# E1RM: High Rep vs Low Rep **URL:** \ **Category:** Training Q&A \[Moderated\]\ **Created:** [November 12, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/e1rm-high-rep-vs-low-rep/15342 "2024-11-12T15:08:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ngrbbmed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a183cd/32.png) [@ngrbbmed](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/ngrbbmed)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2024, 3:08pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/e1rm-high-rep-vs-low-rep/15342/1 "2024-11-12T15:08:36Z")
Hey all, I seem to have a pretty large E1RM discrepancy on Squats. I know there will be some variance due to inefficiencies at higher loads but this seems pretty big and I’m wondering how I might address it. I just finished a program where the last block had me squatting 3@8, then a bunch of back-off sets of 3. I did Low Bar Squats for this block. During this block, I worked up to 205@8. I’m confident it was actually @8, so this put my E1RM at about 238 lbs. This week I decided to just do what feels right for a change of pace. After warming up for squats, I put 185 lbs on the bar and just did reps to RPE 7. I did 10 reps to hit RPE ~7.5 for an E1RM of 277 lbs. Scaling this back to my 3@8 weight, I should be able to do 205 lbs for 8@8, or 235-240 for 3@8. I realize there would be some variance here. So is this worth addressing? It seems like I might just need more exposure to low-rep sets, but I feel like 5 weeks should have been sufficient. What do? Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/e1rm-high-rep-vs-low-rep/15342/2 "2024-11-12T15:15:16Z")
To your exact question, “is it worth addressing?” I don’t think so, unless there’s a good reason you need to know your exact e1RM, but can’t test it. I think comparing e1RMs from different rep ranges _and_ RPE’s together can be difficult if they’re way different, e.g. 3 @ 8 vs 10 @ 7, though the majority of the error is likely related to the 10 @ 7 values. Sometimes I find value in comparing performance across the rep continuum, employing various strategies to overcome them if present. If I’m going down this path however, I make sure the high rep sets are done to failure. For practical purposes, I suspect your 3 @ 8 set is likely more predictive of your 1RM than the 10 @ 7 set. If you want to test it to find out, that’d be fine. I also am wondering what programming you’re planning on doing going forward? ---
**Author:** ![ngrbbmed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a183cd/32.png) [@ngrbbmed](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/ngrbbmed)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2024, 6:02pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/e1rm-high-rep-vs-low-rep/15342/3 "2024-11-12T18:02:19Z")
Thank you! I suspect you’re right that the 3@8 is more representative. The 10@7 set was good for the ego, though 😃. I’m planning on running the 3-Day Medium ISF template from the Low Fatigue bundle next, though I also have the new PowerBuilding template you recently published. I’m open to suggestions, though! ---
**Author:** ![Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex001/user_avatar/forum.barbellmedicine.com/jordan_feigenbaum/32/1315_2.png) [@Jordan\_Feigenbaum](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/u/Jordan_Feigenbaum)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2024, 11:16pm UTC](https://forum.barbellmedicine.com/t/e1rm-high-rep-vs-low-rep/15342/4 "2024-11-12T23:16:13Z")
Good choices 🙂 I’d probably side with the Powerbuilding I Gen 2 template unless you have a strong distaste for the Big Three right now.