When applying to a bank for a loan, each borrower first calculates his financial capabilities, that is, the loan is taken out the amount of funds that he can repay, taking into account the bank interest rate. At the very least, it is reasonable to always rely on your financial capabilities before applying for a loan; however, a banking organization always minimizes its risks when issuing loans and carefully calculates the maximum loan amount. Borrowers do not know for sure how the maximum amount of a consumer loan is calculated, let’s try to find out.

Calculation methods

First of all, it is worth saying that this information is closed to borrowers in many banks, that is, the calculation is carried out on the basis of the internal regulations of financial institutions. Even bank employees have no right to disclose such information. However, some banks, in particular Sberbank, on the contrary, provide such information to borrowers on the official website.

So, if you do not know how to calculate the maximum loan amount and banks do not provide you with such information, then you should definitely consider the general principles of calculation. This principle is as follows: the borrower’s income is taken and expenses are subtracted from them. That is, the amount of the borrower’s income consists of his official salary after deducting income tax, as well as other income that can be documented, these include: pension, benefits, additional income and more.

Important! When applying for a bank loan, especially when large sums are involved, not only the income of the borrower himself, but also his family members is taken into account. For example, if the borrower’s spouse has income, then they must document it and give their consent to the bank to apply for a loan, insofar as the borrower’s spouse automatically becomes a co-borrower.

Let's look at the list of expenses taken into account by the lender when calculating the maximum loan amount. It looks like this:

• utility payments;
• payments on obligations in other banks;
• alimony;
• household consumer expenses (according to the borrower).

Thus, before issuing a bank loan, employees of a financial institution are necessarily interested in the financial situation of the borrower. If income can be verified with documents, then expenses are mainly indicated according to the borrower. That is, banks rarely check the amount of payment for utilities, alimony and other expenses; usually the data in the questionnaire is entered from the words of the borrower. As for payments on other obligations, this can be easily verified; the client's credit report shows his current financial obligations and their monthly amount.

Formula for calculating the maximum monthly payment amount

First of all, the calculation of the maximum loan amount for individuals is carried out on the basis of several data. The main role in the calculations is played by the correction factor; each creditor sets its own value. Plus, the lending conditions in each bank are different, namely, interest rates differ, so you can only calculate the preliminary amount of your loan yourself.

The adjustment factor usually ranges from 30 to 70%, which is the percentage of the borrower’s net income that can be used to pay off the loan.

So, the calculation formula will look like this:

P=S*K, Where:

• P – monthly payment amount;
• S – net income of the borrower;
• K – correction factor.

Just before you start calculating the maximum amount of a bank loan, you need to calculate the net income of the borrowers, or the total family income. That is, from the entire amount of your income, including the salary of your spouse, you need to subtract all your expenses on loans for utilities, etc., the remaining amount is net income.

Important! In the formula, the correction factor is divided by 100, for example, if it is 70%, then the formula should indicate a value of 0.7.

Now let’s put the formula into practice and calculate the maximum size of a consumer loan, with a total family income of 70,000 rubles, 10,000 rubles of which they pay utilities for loans. The net income in this case is 60,000 rubles, respectively; if we calculate the maximum monthly payment amount for them, with an adjustment factor of 0.5, then for them the maximum loan payment will be 30,000 rubles per month.

By the way, it is always worth considering that the bank pays attention to the composition of the family; the balance after calculating the new loan should not be lower than the subsistence level in the region. Let's return to our example, we have already calculated that a family can comfortably pay 30,000 rubles a month on a bank loan, taking into account their total income, if there are 3 people in the family, then the cost of living for them will be approximately 30,000 rubles (if the average cost of living is region is 10,000 rubles). But if there are 5 people in a family and their net income minus expenses is 60,000 rubles (excluding loan payments), then the maximum they can give is 10,000 rubles per month.

Please note that the bank more carefully calculates payments on consumer loans insofar as they are not secured by anything, we are talking about a mortgage or a car loan, then the adjustment factor may be higher, this is due to the fact that borrowers will not want to lose their property and will in any case, repay the bank loan.

