Calculator guides
Training math guides for decisions you need to make.
Use these guides when a calculator result needs context: which number to trust, how to warm up, when to lower the load, and how to move from spreadsheet planning into executable training.
Use with calculators
Start with the guide when the question is bigger than one formula. Open the calculator when you are ready to turn the decision into a number.
Choose the workflow
Calculator guides
How to set a training max for 5/3/1-style programming
Percentage-based programs work better when the max is a training anchor, not a best-day claim. Start with a realistic e1RM, lower it, then let the block progress from repeatable work.
Read guideHow to calculate warm-up sets before a heavy top set
The warm-up should prepare the lift, not become the workout. Pick jumps that let you check the movement, feel the load, and arrive at the work set ready.
Read guideHow to use RPE when your program gives percentages
Percentages give structure. RPE gives feedback. The trick is not to let one erase the other.
Read guideHow to convert a spreadsheet routine into runnable training
A spreadsheet is great for designing logic. The hard part is using that logic under the bar, when the next decision needs to be clear. Keep the useful rules, then turn them into a flow you can repeat.
Read guideWhy your e1RM should not automatically become your training max
An e1RM estimates what might be possible. A training max should help you make repeatable progress. Those are not the same job.
Read guideHow to choose working weight from RPE and percentages
Percentages give the plan a spine. RPE tells you what the day is actually giving back. Use both, then choose the working weight that keeps the session inside the program's intent.
Read guideHow to plan back-off sets after a top set
A top set tells you something about the day. Back-off sets turn that information into useful work without pretending there is one perfect drop for every lifter, lift, or block.
Read guideHow to use training maxes across a full block
A training max is not just a number you calculate once. It is the anchor that keeps the block runnable when normal weeks are less perfect than the day you estimated it.
Read guideHow to track deloads without losing momentum
A deload is a planned reduction in training stress, not a deleted week. Lower the work, keep the reason visible, and use the next normal week to make a better decision.
Read guideHow to progress when your spreadsheet stalls
A spreadsheet can be a strong planning surface. The stall usually starts when the sheet keeps calculating while the session itself stops giving clear decisions.
Read guideCalculators are the next step.
The guide should explain the decision. The calculator should make the number visible. Protocol is where the routine and session stay connected.
Open calculatorsTraining decisions
Use these when
- A program gives percentages, but you need a conservative max.
- The target load is known, but the warm-up or plate setup is not.
- A spreadsheet has the plan, but you need the session to be easier to run.