Training max guide
How to choose and adjust a conservative max for programming.
Glossary / Training
Training max
A conservative max used for programming so work sets are based on a repeatable number, not an all-time best.
Short Definition
A conservative max used for programming so work sets are based on a repeatable number, not an all-time best.
Plain-English Explanation
A training max usually sits below a tested or estimated one-rep max. It gives the plan room for normal fatigue, estimate error, and technique variation.
The point is not to brag about the biggest possible number. The point is to make percentage work, 5/3/1-style cycles, and load jumps survivable enough that performance can build over time.
A lower training max is most useful when the estimate is stale, the lift setup changed, recovery is poor, or repeated percentage work keeps landing harder than planned.
There is no universal 85%, 90%, or 95% rule. The right buffer depends on the program, lift, recent performance, training age, and whether the next few weeks stay repeatable.