Calculation of the maximum bank loan amount

So, we found out how to calculate the maximum monthly payment amount depending on the borrower’s net income, but now it’s worth figuring out how to actually calculate the loan amount itself, because monthly loan payments depend on two indicators: the amount of annual interest and the loan term. The formula will look like this:

X=(P*L)/(1+G/100*L/12), Where:

• X is the maximum size of a bank loan;
• P - maximum monthly payment amount;
• L - loan term in months;
• G - annual interest rate.

To give an example, let’s return to the previous calculation, where we found out that a family of 3 people has the opportunity to pay 30,000 rubles on a consumer loan. For example, we use an interest rate of 17% per annum and a term of 60 months (5 years). We count:

X=(30000*60)/(1+17/100*60/12)=972972.9 rubles. That is, according to the given parameters, the maximum loan amount will be approximately 972,973 rubles.

Please note that these calculations are only relevant for a differentiated monthly payment calculation system.

But, to the extent that banks mainly offer an annuity system for calculating monthly payments, you can count on a larger amount. It is advisable, before deciding to apply for a loan, to ask a credit department employee to print out a monthly payment schedule for you, so you can clearly assess your financial capabilities, because the program does not always effectively calculate the maximum loan amount.

What factors influence the loan amount?

The borrower's net income is not all that influences the bank's decision to issue a loan. First of all, the credit history of the borrower is taken into account; if previously he did not fulfill his obligations so conscientiously, then most likely he will either be completely denied a loan or the correction factor for him will be reduced.

There are factors that, on the contrary, allow you to increase the maximum loan amount. These include: guarantors, co-borrowers and collateral. If the bank loan is secured by something, then the maximum amount, of course, increases. Among other things, you can increase the maximum loan amount due to the loan term; the longer the agreement, the lower the monthly payment amount.

Credit calculator

Thus, you can certainly determine the maximum loan amount yourself, but it will not be objective. But you can use one piece of advice: banks present a loan calculator on their official websites. Let's take the example of Sberbank; there is a function for calculating the maximum loan amount and monthly payment based on the borrower's income. Let's calculate how much you can borrow from Sberbank using this calculator, following the instructions:

On the bank's official website, select the loan product you need, for example. Consumer loan.

1. Open the “Calculation type” line in the calculator and select “based on average monthly income.”
2. Next, fill in all the required fields, namely date of birth, gender, borrower category and others.
3. Before the “calculate repayment” button, find the “exact calculation” link and open it.
4. Here you have the opportunity to indicate your total family income, average expenses and payments on other loans.
5. Click the “calculate repayment” button and on the right side you will find the parameters of your future loan.

Please note that the calculation is for reference only insofar as it indicates the base rate for this loan offer.

To summarize, if you want to properly take out a loan from a bank, then first, calculate your financial capabilities yourself, calculate how much you can contribute towards the loan payment monthly. Next, you have two options: either calculate the maximum loan amount using a formula or use the loan calculator of the bank where you would like to apply for a loan, however, the final calculations will always be made by the lender.

How to find out your maximum in the bench press without doing a walk? How to choose the weight in an exercise if you change the working number of repetitions? How to “translate” one-rep sets with maximum weight into multi-rep sets and back?

To make it easier to plan your workouts and compare your strength results from one training program to another, there is a very convenient method by Maurice and Rydin.

Using this method, you will be able to compare your current indicators with the numbers from, without performing excavation .

A walk is a test of maximizing the weight of an exercise for one repetition.

You will also be able to compare your current results with those you achieved in a previous training cycle (program) when you used a different number of repetitions.

For example, in your current cycle you're doing 10 reps of squats and want to figure out what your best one-rep result would be. Or, let's say you're working with a low number of repetitions and would like to compare your current result with the results of a previous cycle when you worked with a much higher number of repetitions. Such a comparison will allow you to evaluate your progress in loads.

Strengthening specialists Dave Maurice and Rich Rydin have proposed two formulas that allow you to compare weights when performing different numbers of repetitions. For convenience, these formulas are also presented here in the form of tables and graphs. With their help, you can convert the weight with which you perform one number of repetitions into the weight with which you could perform another number of repetitions.

