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Old 07-28-2008, 08:29 AM
Andrew.cook Andrew.cook is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Lancaster, Ohio
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Well, I'm making light of it, but the truth is that if you don't DO something, why bother trying to estimate? I mean, estimates are almost ALWAYS wrong. I find that most people overestimate their own ability. Nothing illustrates this like watching someone try strongman for the first time. Seems like everything should be equal. You can deadlift 600lbs, you can military press 250, you can squat 400... but you can't lift a 200lb atlas stone, you can't press a 150lb log and you can't walk a 400lb yoke. See, you would think that everything would translate well, and it simply doesn't equal up. A lot of times you see that some adaptation has to be made switching apparatus. In this case it is from DB to barbell. You might assume that this would make you stronger, since a BB requires less fine muscle coordination than DB. But I'll bet that wouldn't ring true in a test. You develop pretty specific patters for lifts, and moving into a new lift, right off, my guess is that you will underperform by quite a bit simply because you don't have those grooves learned. Not that you can't overcome that learning curve, but it will take time and effort.

The other part of this is "why does it matter?" If you don't bench for a 1RM, why must you talk about your estimated 1RM? What harm is there in saying I've never done more than a set of five with 'X' amount? Better yet, unless you are competing in powerlifting or some sport that requires the movement of weight, why does this matter outside of your own training? Obviously it is good to have some measure of progress, but why bother talking about where you are? I keep a dry erase board of my max efforts. Outside of that board, nobody knows anything about my max lifts. Because I'm ashamed? Nope, but because I know it wouldn't matter if anyone knew anyways. On a more practical note, if you are a competitor, it doesn't matter what you do in the gym if you can't make it happen on stage.

If you want to know where you are at with strength, simply get your butt under a bar and test it out. Just be smart enough to use a spotter... or fill out a living will
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