have some recent numbers, this is a calculator that can give you at least a general idea of where you may be headed today. Regardless, the warm up that you put your body through will be a key factor in both making your lift, and staying safe while doing so.
I’m excited to see some numbers today! Go WCCF TEAM!!
-Emilie
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Wednesday’s Workout:
High Bar Back Squat – Find 1 RM
WOD: 5 Rounds
5 Clapping Push-ups
10 Slam Balls (medium weight)
15 Kettlebell Swings (medium weight)
2013 09 24