T Nation

Determining % of 1RM for Dips

Bodybuilding
#1

I have just completed the first three weeks of ABBH 1. I have a question about how to determine the weight to use for the second three weeks of the program.

In the first, dips move in a progression of 5x10 at 60%, 65% and 70% of 1RM for each week. The second round calls for switching that to using 80% of 1RM in a 10x3, 4 & 5 fashion for each week.

I ended the first round with a 20 lb dumbbell (weak as shit, I know, but hey…). How would I figure what 80% is? If I go 20 lbs divided by 70%, I get 28 lbs (too light obviously for a 10x3); if I take 20 lbs plus bw of 173 divided by 70%, I get 275 lbs. So that minus bw of 173 = 103 lbs (too heavy).

I am trying not get get bogged down in the minutia here, so I could do trial-and-error, but this program is so abbreviated, only doing dips three total times, I don’t want to waste any of the workouts. Anyone have a good way to figure this? Or should I just take a few days between the phases and reset my 1RM numbers? Thanks for any feedback (flamesuit on).

#2

I am not familiar with the program, but to find a % of a 1RM you need to determine your 1RM and then do the correct math.

Otherwise, use a 30 lb DB or if you think it is too light bump it up to 35 or 40. Or, start with the 40 and have the 35 and 30 nearby if you need them.

No flame intended, but you said you were weak. Why are you expecting higher numbers?

#3

[quote]Tex Ag wrote:
I am not familiar with the program, but to find a % of a 1RM you need to determine your 1RM and then do the correct math.

Otherwise, use a 30 lb DB or if you think it is too light bump it up to 35 or 40. Or, start with the 40 and have the 35 and 30 nearby if you need them.

No flame intended, but you said you were weak. Why are you expecting higher numbers?

[/quote]

I see your point, Tex Ag and maybe that’s what I need to do. With the first round of ABBH, though, I was barely making the last rep on the last set, which tells me I had chosen a good weight to use (for all exercises, not just dips). So Chad’s calcs worked well for me.

Since there’s 10 sets involved in this round in a lift that I’ve never really used weight on, if I go too light, I won’t be working myself as hard as I should. I go too heavy, I need to drop the weight on later sets. Probably not too big of deal, but I’m being pretty anal about following this program to the letter and I’d like to continue as best I can. Thanks for the feedback.

#4

I found that if I err on the side of being too heavy I always have the option of dropping weight. When I err on the side of too light, well, I just wasted my time.

It should not take you long to find your 1RM, that would be my approach.

Good luck