How To Increase Your One Rep Max Without Cracking Your Ribs.
I was working out with my two cousins and one of them was barely getting back into the groove of working out for about two months or so. And this guy always wanted go heavy and do his one rep max for the bench press, and since he has spotters now, he can finally do it.
However, it seemed like this guy did not need that much of a warm up, which is not very wise because you can really mess up your joints and body if you lift heavy too often without warm up. In fact, with proper warm up, you should be able to lift more.
Before performing it, the warm-up for the one rep max is absolutely crucial. It is absolutely crucial for you to warm up your muscles and neuromuscular system before lifting that heavy load.
BUT DO NOT warm-up so much that your muscles are exhausted and you drop the huge load and crack your ribs! That will decrease your one rep max. For the average person, about 5-7 total warm-up sets are probably optimal and more than that may start to exhaust your muscles.
Now I know everyone is different, so here is how your warm-up typically looks like. The first set should feel very easy, about ten easy reps or so just to get your juices flowing.
After that, the next 2 through 3 sets should be about 5 reps, a little more resistance, but gradually increasing the weight. Again, you are different and so is everyone else so you will have to determine what is right for you.
And then gradually increase the weight for only one rep without overtiring your muscles for another 3 sets until you reach the maximal. Again, there is no set amount of weight you need to increase it by, you or an experienced coach should be the judge and have some strong spotters. Preferably one on each side if you lift REAL heavy!
According to the book Baechle TR, Earle RW. 2000. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning 2nd Ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics., here is a safe, proper, and rough generalization of determining your one rep max.
If you can lift a certain amount of weight, lets say 10 times maximum with good form. You multiply that weight by a factor of 1.33. So if you can lift 225 pounds ten times with good form, you multiply 225 pounds by 1.33 and voila! your max should be around 299.25 pounds.
8 times maximum, multiply your load by 1.25; 5 times maximum, multiply your load by 1.15; 3 times maximum, multiply your load by 1.08. Again, this is just a generalization. Ultimately it's going to be you and your coach who will determine what you can and can't lift.
Related Tags: weight loss, exercise, diet, exercise program, muscle, man health, muscle fitness, muscle building, weightlifting, build muscle mass
Alan Quan is a fitness expert and coach who specializes in packing on muscle for men and transforming them from being average duds into sexy studs! Find out how he can help you create the body of your dreams. The kind of body you've always desired. Visit his blog at http://www.sexybodyfitness.com/blog and his website http://www.sexybodyfitness.com Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Dental Insurance For Individual Can Be Of Help At Time
Dental problem may cost one a lot of money and pain. But, practicing a reasonable care could decreas - Personal Trainer For Perfect Health
There is a general misconception that need for a fitness trainer comes for novice or from those who - Varicose Veins - Causes, Symptoms, Treatment
The majority of people after thirty notice the changes that appear with the maturing. In this case t - Scenar Therapy - Self-treatment Or Healing Partnership
Do you want to learn about a device which will help you to ease your pain? If you get this kind of a - Scenar - 5 "no, Nos" Of Scenar
Are you fed up with the pain in your body? Various parts of our body seem to ache due to different r - Scenar Device - 5 Tips On Travelling With Your Scenar (skenar) Device
You might be aware of scenar which has become quite popular these days. This is actually the acronym - Scenar Therapy - How To Treat Your Pet With Scenar
There are many alternative methods of treatment that are being invented these days. Lots of people a - Your Options For The Treatment For Appendicitis
Appendicitis is considered to be a surgical illness. Due to its severe character, the treatment for - How To Choose The Right Copd Medication
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or COPD does not have any cure. But with the help of medicines - Septic Arthritis: Infectious Agents Penetrate Joints' Spaces
Another major type of arthritis is septic arthritis, which is also known in various terms like: pyog
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Drugs - the Last Alternative for Adhd in Kids
Anyone over the age of thirty who has grown up with ADHD understands that there was not much help av - Foods To Eat To Gain Weight
Malnutrition has the same degree of problem as obesity. There are people who are too skinny, they fi - Understanding Postpartum Clothing
The same way most pregnant women dream of the day when they will begin showing for wearing maternity - Kegel Exercising for Bladder Control and Enhanced Sexual Pleasure
Kegel exercises strengthen the muscles of the pelvic floor, thereby improving the urethra and/or rec - The Use Of Weight Loss Herbs
Nothing has garnered more attention in today's world than the success or failures of weight loss pro - A Simple Acid Relux Cure
Many people today are afflicted with heartburn. If they eat food that is too spicy, they get heartbu - Five Effective Household Back Pain Treatments
Back pain treatment comes in lots of forms, from exercise to pain mediction. Standard and most wides - Herbal Remedies - Can They Cure What Ails You?
You've probably heard about herbal remedies before and how they can treat a variety of health proble - Natural Relief for Tinnitus - What are your Choices
Natural Relief For Tinnitus - Alternative Options Did you know that there are an estimated 50 t - Birthing Around the World
Since ancestral times, different cultures showed off different customs and beliefs around the miracl