To use the tables, look in the left column for the number of reps you are currently doing. Then move along the series of numbers until you reach the column indicating the number of repetitions to which you want to “project” your result.

For example, if you are doing a 10 rep bench press and you are wondering how much weight you could perform 6 reps with, you would multiply your 10 rep max weight by 1.13.

Likewise, if you squat for 6 reps and want to determine what your 20 rep squat performance would be, you would multiply your 6 rep max weight by 0.81.

click on the picture to enlarge

For those who are more comfortable using graphs and formulas

click on the picture to enlarge

Let's say you managed to add one more repetition to the set, it is clear that the load on the muscle has increased. It is interesting to calculate how much the weight of the weight needs to be increased in order to increase the load on the muscle by the same amount within the same number of repetitions. According to the table, adding one repetition is equivalent to increasing the weight of the weight by about 3%. If you, for example, bench press 80 kg for 5 reps, then an extra rep will be equivalent to adding 2.5 kg to the weight of the barbell as part of a five-rep set.

P.S. The use of conversion tables by Maurice and Raidin is very individual and their coefficients are not suitable for everyone. There is another weight conversion table for the golden three exercises

click on the picture to enlarge

Empirically, choose which tables for calculating weights suit you best and use it! They will be useful to you throughout your sports career.

So, the Maurice and Rydin method will help you find out your maximum in the bench press and other exercises, and will also help you change the working weight when changing the number of repetitions in the approach.

If you are planning to take out a loan and want to know how much you can expect, that is, how much the bank will agree to give you on credit, then this article is for you.

When applying to a bank for a loan, the borrower is given an application to fill out, which contains the column “Loan Amount”. And here the question arises, what amount to indicate. On the one hand, so that it satisfies you, and on the other hand, so that this desired amount is approved by the bank.

The loan amount will depend on your solvency, which is determined by the formula:

P = D h * K * t,

P - solvency of the borrower,

D h - average monthly income (net) for six months minus all mandatory payments (for pensioners - the amount of the pension they receive);

This amount may include not only income from the main place of work (confirmed by a certificate of income 2-NDFL for the last 6 months), but also other income confirmed by financial documents.

Mandatory payments include utility bills, alimony, expenses for previously taken loans, tuition fees, rent, etc.

K is a coefficient that varies depending on the value of Dh:

at Dh ≤ 45,000 rub., K = 0.7;

at Dh > 45,000 rub., K = 0.8.

For each bank, this coefficient can have its own value, either 0.3 or 0.9, depending on the bank.

t - loan term (in months).

Let's look at calculating the maximum loan size using a specific example.

Let's say you want to take out a loan at 15.5% per annum, without collateral and without guarantors.

Let’s assume that your salary at your main place of work is 25,000 rubles per person, plus you work part-time and receive an additional 9,000 rubles. Your utility bills amount to 4,000 monthly, and you also have two dependent children, so mandatory expenses will increase by 15,340 rubles (based on the cost of living per child equal to 7,670 rubles); and for you (the borrower) - 7,955 rubles (the subsistence minimum for an able-bodied person). For your region, take your own cost of living.

Therefore, net income will be equal to:

Dh = 25,000 + 9,000 - 4,000 - 15,340 - 7,955 = 6,705 rub.,

then K = 0.7.

Your solvency will be equal to:

P = 6,705 * 0.7 * 12 = 56,322

S p ) will be determined based on your solvency using the formula:

i - interest rate on the loan (in %),

t - loan repayment period (in months).

When applying for a loan for a year, the maximum loan amount is:

When applying for a loan for 2 years, the maximum loan amount is:

So, when applying for a loan for a year, you will be approved for a loan in the amount of a maximum of 51,959 rubles and 56 kopecks, and when applying for a loan for two years, the maximum loan amount will be 96,984 rubles and 97 kopecks.

As you can see, the factor influencing the maximum loan amount is the term for which the loan is taken.

In addition, the maximum loan amount can be affected by the positive credit history of the borrower, the presence of collateral, and the participation of guarantors or co-borrowers on this loan (their net income will be added to yours).

