PRs are an impetus that can help you reach new heights. Learn how to set a new PR and how they differ from 1RM by reading the following advice.
When you start taking weightlifting more seriously, you might start getting inquiries about your personal records (PRs) from your friendly neighborhood gym bros. Now, you should really give this some serious thought before responding because it might be a slippery slope.
Table of Contents
What is a PR?
Gaining a grasp of these short forms can be a little overwhelming, especially for a novice, as the fitness culture has its fair share of acronyms, abbreviations, and short hands.
PR (personal record) could be considered an essential of the gym lingo and refers to a lifter’s personal best in a lift. Personal records work in two ways:
1. Max Weight
Most exercisers usually refer to the maximum weight they have logged for a rep when discussing personal records. A bench press of 225 pounds for one rep, for instance, could be regarded as a personal record.
2. Max Reps
The most reps you’ve ever completed with a particular weight in an exercise can also be recorded as a personal record. Your 225-pound deadlift PR will be determined by your performance when you deadlifted the weight for 10 reps.
In conclusion, you can perform more repetitions with a given amount of weight than your previous maximum reps with that same weight in order to set a new personal record in the gym.
Pr and 1rm
You’ve probably been considering one-rep maxes since reading the previous section. Although many people confuse the terms personal record (PR) and one-rep maximum (1RM), they are not the same. You could substitute one for the other, though, by using personal bests and records.
Differences Between Personal Record and One-Rep Max
Given below are the most prominent differences between the two variables:
1. a Single Number for An Exercise
You can only have one one-rep maximum for each exercise, which is one of the biggest differences between PRs and 1RMs. In contrast, a single exercise could result in multiple personal records.
This should make things clearer if you’re confused.
If you state that your bench press one-rep maximum is 315 pounds, you are implying that this is the most weight you are capable of lifting for one rep.
On the other hand, if you tell a fitness enthusiast that your personal best for the bench press is 315 pounds, they’ll probably want to know more.
You may have reached your maximum weight limit for the bench press if you have a personal best of 315 pounds. On the bench press, you might have a different personal best for various weights.
For example, your bench press PRs could look something like this:
- 10 reps with 315 pounds
- 12 reps with 225 pounds
- 20 reps with 135 pounds
2. Timelines
Both the present and the past are included in personal records or personal bests. It’s possible that you recently set a PR or a few years ago. Your personal best will always be the heaviest weight you could lift or the most repetitions you could complete with it.
However, when someone asks you about your one-rep max, they usually want to know how much weight you can lift on a particular exercise right now, of course after adequately warming up. In that sense, one-rep maxes only apply to the present.
3. to Set a PR, You Actually Need to Lift the Weight
It may sound strange, but consider this.
You are often required to use a specific amount of weight based on your one-rep maximum for a specified number of reps in advanced bodybuilding and powerlifting programs.
For instance, your trainer might instruct you to perform 10 reps of the deadlift at 60% of your one-rep maximum. To find your 1RM, you could try lifting as much weight as you can, but doing so increases your risk of getting hurt, especially if you are a beginner.
On the other hand, you’ll need to put in the hard work if you’re attempting to set a new personal record. Additionally, it explains why personal bests—rather than one-rep maximum—are used in the powerlifting community. Additionally, it serves as an excellent lead-in to our next section, which is about powerlifting personal records.
What Does a Pr Mean in the Gym?
Regardless of the exercise, PR in the gym has the same definition. In the gym (or any type of fitness activity), PR stands for personal record. Your best (most) weight lifted within the constraints is your personal record, or PR. When referring to large lifts, people frequently use the acronym. However, it can also be used to describe other isolation exercises, such as biceps curls, a jump’s height, sprints, or even the time needed to run a mile. However, we’re here to answer the question, “what does PR mean in weightlifting”? Let’s look at a few examples of how PR can be used in the gym:
- You’ve only ever performed a squat with 325 lbs for one rep. A new personal record would be set if you could complete a rep with 330 pounds.
- On the bench press, you are capable of performing five repetitions of 225 pounds. You can perform six repetitions of 225 pounds a month later; that is a new personal record.
This means that a personal record (PR) in the gym can refer to you lifting more weight than you have in the past or it could refer to the fact that you were able to complete more repetitions with the same weight than your previous maximum reps.
How to Test Your Pr?
To test your PR in any exercise, you should be properly warmed up, physically prepared, and aware of the PR you’re attempting to achieve.
You should warm up as described above if the PR is based on low reps or just one rep so that your body and nervous system are prepared to lift a heavy load. Don’t attempt a 3 rep PR after a set of 10 reps at 50%. Take your time and allow your muscles to prepare for the test. If you’re trying to lift a volume that you haven’t attempted before, have a spotter nearby to support you. In some exercises, you can also use safety hooks or catches to serve as a fail-safe in case you are unable to lift the weight. A training partner or spotter could also provide some inspiration and support.
