Doing overhead press, trying to up my numbers. I was recently able to do 145 lbs for 5 reps, so I figured I try with 150 lbs. I only get 3 reps. Not sure why I could not at least get 1 more rep, but I am not upset by this outcome. I remember when I could not even do a 1 plate overhead press for 1 rep.
The more reps you can do at 145 pounds the easier it should be to do 1 rep at 146 pounds
It should be easier to go from one rep at
145 pounds to 146 pounds
than straight from 145 pounds to 150 pounds
in the same amount of time
They usually have these little tiny weights to add to bars or weight machines for people who get stuck at a certain weight and can not advance in a larger quantity from one weight to the next
It is much easier to increase the number of reps by 10% and keep the force the same then to increase the force by 10% and keep the number of reps the same even though this mathematically should take the same amount of mechanical work on paper
For example
Increasing from 100 pounds to 110 pounds for 10 reps
Is a lot more difficult
Than increasing from 10 reps to 11 reps for 100 pounds
This is a training load chart to mathematically predict how many repetitions of a weight you can lift based on how many repetitions of a different amount of weight you can lift
By estimating your 1 repetition max and then converting back and forth
It is provided by the National Strength and Conditioning Association
https://www.nsca.com/contentassets/61d813865e264c6e852cadfe247eae52/nsca_training_load_chart.pdf
Personally I do not think it really works well for all people
Most Endurance athletes are very different than 1 rep max lifters
5 at 139.2 pounds would translate to 4 at 144 pounds
This is very close to your estimate of 5 at 140 pounds translating to 4 at 145 pounds
but these charts do not always work in real life as your case demonstrated
https://www.nsca.com/contentassets/61d813865e264c6e852cadfe247eae52/nsca_training_load_chart.pdf
Some biomechanics and exercise physiology professors will tell you that if you know the cross sectional area of someone's muscle you can predict with incredible accuracy how strong they are and that might be true for people who have reached maximum neurological adaptation and who also are doing 1 rep maxes
But marathoners sometimes have these little tiny muscles that can lift more with the same number of repetitions than people with bigger muscles as long as the reps are high
@houseoftolstoy @shortstories Get some good quality sleep. All the immune work happens while you sleep.
@shortstories >but these charts do not always work in real life as your case demonstrated
Yep, that was the part that has me puzzled. But I get that these calculations and progression are not always going to be 100% reflective of what happens in practice.