Calculating Your 1RM and Choosing Load

Before starting the program, test or estimate your 1RM for the main exercises. This gives you a practical way to choose weight for the 70 to 80%, 90 to 95%, deload, and retest weeks. For the strict shoulder press, 100% (your 1RM) is the weight you can press once with solid technique. If you press a 40kg cleanly, try a second rep, and fail — your 1RM is 40kg. If you make the second rep, 40kg...