But even if your income allows you to take out a loan of 5 million rubles. Each bank imposes its own restrictions on the maximum loan amount. For example, at Sberbank the maximum loan size without collateral and without guarantors is no more than 1.5 million rubles.

As you already understood, this is an approximate calculation of the loan amount that you can count on, and it depends on the methodology for assessing the borrower’s solvency adopted by the bank and on some of the above factors.

Banking institutions are interested in attracting new clients and issuing loans, because this is one of the sources of profit that allows them to develop, pay salaries to employees, expand the network of branches and increase the range of services. On the other hand, the bank carefully studies the borrower and issues only the amount that the person is able to repay on time. For example, a loan offer allows you to receive an amount of 1 million rubles, but the bank issues only 500 thousand or even less. Why is this happening? How is the maximum loan amount calculated? What is taken into account when determining this indicator? How to increase the loan size? We will consider these and other questions below.

What affects the size of the mortgage

Problems with housing force people to turn to the bank to apply for a mortgage loan. Money is issued to purchase real estate on the secondary market, build your own home, or purchase housing from a developer (builder). The question is how much money will be offered to the client.

The maximum mortgage loan amount depends on the following factors:

• Borrower's income and expenses. The bank analyzes the monthly income of the client and his family members, and then deducts current expenses. Mortgage payments should not exceed 40-50% of available funds. If the solvency of an individual is limited, the bank offers to reduce the loan amount or refuses to issue a mortgage.
• Age. The peculiarity of a mortgage loan is to issue money for a long period - up to 20-30 years. This is why banks limit the size of loans to people of pre-retirement and retirement age. To avoid refusal, it is better to clarify in advance what the maximum loan can be borrowed.
• Price of collateral. Many banking institutions set a limit taking into account the market value of the property. The client receives from 60 to 80% of the estimated price. In this way, the bank insures itself against unforeseen situations. If a person fails to meet his obligations and a large debt accumulates, the bank sues. The result may be the alienation of the collateral property in favor of the bank for subsequent sale and compensation for losses.
• Guarantors and co-borrowers. If the estimated solvency ratio is too low, you can raise the maximum loan amount by involving a guarantor or co-borrower. With this approach, the bank receives additional guarantees, and the likelihood of receiving the required amount increases.

How to calculate the amount of a salary loan

It was mentioned above that when determining the maximum loan, the bank evaluates the client’s income. Below we will consider how to calculate the borrower’s solvency for wages. The calculation algorithm is simple:

• The financial institution takes the salary, which is confirmed by a certificate.
• Mandatory expenses are deducted from the profit received - payment for housing and communal services, payment of taxes, payments on existing loans, alimony, transfer of funds for studies, and so on. If you have dependents, you must deduct the cost of living for each of them from the income received.
• The result is net profit, after which the creditworthiness (solvency) of the individual is assessed. The maximum loan amount is determined taking into account that the amount of loan payments does not exceed half of the available funds.
  For example, if a person’s net profit (excluding mandatory payments) is 50 thousand rubles, the monthly payment should not exceed 25 thousand. Therefore, the maximum loan amount for 3 years is calculated as follows - 25,000 * 36 months = 900 thousand. This amount includes the “body” of the loan, as well as accrued interest, so the actual amount will be lower (depending on the amount of interest).

The values ​​and indicators vary depending on the variation in the calculation of average monthly profit. Here a lot depends on the banking institution. The scheme discussed above is used for various types of loans, including mortgages. The amount of monthly payments when calculating the maximum loan amount should not exceed 50% of wages or total income. To increase the likelihood of receiving money, it is recommended to apply to several financial institutions at once.

Formula for calculation

Above is a general algorithm for calculating the maximum loan amount. But there is a formula that many lenders use - P = D*K*T, where:

• P - a person’s creditworthiness (his ability to pay).
• D - average income for the last six months (all expenses are deducted). In this case, the bank, as a rule, sums up all the client’s profit, which is documented - wages, additional profit, pension, benefits, stipend, money from renting real estate, interest on securities, and so on. It is important that a client of a financial institution can back up his words with real papers and certificates.
• K is a coefficient that is adjusted taking into account the size of the above parameter. If D is less than 45 thousand rubles, the coefficient is 0.7, and if more - 0.8. It is worth noting that these ratios are individual for each bank.
• T is the period for which the loan is issued.

