A study on initial load set up using percent body mass for 1RM measurement

PURPOSE: This study was to determine feasibility of the percent body mass to estimate initial load for one repetition maximum (1RM) measurement.<br/> METHOD: A total of 26 subjects (eleven males and fifteen females) with no prior experience of resistance exercise participated in the experiment. We tested in upper body (bench press, barbell curl), lower body(leg extention, leg curl) to verifying the replicable maximum repetitions number corresponding to 3-5RM and 7-10RM which calculated as percent body mass.<br/> RESULTS: We found for novice in resistance exercisers, bench press for 7-10RM is 54% of body mass for men and 25% for women and 3-5RM 60% for men and 27% for women. In Barbell curl, for 7-10RM is 26% of body mass for men and 20% for women and 3-5RM 27% for men and 27% for women. In leg extestion and leg curl, for 7-10RM is 110% of body mass for men and 58% for women and 3-5RM 134% for men and 61% for women and for 7-10RM is 52% of body mass for men and 34% for women and 3-5RM 62% for men and 39% for women, respectively.<br/> CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence that percent body mass can be used to estimate of initial load for 1RM in inexperienced young men and women.