Your warm-ups don’t need to be as lengthy and drawn-out if you’re aiming to break a personal record in the hypertrophy sweet spot of 6–12 reps because the amount of weight you’ll be lifting won’t have as much of an effect on your muscles, joints, and ligaments. Perform several warm-up sets of the exercise you’re focusing on after a 5–10 minute dynamic warmup. When you’re relaxed and ready to move forward mentally, just do it! Additionally, you should take safety precautions and use a spotter because you should be working hard and pushing yourself to the point of failure.
Note: As a beginner in fitness, you will be breaking personal records left and right, but as you advance, it will become a challenging task. We don’t advise going for an all-out one rep maximum too frequently (if you are advanced, you already know this, but for those who are in the intermediate range, it’s something to be aware of). Since there are risks involved when pushing yourself to the absolute limit, the one-rep maximum is actually reserved for the Olympics, competitions, and advanced lifters.
Why Are Prs in Weightlifting Important?
The importance of PRs stems from their contribution to the direction of your training. You must keep pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone in order to gain strength; otherwise, you will plateau. Mentally taxing plateaus can cause training lapses or discouragement. Aiming for new personal records is directly in line with progressive overload, which is the fundamental idea behind muscle growth. You’ll feel more confident after setting a new personal best; this is known as the “lifter’s high.” Please try it for yourself before believing what we say.
![13. What Does PR Mean in Gym2](https://www.exerciseworld.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/13.-What-Does-PR-Mean-in-Gym2.jpg)
Tips to Set New Personal Records
Use Variety of Exercises: Using different exercises to break a record for a particular exercise may seem counterintuitive. Your primary focus should be the exercise where you’re trying to break your personal record, but you should also make sure to perform lifts that engage similar muscle groups to improve your overall strength. For instance, if your goal is to set a new personal record for bench press, you should try to include incline/decline presses, pullovers, close grip presses, and shoulder presses in your exercise routine.
Proper Warmup Sets: Never try to set a new personal record without first performing a proper warmup. A proper warmup should contain just the right amount of volume to get you warmed up for trying to set a new personal record while not exhausting you.
An example of a warmup before trying for a new PR might look like this:
PR FOR ONE REP:
- 5 minutes dynamic stretching of the targeted muscle groups
- 4-5 reps at 50-60%
- 3-4 reps at 70-80%
- 2 reps at 80-85%
- 1 rep at 90%
- 1 rep at 95%
- 1 rep at new PR
PR FOR MULTIPLE REPS:
(Let’s use bench press as an exercise while trying for a new PR of 8 reps)
- 5 minutes dynamic stretching and push-ups
- 10 reps with lightweight (could be just the bar)
- 8-12 reps at 50-60% weight you normally do for 8 reps
- Attempt for new PR at weight for 8 reps
Set Goals: Setting goals at the outset will help you break your personal records. The principle of progressive overload is central to weightlifting. If you lift more weight, you will gradually become stronger. The most effective way to set goals is to identify one that is concrete, measurable, and realistically achievable. For instance, you can’t expect to have a goal of 350 lbs PR a month later if your one-rep squat PR is 185 lbs. A time frame that will keep you motivated and on track should be the final step in goal-setting. Avoid establishing difficult to maintain goals that are too far in the future. When setting new PRs in the gym, short time periods of 1-3 months typically work best.
Try Often: Despite the fact that we just advised you to set reasonable objectives, you still ought to make an effort to break personal records more frequently. It’s a fact that not every time you try a new PR, you won’t succeed. Therefore, if you only attempt to set a new personal record once per month, you would only have made 12 attempts in a calendar year. There may be some failures in those attempts, which would decrease your chances of breaking your personal records. Every workout, in our opinion, you should aim to set new personal records. These personal records shouldn’t be based on a single rep, but rather on increasing the number of reps performed that exercise in the prior workout. You might want to try the following workout for 11 reps at 200 pounds or even 205 pounds at 10 reps if you work out tomorrow and can perform 10 reps of deadlifts at 200 pounds.
Track Progress: You can see where you started and how much you’ve accomplished with your diligent work in the gym by keeping track of your progress. By documenting your workouts, you can hold yourself accountable and become inspired to push yourself further. Progress is monitored by recording both successes and failures. You can maintain focus and realize that successes are likely to come after failures in PR attempts if you have a clear picture of your weightlifting journey.
Stay Positive: If you don’t succeed in setting a new PR, don’t lose hope. Failure is a necessary part of life and fitness. An optimistic outlook and a strong work ethic will help you succeed. Health and fitness require a lifetime of ups and downs; they are not a 100-meter sprint. Success in life and fitness depends on a combination of positivity and consistency.