For example, a person’s total income is 50 thousand rubles (confirmed by documents), and the borrower plans to take out a loan for two years. In this case, his solvency is equal to P = 50000 * 0.8 * 24 = 960 thousand rubles.

To determine the maximum loan size, another formula is used:

Sp = P/(1+((T+1)*I/2*12*100). Here T is the loan term, and I is the interest on the loan. Let’s make the calculation for a situation where the interest rate is 15%.

Sp = 960,000 /(1+((24+1)*15/2*12*100) = 830.27 thousand rubles.

Please note that the calculated number received does not mean that the bank will provide this exact amount. For example, if the maximum loan amount without a guarantor and co-borrower should not be higher than 0.5 million rubles, a person will still not receive more than this amount. At the same time, the minimum loan size is also specified in the conditions.

Consumer loan at Sberbank and its types

Today, the greatest demand is for the services of Sberbank of the Russian Federation, which offers loans that differ in requirements, interest rates and prices. Let's highlight the main loan options:

• No guarantee. If the client does not attract a guarantor, the bank introduces additional requirements for the submitted papers. In particular, documentary proof of income, work record and other documentation is required. In addition, restrictions are imposed on the maximum loan size and the period for using funds - up to 1.5 million rubles and up to 5 years, respectively.
• With a guarantor. If the borrower brings a guarantor who meets the lender's requirements, the chances of receiving money increase, and paper requirements are reduced. The maximum loan in this case reaches 3 million rubles, and the repayment period is up to 60 months.
• Secured by real estate. The presence of collateral is an additional plus for the lender, because he receives insurance in case the client loses solvency. The advantage of this service is that the interest rate decreases, and the maximum loan amount, on the contrary, increases. So, if there is collateral, the upper loan amount reaches 10 million rubles, the lending period is seven years, and the rate is 15% or more.

When determining solvency, Sberbank also applies a slightly modified formula. First, the total income is calculated (based on information from the submitted documentation). Afterwards, human costs are removed from the resulting number. The difference is divided by six months to obtain the average profit for 30 days (this is due to the fact that the income certificate provides information for six months).

When calculating, the coefficient method is used. If the profit does not exceed 15 thousand rubles, Sberbank uses K equal to 0.3. If the profit is in the range from 15 to 30 thousand rubles, the coefficient is 0.4. In the case when income is in the range from 30 to 60 thousand rubles, K = 0.6 is used. If the borrower has a profit of 60 thousand or more, the largest K parameter is applied, equal to 0.6.

Skr = B/(1+St/100*m/12). Here St is the loan percentage.

During the calculation process, money is taken into account:

• From the main activity. Here we are talking about wages, which are confirmed by a 2-NDFL certificate or a document in the form of a financial institution.
• Additional income. Fewer and fewer people live on one salary. To expand their comfort zone and improve their financial situation, many find additional income. This could be a second job. To confirm, you must bring a copy of the employment agreement, a certificate, and a copy of your tax return. It is worth considering that the requirements for the period for receiving additional income may vary in different banking institutions.
• Company owner's share. Here you need to prove to the lender that part of the organization is actually owned by the borrower. If a person has shares in his hands, he will have to confirm this fact by providing copies of the constituent documentation. Some banking institutions require proof that the business is generating income.
• Profit from rental property. If a person has an apartment or house that other people rent and pay money for it based on an agreement, the funds received can be included in total income. But this also requires documentary evidence of the fact of paying taxes on the profits received.
• Other capital. This category includes other types of profit that can be confirmed.

Confirmation of income is carried out using the following documents:

• Help 2-NDFL.
• Certificate of declared profit.
• Help on bank form.
• A certificate drawn up in the form of the employing company.
• Extract from a financial institution and others.

In conclusion, we note that an increase in the maximum loan amount is real. To do this, you need to perform one or several actions at once - confirm additional income, attract a co-borrower or guarantor. Alternatively, you can provide the bank with liquid collateral or additional securities upon request.

