This week is PR week. We are going to spend the next two weeks testing our maxes. The way this works is you start off with a light weight and warm up the lift. Then you need to add some weight and do a rep, rest appropriately and add some more weight.
***A word on PR testing this cycle…..
The last cycle that we just finished was geared around toning and growing muscle and not specifically for increasing strength. While strength and muscle growth can go hand in hand, often times they are slightly different in the training. Bigger muscles doesn’t necessarily mean stronger.
That being said, our novice lifters, (meaning the years that you’ve spent training is and lifting weights is less then 3 years) may still very well increase their PR’s this cycle. Our more advanced lifters may PR, could stay the same or may actually go down. IF that happens it’s ok that you didn’t PR this time, we weren’t training for that.
It is still important to get a current or relative PR and that is what we will base your percentage work off of for the next cycle.
Also, as a new twist, we will be offering the option of a secondary workout in lieu of the snatch and clean and jerk if you do not want to learn or do those lifts.
Here’s a sample of percentages to work up to test your max if you have a previous max:
Set 1: 50% of 1RM x 8 reps
Set 2: 60% of 1RM x 5 reps
Set 3: 70% of 1RM x 3 reps
Set 4: 80% of 1RM x 1 rep
Set 5: 90% of 1RM x 1 rep
Set 6: Max test 102% ish of 1RM x 1 rep (aim for something that would be a PR but is definitely hitable)
Set 7: Max test based off of previous lift
Set 8: same as before
It’s important to build up the muscles in order to handle heavier and heavier lifts. With adequate rest, you won’t be too tired to lift. This is a common misconception. In reality you won’t be able to lift a true max unless you build up to it, so get those warm up sets in, and work through in order to hit your max.
Good luck it’s going to be awesome!!
