Measure where you are so you can grow

This calculator users the Brzycki formula to estimate the one-rep max given a weight and repetitions. This is a commonly used formula and is slightly more conservative than other formulas. More details can be found at this link.

You definitely should! But testing it has safety and time considerations that may make it impractical to do regularly. There is a lower risk of injury with lighter weight and you can perform a test for the calculator with less demands for a spotter (although you should use one for safety, it’s easier to spot 150lbs than 250lbs).

Following a consistent strength training program is the best way to improve. In general, compound movements with low to medium rep ranges (think less than 8) with moderately heavy weight should serve as the foundation of the program. More information can be found in the Blog posts.

Working through and around injuries is a common challenge, especially for older athletes. We’ll have blog articles specifically covering this topic but one way to think about an injury is an opportunity to improve in other areas. For example, a shoulder injury may prevent doing bench press movements but would allow you to focus on core strength (stability), lower body movements (overall muscle building and strength), and cardio (general health benefits and greater ability to push through long workouts)