A one-rep maximum (aka “1RM”) is a weight with which you can perform an exercise only once.

The whole truth about 1RM (one repetition maximum)

My favorite number of reps per set is 1. I am a big proponent of the max effort method, and moving up to 1RM has always been an important part of our training program. Therefore, the following statement may seem strange to you:

Going for one rep max is not the best way to perform max effort work.

This method works well for the first 4-6 weeks, but then most athletes begin to show signs of stagnation and even regression. For this reason, I decided to change the nature of max effort work for myself and my athletes.

So I'll say it again: for most people, one rep max is unlikely to be beneficial. Sets of 2 or 3 reps will help you improve your strength much faster. And below I will explain why.

What is maximum effort work?

Most people associate the max effort method with two things:

1. Working with maximum weights, which involves performing one maximum repetition for a basic exercise.

2. Westside Barbell system.

The Westside Barbell system does use some variation of the maximal force method, along with the dynamic force method and the repetition method. However, for some reason, most people only remember the maximum effort method when talking about the Westside Barbell system.

Although the maximum effort method appeared much earlier than the above-mentioned system. Before the advent of Westside Barbell, powerlifters performed "max" lifts only at the end of the training cycle. People also mistakenly believe that the max effort method is all about performing one rep max. This is a misconception.

The famous Soviet biomechanics specialist Zatsiorsky explains that the maximum effort method involves lifting loads in the range from 90 to 100% of the current maximum. So it is not necessary to work with maximum weight for one repetition. In the Russian-language literature on weightlifting, the important criterion is the number of repetitions performed under a load of 90% of the maximum, and not the number of maximum repetitions.

How does the maximum effort method work?

The nervous system determines how muscle mass will generate the energy needed to overcome gravity. The central nervous system can boost energy production through 4 mechanisms:

1. Development of muscle fibers

The more muscle mass used during a movement, the more energy is produced. And the faster these engaged muscle fibers contract, the more energy is generated. So, to get a more efficient muscle contraction, you need to recruit more muscle fibers and, most importantly, use fast-twitch fibers.

2. Changing the frequency of contractions

The human body has a limited ability to activate muscle fibers. If it is not possible to further increase energy generation by increasing the number of muscle fibers recruited, the body can increase the pulsation rate of the recruited fibers.

Each contraction of a muscle fiber generates energy. So the more often the fibers contract over a period of time, the more energy the muscle mass will produce. With the exception of beginners, increasing the frequency of contractions is the only way an athlete's body can cope with increasing loads.

3. Intramuscular coordination/synchronization of muscle fibers

These terms refer to the optimal order of muscle fiber contractions. It is not always effective to have all fibers contract at the same time. Sometimes asynchronous contraction of muscle tissue will be optimal. In fact, for slow movements under heavy load (such as squats, deadlifts, standing presses and bench presses), this contraction mode will be preferable.

4. Intermuscular coordination

This parameter determines how the body uses the various muscles involved in movement. For example, antagonist muscles must relax at the right time to allow the prime mover muscles to do their job, but not too soon to maintain body balance.

If the antagonist muscles do not relax, you will have to fight your own body and the load at the same time. If you relax too much, you can lose your balance, get injured, or lose momentum that serves as the basis for subsequent movement.

The last two elements are achieved through frequent practice. The more often you practice lifting a certain weight, the better your intra- and intermuscular coordination will work. Increased contraction of muscle fibers and active recruitment of muscle tissue can be improved through strength training at maximum load. Therefore, experienced and professional athletes can progress due to increased contraction of muscle fibers.

The contraction frequencies of muscle fibers at 90% and 100% of the maximum load are the same

The frequency of nerve impulses sending signals to muscle fibers does not change when training in the range from 90 to 100% of maximum load. Even at loads in the range from 97 to 100% of the maximum, there is no increase in frequency. Therefore, if you train with loads in the range of 90-100%, the nervous system adapts perfectly. That is why the load and set/rep scheme is of utmost importance, which will allow you to perform the maximum amount of work in the range of 90-100% of the maximum load, without causing “kickbacks”.

