Strength training

1RM, load percentages, rep ranges, methods and estimating the 1RM.

The outline, topic by topic

Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.

1RM: what is it?
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The maximum load one can lift once in a given movement.
It is the reference for setting loads.
Why estimate the 1RM rather than test it with a beginner?
- Lifting a maximal load without safe technique is risky
- An estimate is more accurate than a direct 1RM test
- His 1RM will not change for the rest of the season
- A direct test can only be done on guided machines
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Lifting a maximal load without safe technique is risky
Estimating from submaximal sets is safer, at some cost in accuracy: the direct test remains the reference.
Maximal strength: what is it?
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Work at 85-100 % of 1RM, 1 to 5 reps, long rests.
It mainly improves neural recruitment.
Why does a beginner gain much strength in the first weeks without building muscle?
- His slow fibres turn into fast fibres
- His nervous system recruits his muscles better
- His muscle glycogen stores rise
- The number of his muscle fibres rises
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His nervous system recruits his muscles better
The first strength gains are mostly neural: better motor unit recruitment and better coordination between muscles. Hypertrophy only becomes noticeable after several weeks.