Test your 1-rep max. How do you do it?

Maxing Out: How to Do It Right and Why It Can Improve Your Training

Maxing out regularly is often seen as a classic beginner mistake—or as a surefire path to injury. However, while there are risks associated with frequently pushing to lift heavy loads, maxing out correctly can actually accelerate your progress and make your training program far more effective.

Here, we will go through everything you need to know to reap the benefits of maxing out without exposing yourself to unnecessary risks.

What Does "Maxing Out" Mean?

The term "maxing out" is gym culture's way of saying that you're testing your one-rep max (1RM). Your 1RM is the maximum weight you can lift for a single repetition of a particular exercise.

Inexperienced athletes generally tend to max out in a random manner. They pick an exercise on a whim, make illogical jumps in weight, and try to break personal records just for the sake of it. This can be entertaining for onlookers, but it is neither an effective way to plan your training nor particularly smart from an injury-prevention standpoint.

To max out correctly and find your true 1RM, there are a few key steps to follow. These are the methods we want to go over today.

1. Choose the Right Exercises Maxing

   out is both physically and mentally demanding. Your nervous system has to work hard, and each lift places a significant load on your muscles and joints. Therefore, you should only max out on exercises where you have a good reason to do so.

Competing in bicep curls with a friend might seem fun, but it won't contribute to your development. Moreover, if you tear a bicep tendon in the process, this otherwise unnecessary strength test could become an expensive experience.

Instead, focus on compound lifts such as squats, deadlifts, bench press, or military press—exercises where knowing your 1RM can help guide the rest of your training.

2. Gradually Increase the Weight

   Jumping straight into heavy weights is an effective way to increase the risk of injury and waste energy. Instead, you want to progressively add weight, keep the repetitions low, and make sure you are both physically warmed up and mentally prepared.

This allows your nervous system to operate at full capacity and helps you lift as heavy as possible without burning yourself out prematurely.

3. Don’t Chase Numbers—Focus on Quality

   It’s hard not to have a specific weight in mind when maxing out. Having a goal is good, but it should never take precedence over technique.

If you notice your form starting to fail or you can barely complete your last lift, it’s time to stop. Pushing further just to reach a certain number has never made anyone stronger—in fact, it has led to many injuries.

If your 1RM isn't as high as you had hoped, you can continue to train and improve it. Compromising technique or injuring yourself to force a personal best is never worth it. We can guarantee that.

How Can a Progression Look?

If you want to test your 1RM in the deadlift with a goal of, for example, 180 kg, a well-planned progression could look like this:

• 40 kg x 5
• 60 kg x 3
• 85 kg x 3
• 100 kg x 1
• 125 kg x 1
• 140 kg x 1
• 160 kg x 1
• 170 kg x 1 (this is where you should do a careful technique check)

At this point, assess how quickly the 170 kg moved. If it was slow, you might want to try a cautious jump to 175 kg. If it felt light, you could attempt 180 kg directly.

• 180 kg x 1 (new personal best, and you feel there’s more in the tank)
• 185 kg x 1 (form begins to falter, so stop here even if you think 190 kg is possible)

Now you have your one-rep max and maybe even a new personal best—congratulations! But what should you do with it now?

What Are the Benefits of Knowing Your 1RM?

Maxing out gives you more than just a number to write in your training log. There are several other significant benefits:

You Can Evaluate Your Progress

If one of your goals is to get stronger, testing your 1RM gives you immediate feedback on whether your training is yielding results and if you’re on the right track.

You Can Identify Your Weak Points

It’s only when we start losing our form that we can pinpoint the weakest link in our chain. In deadlifts, for example, you might find that the upper part of the lift feels the heaviest. This could indicate a need to focus more on your glutes and upper back. On the other hand, if you’re struggling to get the bar off the ground, weaknesses in your quads and core may be to blame.

Analyzing where you lose power is one of the most valuable lessons you can learn from maxing out and can help you progress faster.

You Can Choose the Right Weights in Your Training

Knowing your 1RM allows you to optimize your training sessions. Returning to the deadlift example:

• To improve explosive strength, train with 8–10 sets of 1–2 reps at 65–75% of your 1RM.
• To increase muscular endurance, focus on higher reps with 50–60% of your max.
• For pure strength development, 3–5 reps at 85–90% of your 1RM is a good strategy.

Knowing your max strength removes the guessing game and allows you to train with more precision.

Finally

Now you know how to max out safely and effectively—and most importantly, how to use the results to your advantage.

Incorporating a heavy day now and then can provide valuable insights into your development, help you identify weak points, and give you the tools to train smarter. But remember: being consistent and injury-free is always more important than chasing numbers.

Once you’ve learned how to use maxing out as a tool rather than an ego test, you can push the pedal to the metal and pursue your goals with more precision than ever.

Max out—but do it right!