Percentage of 1RM for 10x3

I’m trying a little tweak on my max effort day. I was planning on doing ME work with one exercise for 3 microcycles (i.e. same exercise every 7-12 days for three rounds as is appropriate for a beginning to intermediate lifter), working up to a max on the first round, then doing 10x3 on the second round, then maxing yet again (maxing being 6 triples working up to a heavy triple then 3-4 singles).

What percentage of my RM1 should I use for 10x3 if I’m looking primarily for strength? Prilepin’s tables seem to state that 3-6 reps/set for 18-30 reps should be done at 55-65% RM1, but that looks like a speed day. Any thoughts?

Andrew

Work up to an easy 3RM, the key word is “easy” so you have gas left to finish the other sets.

If you are looking to do 10x3 using the same load then you should use 80-85% of your 1RM; at least thats how Waterbury does it!

When in doubt ask; what would Waterbury do? WWWD

Actually, if I’m not mistaken, CW recommends doing 10x3 with your 5RM.

Is there some kind of table/spreadsheet for calculating X #reps RM based on your 1RM max ?

I’ve noticed CW’s programs are big on demented RM combos - like 8RM, 24RM and stuff like that!

ideas?

A table that I generally go by is this

Reps %1RM
1 100
2 95
3 90
4 88
5 86
6 83
7 80
8 78
9 76
10 75
11 72
12 70

Extrapolate for higher reps.

[quote]michaelv wrote:
Actually, if I’m not mistaken, CW recommends doing 10x3 with your 5RM.[/quote]

ABBH 1 exercises that use the 10x3 set/rep use 80% 1RM which is about your 7RM by the table that I posted above. Of course that program increases the reps by one per set each week so by the third week you are doing 10x5 which would really suck ass if you were doing 10 sets of five at your five rep max; 5 at your 7RM was hard enough for me!

I believe his WM starts out at 80% and has you add 2.5% each week.

Is there anywhere in the CW threads where Chad himself puts this question to rest. Hopefully he can chime in on this discussion and clear it up once and for all.

Even better Chad, gives your breakdown to eliminate any confusion.

Everyone, thanks for the input so far.

Please keep in mind, I’m not too concerned about hypertrophy here. I’m trying to get a fair volume of practice in on the lifts being used, with the intention of upping maximal strength, figuring that as a lifter of relatively young training age, an extra 30 lifts at an appreciable percentage of RM1 will be of significant benefit.

I’m not sure if 10x3 with 90% RM1 is doable, except for exceptional individuals- that’s like doing RM3x 10, but even 70% seems like too little weight.

Andrew

[quote]OARSMAN wrote:
Is there anywhere in the CW threads where Chad himself puts this question to rest. Hopefully he can chime in on this discussion and clear it up once and for all.

Even better Chad, gives your breakdown to eliminate any confusion. [/quote]

I personally asked Chad this very question wrt his Waterbury Method. His answer was that everyone is different and he hates to give out specifics. He uses 80% of 1RM or whatever weight you can lift for perfect form 6reps as a GUIDELINE for starting the 10x3.

Some may be different muscle fibers-blah,blah,blah…What he says though is start there because overall this is pretty average of most lifters for his program. Increase or decrease as necessary in subsequent days. You may need to add 10% for your next squat day, but decrease 2.5% for your next bench. From there forward you would add 2.5% per lift per workout.

Straight from the dudes mouth—through me. Hope it helps clear it up.

[quote]AndrewS wrote:
Everyone, thanks for the input so far.

Please keep in mind, I’m not too concerned about hypertrophy here. I’m trying to get a fair volume of practice in on the lifts being used, with the intention of upping maximal strength, figuring that as a lifter of relatively young training age, an extra 30 lifts at an appreciable percentage of RM1 will be of significant benefit.

I’m not sure if 10x3 with 90% RM1 is doable, except for exceptional individuals- that’s like doing RM3x 10, but even 70% seems like too little weight.

10x3 will help w/ strength, but Chad feels it will give hypertrophy more of priority than strength. He suggest keeping in the 9-15 total rep range for strength -

so you might want to try 3x3, 4x3 or 5x3 with your 4RM and see how that goes, just a thought.
Andrew[/quote]

[quote]sasquatch wrote:
OARSMAN wrote:
Is there anywhere in the CW threads where Chad himself puts this question to rest. Hopefully he can chime in on this discussion and clear it up once and for all.

Even better Chad, gives your breakdown to eliminate any confusion.

I personally asked Chad this very question wrt his Waterbury Method. His answer was that everyone is different and he hates to give out specifics. He uses 80% of 1RM or whatever weight you can lift for perfect form 6reps as a GUIDELINE for starting the 10x3.

Some may be different muscle fibers-blah,blah,blah…What he says though is start there because overall this is pretty average of most lifters for his program. Increase or decrease as necessary in subsequent days. You may need to add 10% for your next squat day, but decrease 2.5% for your next bench. From there forward you would add 2.5% per lift per workout.

Straight from the dudes mouth—through me. Hope it helps clear it up.[/quote]

hey sasquatch,

thanks for the helpful reply.

sorry to sound so dense but when he talks about upping the % is that to the % of 1RM or to the weight used?

i.e. if you used 80% of 1RM do youuse 82.5% the following week or if let’s say your 80% 1RM is 200lbs. do you use 205lbs. the following week?