Supplementation: You can smash your personal records with the help of supplements. We only use supplements that have been shown to be secure and efficient. When trying to set new PRs in the gym, you might want to consider taking the following:
- Protein powder: Consuming enough protein is essential for developing bigger, stronger muscles. Being able to meet your protein intake goals is made simpler by protein powder. It is advised that you consume between.8 and 1 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight if you want to gain muscle.
- The safest dietary supplement you can take on a daily basis is creatine. Creatine can aid in improving athletic performance, muscle growth, quick recovery, and cognitive function. Your daily creatine intake should be 5 grams.
- Pre-workout: Pre-workout supplements can give you the push you need to push past your previous best. Even though this supplement may not be necessary for everyone, we find it useful to increase the intensity of our workouts when we are feeling a little fatigued. A pre-workout supplement should not contain stimulants if you exercise at night.
Diet: The more nutrition and diet are studied by science, the more we realize how crucial diet is to our overall health and that you are what you eat. You should try to eat a well-balanced diet of protein, fat, and carbohydrates if you’re here because you want to break new personal records. Setting new PRs is less likely if you’re dieting or in a caloric deficit because your body might not have the energy to carry you to the finish line.
Sleep: Gaining muscle mass and strength requires a good night’s sleep. A lack of sleep can affect how well you perform in the gym. Sleep aids in physical recovery and is necessary for the production of growth hormone and the synthesis of muscle proteins. Try to get 7-9 hours of sleep every night!
Gym Pr Vs Competition Pr
Although setting your new personal record is the same objective for both gym and competition PRs. The competition PRs have strict guidelines that must be followed, which is the main difference between the two.
Some equipment, such as certain straps, wraps, belts, shoes, clothing, or bars, may not be permitted. You might use wrist straps, a belt, and a deadlift bar in the gym, for instance, if you want to improve your personal record in the deadlift. It’s possible that these items won’t be permitted in competitions. Despite the fact that each competition and federation may have its own set of rules, all of them will have judges and referees who will be very strict about gear and technique. Setting a gym PR rather than a competition PR while performing the same lift is therefore much simpler.
Pr Vs 1rm
The 1 RM, or one rep maximum, is placed next to the PR. The two are not the same, despite the fact that many people might believe they are.
Let’s have a look at the two terms side by side:
- PR: Your personal best, also known as your PR, is the weight you’ve ever lifted with the most repetitions possible.
- 1RM: The heaviest weight you can currently lift for one repetition is known as your one-rep maximum, or 1RM.
Your PR includes both the earlier and current time periods. To one or more reps, your PR may be applied. The most weight you can currently lift for one rep is known as your 1RM.
Where these two terms might be confused is in the following situation:
You’ve been lifting for six months, and your highest-weight squat to date is 200 pounds. After a restful night’s sleep and watching Rocky, you went to the gym the following day and performed a 210-pound squat for one rep. Congratulations, you just set a new 1RM and a new PR!
Then the holiday season arrived, and you skipped the gym from Thanksgiving to the new year. Now that January 1st has arrived, you want to start the New Year off right by returning to the gym. You made the decision to attempt the 210-pound squat once more at the end of the month, but you were unsuccessful. You succeeded in performing one rep of 195 pounds of squatting. RIGHT NOW, your squat PR is still 210, but your 1RM is 195 pounds.
A different possibility regarding your 1RM and PR is that your untested 1RM is higher than your personal record, but you don’t know the exact difference because you’ve never actually done it. Let’s use the same example: you’ve been back at the gym for three months, but you haven’t attempted a one-rep max squat. But right now, you’re lifting 205 pounds for three reps. As a result, your one-rep maximum is probably higher than your previous best, which was one rep at 210 pounds. There are a ton of online 1RM calculators that calculate your one-rep max based on how many reps you perform at a specific weight using different formulas.
How to Track Your Personal Records in Fitness
Tracking your workout progress and personal records will keep you on track and show you where you’re excelling or falling short. You have a variety of options for keeping track of your PRs, including the traditional pen and paper method, Excel spreadsheets, and even a number of different APPS.
Benefits of Hitting a PR
To be completely honest, achieving PRs is difficult. The majority of us aren’t like Larry Wheels, who strives to break records during every workout. Heck, even if we tried, our bodies might not cooperate.
Hitting or attempting personal records repeatedly may put you in awkward situations, cause you to wonder why you’re doing it, or even lead you to feel like giving up.
It’s time to become familiar with the idea of progressive overload if you’re wondering why you should try for PRs rather than sticking with traditional bodybuilding, powerlifting, weightlifting, or CrossFit routines.
