One Rep Maxes (1RM) are critical pieces of information about yourself that can be used to craft future workouts and record your progress. Typical workouts that have 1RM’s tied to them are bench, deadlift, and squat. These three lifts are also at times called the “big three.” Some powerlifters (or a lot of times braggadocios highschool football players) will add these three 1RM’s together in order to create an easier comparison among peers.
To determine your one-rep max, a standard route is to get one or two lifting partners together and progressively stack more weight onto the bar until you fail completing one rep. There are a number of problems with this method. First, you have to ensure you have a great lifting partner(s) that you can trust — you’ll (hopefully) be lifting a LOT of weight. Good lifting partners are hard to find, particularly when you’re lifting for fitness, as opposed to lifting for athletics (aka, with a team). Secondly, performing a 1RM is extremely taxing on the body. You expose yourself to tremendous injury risk (football players frequently tear pec muscles or quads in the off season when their team is maxing out — this has caused a number of teams to abandon the practice all together.) Also, you will need to give your body extra time to rest after putting it under uncommon levels of exertion. If you multiply this practice by 3x (bench, squat, deadlift) you’re eating into several weeks of available workout time — that is if you’re being smart/safe. Finally, performing the one rep max in small step up increments may fatigue you to the point of artificially deflating your one rep max. While this may ding your ego, it’s way better than the more common outcome… injury.
Luckily there are a number of strength researchers that have come up with formulas to help determine your 1RM without having to expose yourself to injury-inducing amounts of weight. These formulas use weights that you preform regularly at a given rep count. With these two numbers, a reasonable estimate of your max can be calculated. These same formulas can be used for all the of the big three — bench, squat, deadlift — using the same methodology.
With this data you can craft future workouts, such as pyramid workouts, gas outs (high rep workouts) etc.
Enroll your recipient in a 5K, obstacle run, or other organized walk/runs. This gift is especially thoughtful if it is given in conjunction with expenses-paid travel plans to an interesting destination. For example, a 5K run through a nearby city or adjoining state, may be a fun gift idea for your outgoing fitness friends.
Travel Fitness Pack – If your friends like to remain fit, but their job requires extensive travel, consider travel-friendly fitness gear. For example: fitness bands, ab wheels, jump ropes, and suspension trainers are all great, compact fitness tools.
High End Supplements – if you happen to know what supplements your recipient takes regularly — investigate high-quality versions of the supplements on their list. I like many others, enjoy supplementation, but don’t often splurge on the highest quality versions. A high quality multi-vitamin, fish oils, or protein powders are good options if you are uncertain of the supplements your recipient takes.
Unorthodox Fitness Trial Memberships – for those friends who enjoy exploring creative fitness outlets, consider signing them up for short-term memberships to new activities. For example, jiu jitsu, boxing, kickboxing, yoga, pilates, and adult sports leagues are available in nearly all medium-to-large sized cities.
Fitness Apps – there are a lot of great fitness apps out there, but most people don’t splurge on the paid version. Instead most opt for the ad-laden, or feature depleted free versions. Consider exploring which free-fitness apps your recipient already has and buying the premium version. For the braver gift givers, consider sending an app they haven’t even tried.
or other types of suspension training gear.
! Do you need help determining an appropriate weight to gift? Check out Functional Strength Lab’s – 
. These are incredibly affordable and great ideas for recipients who travel frequently. A full body workout is entirely possible and space efficient when in a pinch using resistance bands
– body weight exercises are incredibly effective and usually safer than many free weight workout options
– incorporating a balance component to any standard workouts only serves to make the workout more functional. For example, try repping out more than five single leg squats on a BOSU. I dare you.
– Assuming your recipient has enough space, battle ropes are a phenomenal builder of functional strength. Battle ropes create and excellent cardio and strength hybrid workout
