I know we all love a good 1RM PR. It makes you feel good, boosts the ego a little bit, and makes you feel like all your hard work is paying off… But what if I told you that testing your 1RM every week is probably hindering your long term strength gains? Not only that, but you’re not nurturing your joints and muscles. All a 1RM max test does is stress your Central Nervous Sytem, which if you’re doing every week, your body is going to start “failing” you – basically it’s going to feel like you’re getting weaker and weaker
It is possible to max weekly – this isn’t what I’m getting at though. What I’m saying is that you shouldn’t max out on the same lift every single week.
Unless you’re a powerlifter or an athlete – your true 1RM at the end of the day doesn’t really matter. If you’re a new lifter, your 1RM doesn’t matter.
Ways to rest your 1RM without actually lifting it:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/1-rep-max-is-dead
A calculator
“1RM testing does not increase muscle mass, joint thickness or strength in any worthwhile amounts. 1RMs are mostly a stressor on the CNS, and while “frying the CNS” isn’t really our worry here, newer lifters should be focused more on increasing muscle density and strength.” http://liftbigeatbig.com/how-