Bench press one rep max calculator
Work out an estimated maximum for the bench press without testing one. The percentage table below converts that estimate into training loads.
Enter your set
Result
These are estimates from population-level equations, not a measurement of you and not medical advice. Individual results vary widely. Talk to a doctor or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to how you eat or train.
The bench press specifically
The barbell bench press is one of the two lifts the 1RM equations were principally derived from, which makes it the lift they predict best.
How well these equations work depends on the lift. estimates are most reliable here. Much of the original validation data came from bench press testing, so the equations are working inside the range they were fitted on.
- Repetitions at a given percentage are fairly consistent between people on this lift, which is part of why it validates well.
- Touch-and-go repetitions allow more reps than paused ones at the same load. If you test paused and train touch-and-go, your estimate will read low.
- A spotter is essential for any attempt near a true maximum.
- Typical reps
- 3 to 10
- Category
- Pressing
Estimated bench press max by weight and reps
Epley estimates in kilograms. Read across from the weight you lifted and down from the repetitions you managed. Columns beyond ten repetitions are shown but are the least reliable.
| Weight | 1 reps | 2 reps | 3 reps | 5 reps | 8 reps | 10 reps | 12 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 kg | 41.3 | 42.7 | 44 | 46.7 | 50.7 | 53.3 | 56 |
| 60 kg | 62 | 64 | 66 | 70 | 76 | 80 | 84 |
| 80 kg | 82.7 | 85.3 | 88 | 93.3 | 101.3 | 106.7 | 112 |
| 100 kg | 103.3 | 106.7 | 110 | 116.7 | 126.7 | 133.3 | 140 |
| 120 kg | 124 | 128 | 132 | 140 | 152 | 160 | 168 |
| 140 kg | 144.7 | 149.3 | 154 | 163.3 | 177.3 | 186.7 | 196 |
| 160 kg | 165.3 | 170.7 | 176 | 186.7 | 202.7 | 213.3 | 224 |
Percentage table
Training loads as a share of a 100 kg maximum, with the repetitions each percentage typically allows. Scale proportionally to your own estimate.
| Percentage | Load from 100 kg | Approximate reps |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | 50 kg | 30 |
| 55% | 55 kg | 25 |
| 60% | 60 kg | 20 |
| 65% | 65 kg | 16 |
| 70% | 70 kg | 13 |
| 75% | 75 kg | 10 |
| 80% | 80 kg | 8 |
| 85% | 85 kg | 5 |
| 90% | 90 kg | 3 |
| 95% | 95 kg | 2 |
Rep-max conversion
What a 100 kg estimated maximum corresponds to at each repetition count, and how the five equations compare for a 100 kg set of five.
| Repetitions | Load for a 100 kg max |
|---|---|
| 1 | 96.8 kg |
| 2 | 93.8 kg |
| 3 | 90.9 kg |
| 5 | 85.7 kg |
| 8 | 78.9 kg |
| 10 | 75 kg |
| 12 | 71.4 kg |
| Formula | 100 kg × 5 reps |
|---|---|
| epley | 116.7 kg |
| brzycki | 112.5 kg |
| lombardi | 117.5 kg |
| oconner | 112.5 kg |
| wathan | 116.6 kg |
Questions
- How do I estimate my bench press max?
- Take a set to or near failure, enter the weight and the repetitions, and the equations do the rest. A heavy triple gives a far more reliable estimate than a set of twelve, because all five equations were validated in the two to ten repetition range.
- Are 1RM estimates accurate for the bench press?
- Estimates are most reliable here. Much of the original validation data came from bench press testing, so the equations are working inside the range they were fitted on.
- Which formula should I use?
- Wathan and Epley track measured data across the widest range; Brzycki is the most conservative and is exact at a single repetition. The average of all five is a more defensible single number than any one of them, and the spread between them tells you how much confidence the estimate deserves.
- What repetition range suits the bench press?
- This lift is usually trained in the 3 to 10 repetition range. Estimates taken from within that range are the most trustworthy, because they sit closest to where the equations were fitted.
- Should I test a true maximum instead?
- Only if you need the number for competition, and then with a spotter and a full warm-up. For programming, an estimate from a heavy triple is nearly as useful and costs far less recovery and risk.