Progressive overloading involves gradually increasing the weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training program. Now, doesn’t this fit the concept of breaking personal records perfectly?
Your muscles will be challenged by training to break new personal records every few weeks, which can help prevent muscle and strength plateaus. One of the quickest ways to reach an overhead ceiling is to consistently perform the same exercises for an extended period of time. This will accustom your muscles to your training regimen.
How to Test Your PR
It’s a serious matter to check your personal record. You shouldn’t anticipate it to be as simple as going to the weights section of the gym, going heavier than you did the last time, and leaving.
To achieve a new personal best, you must be mentally and physically prepared. Here is how to test your personal bests for the two different situations mentioned above:
1. How to Test Your PR for Maximum Weight
If you want to know “what does PR mean in the gym,” the best individual to answer the question is someone who has just set a new personal record. A new PR feels like victory in a battle. You become joyful, ecstatic, and content as a result.
Use the following steps to test for a max weight PR:
- Stretching exercises, both static and dynamic, should be done before a workout.
- Utilize suitable weights for a warm-up.
- Many lifters make the error of warming up with 10–12 reps before testing a two–3 rep personal record.
- If your personal record is based on few reps (three or less), you should warm up with a weight that only allows you to perform five to seven repetitions.
- To warm up your muscles, complete up to five sets. More than five sets can cause muscle fatigue, which will have a negative effect on your performance.
- When attempting a PR, make sure you have a spotter at all times.
2. How to Test Your PR for Maximum Reps
You don’t need to perform five sets of warm-up exercises if you’re trying to break a personal record in the hypertrophy rep range (10–12), as the stress on your joints and ligaments will be lower than if you’re trying to break a record for the heaviest weight.
Before testing a new max rep PR, you should spend five to ten minutes performing static and dynamic stretches and a few sets of the exercise you want to break a record on while using a suitable weight.
To reduce the risk of injury, even though you’ll be using a lighter weight for this kind of PR, you should still use a spotter.
How to Break Your PRs
As you progress in the weight room, breaking personal records becomes more difficult. However, you could work towards breaking your PRs frequently by using the following steps:
1. Expand Your Exercise Arsenal
Many lifters make the error of concentrating too much on the exercise they want to improve on. Making sure your training program includes a good mix of compound and isolation exercises is the best way to increase your strength.
2. Improve Your Warm-up Game
Stretching and a warm-up routine should always be performed before a workout, lasting five to ten minutes. It not only warms up your muscles but also aids in getting your mind in the right frame of mind to dominate your workout.
3. Set a Goal for Yourself
For advanced lifters in particular, breaking personal records is not something that just happens. It won’t be the same for more experienced exercisers, whereas beginners may set new personal records every few workouts as they experience strength gains. Set a lofty objective for yourself and strive to achieve it.
4. Track Your Progress and Stay Consistent
Because they don’t keep track of their progress, many lifters never achieve their PR goals. Use an easy way to track your progress, and share it with your friends or coach to hold yourself accountable.
Additionally, your PR-setting strategy will require you to be disciplined and consistent in a military-like manner.
5. Use Proper Technique
Achieving your PR goal depends greatly on using proper lifting technique. It’s one of the reasons why proper lifting technique is stressed in professional powerlifting.
6. Fix the Big Three
If you’re serious about setting new personal records in the gym, you need to hit the trifecta, which means you must have a perfect diet, exercise routine, and recovery plan.
7. Never Give Up
Anyone who claims otherwise is lying to you. Setting a new personal best is difficult. On your journey, you will encounter setbacks and plateaus, but you must always push past them.
How to Track Your PRs
You should keep a workout journal if you lift weights seriously. If you don’t keep track of your lifts, you’ll end up working out with the same weights each time, which will prevent you from making gains.
Not just personal records should be used for workout tracking. Ideally, you should keep a journal of each workout that includes information about the exercises, sets, reps, rest periods, as well as notes on your feelings, thoughts, and muscle pumps.
Even if you believe you won’t be able to keep up with such a lengthy list, keep a journal of your workouts, sets, reps, and rest intervals. There is currently no standard procedure for keeping track of your personal records or workouts.
Choose the approach that serves you best and stick with it. You could bring a notebook and pen to the gym, keep track of your progress using a spreadsheet, the notes app on your phone, or one of the many workout tracking apps.
Every time you hit a personal record in the gym, note it in a section dedicated to PRs and make sure you look at it before each workout. By doing this, you might be inspired to work harder to beat your previous records.
Conclusion
In the gym, what does it mean to set a new PR? It means you’ve achieved a small victory in your quest for strength. Maintaining a constant focus on setting new PRs gives your effort a sense of direction.