To develop strength skills, such a load will be quite enough. In practice, weights of 90-95% of the maximum when performing sets of 2-3 repetitions will give better results than maximum loads. Doing one rep max is beneficial for powerlifters because they need to develop the ability to lift maximum weight for one attempt. You will most likely notice that when you do 2-3 sets, the second set will be easier than the first. That is why the ability to demonstrate maximum results on the first approach needs to be developed specifically by powerlifters.

For most of us, doing 2-3 rep max will be more effective than doing one rep max. In fact, this even applies to powerlifters. No more than 20% of your workout time should be spent performing exercises with one maximum repetition..

A Success-Driven Mindset

2-3 max reps are better than one max rep also because of the right mindset it will give you. Completing 2-3 repetitions implies successful completion of the first repetition. So before you do the set, you know that you can successfully complete the first rep. And this knowledge helps you successfully cope with the load.

This attitude gives you confidence when you step up to the bar. Any experienced weightlifter knows that having the confidence to lift a max load can be a huge help in successfully completing a lift.

Why is the second repetition easier to complete than the first? The point is the potentiation/activation effect, and also the fact that the first repetition allows you to gain the desired speed of movement. When you're aiming for one rep max, you may be unsure whether you can handle the load. This negatively impacts your confidence and therefore your results.

Safety factor

By setting yourself up for 2-3 maximum repetitions, you will almost always (if you plan the load correctly, of course) be able to complete the first repetition. Sometimes a task may turn out to be harder than you think, but still remain doable. Now, as you approach threshold loads, you may encounter a situation where after the first repetition, you will not be able to complete the second repetition. There is no need to be upset, this approach can also be considered effective.

When working with a maximum load, it is very difficult to know whether you can complete a repetition or not. When you lower the bar, you may think you can do the second rep, but when you lift the weight, you realize you were wrong. Such situations lead to poor form and risk of injury. It is best to decide whether to perform a second repetition at the same time as performing the first.. How you feel during your first rep should tell you how much strength you have left. If you do one maximum repetition, you will not have such a “tool” in stock in order to understand whether it is worth starting a second repetition.

Some people, based on experience or discipline, know the moment they approach the bar whether they can complete a rep. These people are at less risk of injury when performing max reps. They know that it is better to try again later than to try to lift a weight that is too heavy. However, there are many videos of people performing unsuccessful approaches, which suggests that not everyone has these skills.

Why should you mainly do 2-3 reps with 90-95% of the maximum weight, and not 1RM with 97-100% of the maximum?

Weights in the range of 90-100% of maximum are used in the same loading patterns as when working with maximum effort. This type of work can improve your one-rep max performance even if you don't practice max reps every workout. Training is not a test. You train to develop certain skills and abilities that will make your body stronger and more efficient when it finally comes time to test its limits.

The more you practice in this range, the more you will achieve at maximum load. It should be noted that the human body adapts better to a load of 90-95% of the maximum than in the range of 95-100% of the maximum. Doing 2-3 max reps will help significantly increase the volume of work compared to one rep max. Increasing the amount of work will help achieve better adaptation of the nervous system. Strength is not only a physical ability, it is also a skill, and this includes training the nervous system. The more often you practice the skill of generating the maximum amount of energy, the better results you will achieve.

If you perform sets of 2-3 maximum repetitions, you can increase the amount of work in the desired zone by 1.5-2 times and speed up the speed of adaptation of the nervous system.

Why can't you do more sets of one maximum repetition? The fact is that performing 6 lifts of the barbell with a load of 90-95% of the maximum is a completely acceptable level. However, performing the same number of repetitions per day at 97-100% of the maximum load has too serious an impact on the nervous system, which will not allow progress.

The famous Canadian athletics coach Charlie Francis noted the big difference in the effect on the nervous system of a load of 95-97% and 100% of the maximum. A load of 100% of maximum has a residual effect for days, even weeks, and the range of 95-97% of maximum load is better for rapid recovery and further progress. The same is true for weightlifting. There is an overstrain that the body experiences when performing one maximum repetition. The benefits of this method are limited by its inability to increase the frequency of sets, so it is less effective in the long term.

