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In the past few workouts I did, I finished my training with doing 1RM attempts, just for the heck of it. First observation was that doing 1RM′s have a steep learning curve: I went up 5 to 10 kilograms each workout. On my normal 10 repetion sets I progress 1 to 2,5 kilogram each workout.

My 1RM is done in the same 4/4 rep cadence as my normal 10 repetition set.

Then I devided my 10RM by my 1RM. The seconds observation then is that it seems that the bigger the excersice, the higher the percentage:
Machine: Leg Press
1RM: 150 kg
10RM: 130 kg
Percentage: 87%

Machine: Bench Press
1RM: 67,5 kg
10RM: 50 kg
Percentage: 74%

Machine: Vertical Traction (wich is a lat machine, pulling the arms to the side, palms facing the body, working the lats and biceps)
1RM: 92,5 kg
10RM: 65 kg
Percentage: 70%

Machine: Upperback (which is a high positioned row machine, mainly working the rear delts and romboids)
1RM: 60 kg
10RM: 35 kg
Percentage: 58%

Machine: Shoulder press
1RM: 22,5 kg
10RM: 45 kg
Percentage: 50%

Any explanations?

Wine

It′s simple…you′re not getting that much "stronger" from workout to workout. You are getting more and more SKILLED

OOPS…must have hit enter…like I was saying…As I′ve stated several times on this forum, 1 RM is NOT a great strength builder. But it is a great skill builder. But the only people who have use for such a skill are competitive weightlifters.

You are experiencing what beginning trainees usually go through for the first month or so of training. You′re going through a rapid neurological/coordination learning phase. And that is the reason you are seeing such dramatic jumps in your lifting poundages.

I understand, transformingpower. I forgot to add the point/conclusion that if one does a 1RM test, that one should practice it regularly. It also places some question marks to the validity of Rep calculators; if one′s normal training is, say, 6 reps, and you use a rep calculator to calculate 3 reps, it might differ a big deal if that′s a practiced or unpracticed 3 reps.

The main point of my post though, was the observation about "the bigger the excersice, the higher the percentage" 1RM/10RM.

Hi Wine,

This is a very interesting situation. What I think is happening is that with bigger exercises more muscles are involved, which means that they may be able to take turns in contracting. In Leg press for example the quads may be able to rest just a tiny bit at the bottom of the exercise with the glutes taking up the load. This tiny rest period may be regenrating certain neurochemicals, enabling you to perform the same movement over and over again. In smaller exercises which are more focused on one single muscle group, you do not have this situation and the small muscle has to contract constantly, hence it tires very quickly.

Just my thought…

Sub7