This Is Why You Are Failing Your Max Lifts (It’s Not Weakness)

You might be strong enough to lift the weight, but if you haven't practiced the skill of lifting heavy, you will fail.

In this video, I explain why jumping from high-rep hypertrophy work straight into a 1-Rep Max is a recipe for failure. I break down the specific "Skill of Maxing Out"—from how the bar feels on your back to the precise bracing needed for a heavy single.

I also dive into the "Arousal Bell Curve" and why getting too psyched up (screaming, back-slapping, ammonia) too early in your session is actually making you weaker.

In this session:


The "Rep Work" Trap: Why being good at reps doesn't mean you're good at singles .


The Unrack: Why a heavy single feels different before you even squat .


The Arousal Bell Curve: Why "calm" beats "crazy" until the final set .

My Session: Working up to a heavy single (260kg+) without the hype.

Timestamps:

00:00 - The Reality of a 1-Rep Max (Week 2 Update).


01:00 - The Problem: Why you fail when you switch from Reps to Maxes .


01:20 - Maxing Out is a SKILL.


02:00 - The "Unrack" Shock: Why 70% feels different to 100% .


03:00 - The Psychology: Stop screaming and back-slapping .


03:25 - The Arousal Bell Curve Explained .


04:22 - Case Study: Benedikt Magnússon (Sleeping before a World Record) .


07:43 - The "Adrenaline Dump": Why hype is fatiguing .

16:28 - The Lift: 260kg Heavy Single (Calm & Focused).