Psychological component

Soviet weightlifter Vasily Alekseev advised avoiding “training on nerves,” i.e. Avoid psychological stress during training. This does not mean that you can relax: the secret is to work hard and respect the limit, beyond which the athlete begins to experience obvious psychological stress, which is accompanied by a sharp increase in blood pressure, symptoms of tunnel vision, increased heart rate, the need for a psychological attitude, etc.

“Nerve training” should be something like an emergency reserve that you can use when necessary. It's like nitro in a tuned car. It allows you to dramatically increase speed, but it is also very expensive. During training, there is no need for psychological adjustment before each lift of the barbell. Just look at Russian Olympic weightlifters: they approach the barbell during training in a relaxed state, as if they had just woken up, even working with weights close to world records.

Maximum for training and maximum for competitions

Zatsiorsky identifies two maximums: training maximum (T max) and competitive maximum (C max).

T max is the maximum weight that a weightlifter can lift without placing excessive stress on the body and without stimulating the central nervous system, i.e. without psychologically tuning in to perform the repetition.

C max is the maximum that is achieved through significant concentration and psychological uplift, and stress on the body leads to a significant release of adrenaline into the blood.

Cmax can exceed Tmax by 12% in experienced athletes who are accustomed to serious stress, and in most people, with the help of concentration and adrenaline release, the indicators can be increased by 5%.

As you can see, mental attitude can give you some good “weight gain”. However, nothing comes for free, since the release of adrenaline leads to serious consequences for the body. It is necessary, if possible, to avoid overexcitation of the nervous system before the approach, maintaining reserves for extreme cases. 2 maximum repetitions do not put as much psychological stress on the body as one maximum repetition. Therefore, the negative effect can be avoided by getting the maximum benefit from the training.

Stimulation of fast-twitch muscle fibers

Muscle fibers that were involved in work, but did not receive the proper load, do not receive the effect of training. If you simply engage the fibers without tiring them, you can, of course, get the result in the form of an increase in the ability to activate muscle tissue, but there will not be quantitative tissue growth.

When performing maximum effort work, the body uses anaerobic alactic energy, which is burned in about 20 minutes. In other words, if you use this system, you will run out of fuel very quickly. Anaerobic alactic energy begins to burn 7-10 seconds after the start of intense work. If the duration of intense exercise is shorter, the body quickly gets tired, and the growth of fast-twitch fibers is not observed.

If you perform sets of one rep max, it takes an average of 4 seconds per set, with a maximum of 5. As you can see, we are 3 seconds short of our minimum threshold value. It's very rare that it takes 7-10 seconds to complete a rep, but in this case you have to consciously go slow, which reduces your ability to lift heavy weights.

If you do 2 repetitions, the muscles will be loaded for the required 7-10 seconds, and if you do 3 repetitions, the duration of the load will be 11-14 seconds. In both cases, the load/stimulation of the fast-twitch fibers will be greater, especially when performing multiple sets. As a result, you will be able to stimulate muscle tissue growth, not just muscle tissue activity.

Devil's Advocate. Why you should still practice 1RM

Performing one maximum repetition requires special skills. Someone who has mastered individual snatches, etc., will demonstrate a 7-9% difference in load for 2-3 reps and one rep. All others will show an average difference of 4-5%.

Let's take, for example, two athletes who are practicing sets of 2 maximum repetitions on a bench with a load of 170 kilograms.

• Athlete 1 often
• Athlete 2 rarely Performs sets of one maximum repetition.

Athlete 1 will perform best in single attempts with maximum weight. So he will be able to lift up to 185 kg, while Athlete 2, who works at a lower frequency, will only be able to lift 178 kg.

Moreover, both athletes will have approximately the same level of strength training. The fact is that the first athlete is better able to use the available forces at maximum load. This is why it is so important for powerlifters to practice one rep max. This is important when preparing for competitions, where it is important to show your skills in a competitive environment.

However, if you are training to get stronger, there is no need to include sets of one rep max in your training program. Additionally, in the long run, even professional powerlifters will achieve better results by practicing 2 rep maxes more often.