What Is Repetition Maximum (RM)? When To Increase the Weight

There comes a moment in every gym journey when you pick a weight that used to make your muscles burn, but now feels surprisingly light—even easy. You look down, wondering if you've picked up the wrong weight, but no. You're simply getting stronger. Whether you're lifting at home or in the gym, knowing your repetition maximum helps you choose the right load, push safely, and spot those quiet strength jumps. 

1RM as a Vital Tool for Tracking Strength Progress

Let's begin with that term — repetition maximum (RM)—which refers to the heaviest weight you can lift for a specific number of reps with good form. Your 1RM (one-rep max) is the single heaviest load you can move once, cleanly, without severe discomfort or injury risk.

Knowing your one-rep limit might not sound important for those used to firing off sets of 12, but there's some science behind it. Instead of guessing which weight “feels about right,” you base your workouts on a percentage of your actual strength, which is how real athletes train. Research consistently shows that 1RM testing is a reliable method for measuring maximal strength and tracking progress over time—especially when the testing protocol remains consistent. This can be done in the gym or at home with a machine, and you can also use RM calculators, though these aren't always precise.  

And you don’t have to max out every week to use your 1RM. Systems like Speediance log every rep, set, and load you use, quietly building a running estimate of your current RM. As those numbers move up, you know your strength is trending in the right direction—without needing a hype crew, ammonia salts, or a heavy-metal playlist.

Warm-Up and Safety Steps Before Attempting Maximal Lifts

Warm-ups are not the part that goes into the Instagram post, but they are arguably the most crucial aspect of a work out. If you swagger into a gym and immediately try to heave the biggest weight you've ever attempted, it might work, but there's also a strong chance that's going to be the only thing you can do that day. Heavy weights require a warm-up; no way around that.  

Start With Mobility + Light Activation

Give your shoulders, hips, and spine a quick tune-up. Think cat-cow, arm circles, hip hinges—simple moves that wake up the muscles—nothing wild, but just enough to get your body slightly humming. Another good way to start is by picking up those light weights you wouldn't dream of touching usually and just doing a few sets. This is a great way to get the body going and also introduce it directly to the activity and muscle movement it's about to start.  

Ramp-Up Sets

Instead of storming over to that 50kg that you've been eyeing for months and trying to swing it skyward, start slow and gradually ramp things up. Try something like this: 

• 10 reps at ~40% of your estimated max

• 5 reps at ~60%

• 3 reps at ~70%

• 1–2 reps at ~80–85%

Each of these steps should be a diagnostic check where you ask yourself how you're feeling and whether you should go on. Some days it's a yes, others it's a no, and there's nothing wrong with that. 

Technique First

It's all about technique. Max attempts should look like your normal reps, just heavier. If you're struggling, if your arms are flaying and your back is arched, take a breath and reassess. With Speediance’s smart home gym equipment, such as the Speediance Gym Monster 2, you get guided movement patterns, real-time feedback, and controlled resistance that helps keep your technique tight while reducing the guesswork. You’re lifting heavy, but you’re never lifting blind.

Know When to Stop

Even with perfect preparation, some days your body just isn't up to it. Fatigue, stress, sleep—your body and nervous system keep score. So if the ramp-up sets feel unusually heavy, call it and come back another day. There's no shame in using your head instead of stubbornly lifting when you're not in the right shape. 

Apply Progressive Overload to Drive Long-Term Gains

Once you know your RM, you unlock the real engine of strength training: progressive overload. It’s the simple idea that your body adapts to whatever stress you put on it — so if you want to keep getting stronger, the stress has to gradually increase. We're not talking about massive increases overnight, but incremental changes that keep testing your muscles. 

When Should You Increase the Weight?

There's no secret time frame or body signal that tells you it's time to add another few kilograms, but here are a few situations that might call for more weight. 

• You’re consistently beating your rep target: If your program calls for 6 reps and you’re hitting 8 or 9 with clean form, think about bumping up the load.

• Your RPE (rate of perceived exertion) is dropping: When a set that used to feel like an 8 suddenly feels like a 6, you’re no longer challenging the tissue enough to spark growth.

• Your form stays rock-solid at your current load: If your reps feel crisp, controlled, and repeatable, you’ve mastered that weight. Time to nudge the challenge.

How Much Should You Add?

You don't need to go crazy. In fact, research shows that small, consistent load increases—often as little as 2–5%—lead to better long-term progress and lower injury rates. Adding too much weight too quickly is a sure-fire way to pull a muscle and set the whole process back by weeks. It's not a race, so take your time and go at a steady pace. 

Progressive Overload Beyond the Weight Stack

Increasing the load isn’t the only way to grow. You can also progress by adjusting:

• Tempo: Slowing the eccentric makes every rep hit harder.

• Range of motion: Deeper squats or fuller rows increase muscular demand.

• Volume: Add an extra set once your current one feels too easy.

• Stability: Reduce momentum, tighten control, refine the path.

Do You Need to Chase a New Repetition Maximum Often?

Most people don’t need to test a true RM more than every 8–12 weeks. Your estimated RM will climb naturally as you add weight, reps, or difficulty. That’s progress without the drama of constant max attempts.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Measure Repetition Maximum?

There are two methods for measuring your repetition maximum. Firstly, and most commonly, this is known as a direct test, where the load is gradually increased for one repetition until failure. The other is the estimated test, which requires formulas that involve lifting a weight for multiple reps. This is less accurate, but easier. 

How to Find Your Repetition Maximum?

After a proper warm-up, gradually increase the load until you reach the heaviest weight you can lift for a specific number of reps (often just one) with a clean, uncompromised form. That's your repetition maximum.

How Many Repetitions Is Too Much?

For strength training, most lifters work best in the 3–8 rep range. Once you push past 12–15 reps, you're no longer training for strength—you’re entering muscular endurance territory. Nothing wrong with that, but it won’t meaningfully improve your 1RM.

Train Smarter With Speediance Gym Monster 2

Finding and tracking your repetition maximum can be a lengthy process, which is fine if you've got the time, but if you don't, there is a shortcut. Speediance Gym Monster 2 brings the whole process—testing, estimating, progressing—into one clean, intuitive system that adjusts to you rep by rep. Instead of guessing when to increase the weight, the platform reads your performance in real time and tweaks the load automatically, keeping you in the sweet spot for strength gains without overreaching.