This week we are testing 1 rep maxes for the deadlift, back squat, front squat and overhead squat. These weights will be used as percentages for all lifts in the next phase to come. Also this week, you will be doing a widowmaker set, so please keep that in mind and choose a lift that you have tested most recently and sub your widowmaker set instead of this lift. Don’t worry, there will be other opportunities to test the lifts. Please make sure to scale the wods this week appropriately if you are looking at hitting a PR on all of the lifts.
When going for a One Rep Max, have a goal number in mind. Take small incremental PRs. Why small PRs? A lot of the gains that athletes make initially are technical and neurological in nature. First of all, when your technique improves, you can move more weight. The second side of this is building the neurological pathways, your body connects better and you can move more weight. Early in an athletes training cycle, athletes will can make 30% or 40% gains in lifts, but it is important to not take the big PRs, so your connective tissue and ligaments are ready for the change as well. Your muscles and nervous system can make big adjustments, your connective tissue not so much. The adaptation of connective tissue is not as fast as your muscles. What we have observed is when making big jumps in loading, the connective tissue does not keep up and athletes become “sore” and joints “ache.”
Here are some tips on the process:
- General warm up with all joints going through a full range of motion. You should be sweaty
- Warmup on the lift: First set of 3 @ 60%, Second set of 2 @ 70%,Third set of 2 @ 80%
- The sets will be completed over seven singles:
Set #1: 85% to 90% of former 1 RM
Set #2: 90% to 92% of former 1 RM
Set #3: 92% to 97% of former 1 RM
Set #4: 100% of former 1 RM
Set #5: Add slight increase in weight #2.5 to #5
Set #6: Add slight increase in weight #2.5 to #5
Set #7: Add slight increase in weight #2.5 to #5
