Progression 1RM 25 Months Brzycki

1RM Progression Over 25 Months — Brzycki Model

The Brzycki formula estimates a one-repetition maximum (1RM) from a submaximal set. It reads 1RM = w × 36 / (37 − r), where w is the load lifted and r is how many reps you managed before failure. Matt Brzycki proposed it back in 1993. It works best on sets of roughly 1 to 10 reps; push past 10 and the linear approximation starts underestimating your true 1RM.

To project 1RM gains across 25 months, you have to use monthly growth rates that match training experience. Beginners can add 2–5% per month in their first year (the famous newbie gains), intermediates land around 0.5–2% per month, and advanced lifters are usually looking at less than 1% per year. The SBME (Brazilian Society of Exercise Medicine) and the ISSN 2017 position stand on hypertrophy both point to periodized prescription, mixing 6–12 RM hypertrophy work with heavier 1–5 RM strength blocks so progress keeps coming.

Applications

Strength & conditioning coaches lean on it to set load percentages without testing 1RM every week. Powerlifters use it to plan their opener-second-third attempts, and personal trainers use it to keep long-term progression grounded in reality. Pair Brzycki for the current 1RM with monthly growth projections and you get a 25-month roadmap that already accounts for plateaus.

FAQ

Is Brzycki accurate for high-rep sets? Not really. The formula drifts once you go past about 10 reps. In the 12–15 range, Epley or Lombardi usually come closer, and above 15 reps no 1RM estimate holds up.

Why do gains slow so much after the first year? The neural adaptations (motor unit recruitment, rate coding) mostly max out within 6–12 months, so what's left are the slower, hypertrophy-driven gains. Your genetic ceiling and how much you can recover both weigh in too.

How often should I retest my actual 1RM? Roughly every 8–16 weeks, usually at the close of a peaking block. Test more often than that and central fatigue piles up, which gets in the way of your hypertrophy training.