Reasoning for 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 rep

Joseph Martin · 07-14-2007, 09:26 PM

Could someone please explain the reasoning or line of thinking behind the "1-1-1-1-1-1-1 rep" workouts or point me to an article/other material so that I might read up on it?

Is the purpose simply to measure your progress? I'd appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.

Chris Kemp · 07-15-2007, 02:14 AM

Joseph, that rep structure provides us an opportunity to work up to a new one rep max or get some volume in just below an established 1r.m.

Not only an opportunity to monitor progress but also a chance to practice lifting something really heavy. (This point is covered quite nicely in one of the WOD comment threads you cross posted this question to)

Another tip, asking the same question in 3 or 4 different places in quick succession is not the best way to get an answer. Instead spend the time thinking about where best to put your question.

ie.
-not at the end of another thread on another topic
-not in the comments for a later WOD
-How about in a new thread labelled "Reasoning for 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 rep"?? That might do it.

Posting your question in the relevant day's WOD comments would have been an even better option.

Cheers, kempie

Ben Moskowitz · 07-15-2007, 02:41 AM

"Posting your question in the relevant day's WOD comments would have been an even better option. "

I did such a thing, but I don't think I got a response. Anyhow, Is it better to sequentially ramp up the weight to max, or try and lift max or near-max weights continuously?

for example:
100/110/120/130/140/145/150
vs.
140/145/150/150/145/145/140

or something.

Andy Shirley · 07-15-2007, 09:21 AM

The second is better. You get more work closer to your 1RM. If you can handle the volume of that many singles close to a 1RM then go for it.

In reality these workouts need warming up for, most people I know warm up with 3-4 progressive sets before getting to the 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 WOD.

So while my post looked like this:
225, 275, 295, 305, 315, 325, 325.

There were in actuality 3-4 sets before these work sets.
2x10x135, 5x185, 5x205

And I hadn't benched in a while, so I wasn't sure where I was gonna end up or how I was gonna feel benching heavy(which is why my post looks like your first option, not the preferred 2nd option).

Ben Moskowitz · 07-15-2007, 07:17 PM

Thanks for the input. I am unsure how this will turn out with the hang squat clean WOD, because my form limits me just as much as strength. Gotta improve in all respects.

Peter Dell'Orto · 07-15-2007, 09:03 PM

If your form sucks, choose a lower weight and try for seven perfect reps. That's what I did for the back squats when they came up recently - it'd been a long time since I squatted, I was unsure of my form, and I was just finished some treatment that allowed me to back squat safely in the first place. Not the time for 7x1 of my maximum, so I choose some reasonable weights around 80-90% of my 1RM and tried for 7 good ones.

Now I think my form is good, so I'll go right for a set like this next time:

% 1RM:

85% - 90% - 95% - 100% - 100% - 100+% - 100+%

+ being some minimal increment (2.5 kg, maybe) over my 1RM to try to nudge it up.

Or something right around there. That's after a few warmup sets of much lighter weight, usually 3-5 reps starting at 5/bar only up to 3/75% 1RM.

Nick Greer · 07-23-2007, 09:56 PM

I was thinking about these 1rm days. I often go to the gym alone and have nobody to spot for me. Also the gym I go to for convenience and cheapness has a lot of machines and crap but not very many good *real* heavy lifting stations. It's not a place where you can drop the loaded barbell from an OHS if you reach failure. So is there a good surrogate for the 1rm days that allow for more than 1 rep per set so that I can stop myself before I hit that true true failure rep?

(Message edited by DFelon204409 on July 23, 2007)

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07-14-2007, 09:26 PM	#1
Joseph Martin Member Profile: Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Birmingham Alabama Posts: 4	Could someone please explain the reasoning or line of thinking behind the "1-1-1-1-1-1-1 rep" workouts or point me to an article/other material so that I might read up on it? Is the purpose simply to measure your progress? I'd appreciate your help. Thanks in advance.

07-15-2007, 02:14 AM	#2
Chris Kemp Affiliate Profile: Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Chester-Le-Street North East England Posts: 837	Joseph, that rep structure provides us an opportunity to work up to a new one rep max or get some volume in just below an established 1r.m. Not only an opportunity to monitor progress but also a chance to practice lifting something really heavy. (This point is covered quite nicely in one of the WOD comment threads you cross posted this question to) Another tip, asking the same question in 3 or 4 different places in quick succession is not the best way to get an answer. Instead spend the time thinking about where best to put your question. ie. -not at the end of another thread on another topic -not in the comments for a later WOD -How about in a new thread labelled "Reasoning for 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 rep"?? That might do it. Posting your question in the relevant day's WOD comments would have been an even better option. Cheers, kempie

07-15-2007, 02:41 AM	#3
Ben Moskowitz Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 756	"Posting your question in the relevant day's WOD comments would have been an even better option. " I did such a thing, but I don't think I got a response. Anyhow, Is it better to sequentially ramp up the weight to max, or try and lift max or near-max weights continuously? for example: 100/110/120/130/140/145/150 vs. 140/145/150/150/145/145/140 or something.

07-15-2007, 09:21 AM	#4
Andy Shirley Member Profile: Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Honoulu HI Posts: 1,552	The second is better. You get more work closer to your 1RM. If you can handle the volume of that many singles close to a 1RM then go for it. In reality these workouts need warming up for, most people I know warm up with 3-4 progressive sets before getting to the 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 WOD. So while my post looked like this: 225, 275, 295, 305, 315, 325, 325. There were in actuality 3-4 sets before these work sets. 2x10x135, 5x185, 5x205 And I hadn't benched in a while, so I wasn't sure where I was gonna end up or how I was gonna feel benching heavy(which is why my post looks like your first option, not the preferred 2nd option).

07-15-2007, 07:17 PM	#5
Ben Moskowitz Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: St. Louis MO Posts: 756	Thanks for the input. I am unsure how this will turn out with the hang squat clean WOD, because my form limits me just as much as strength. Gotta improve in all respects.

07-15-2007, 09:03 PM	#6
Peter Dell'Orto Member Profile: Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Niigata-shi Niigata-ken Posts: 236	If your form sucks, choose a lower weight and try for seven perfect reps. That's what I did for the back squats when they came up recently - it'd been a long time since I squatted, I was unsure of my form, and I was just finished some treatment that allowed me to back squat safely in the first place. Not the time for 7x1 of my maximum, so I choose some reasonable weights around 80-90% of my 1RM and tried for 7 good ones. Now I think my form is good, so I'll go right for a set like this next time: % 1RM: 85% - 90% - 95% - 100% - 100% - 100+% - 100+% + being some minimal increment (2.5 kg, maybe) over my 1RM to try to nudge it up. Or something right around there. That's after a few warmup sets of much lighter weight, usually 3-5 reps starting at 5/bar only up to 3/75% 1RM.

07-23-2007, 09:56 PM	#7
Nick Greer Member Profile: Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Hillsborough CA Posts: 2	I was thinking about these 1rm days. I often go to the gym alone and have nobody to spot for me. Also the gym I go to for convenience and cheapness has a lot of machines and crap but not very many good real heavy lifting stations. It's not a place where you can drop the loaded barbell from an OHS if you reach failure. So is there a good surrogate for the 1rm days that allow for more than 1 rep per set so that I can stop myself before I hit that true true failure rep? (Message edited by DFelon204409 on July 23, 2007)