Estimate your 1RM from a hard set, get training weights for any rep count, and see what plates to load. Runs in your browser; nothing is saved or sent.
What this does: your one-rep max (1RM) is the heaviest weight you could lift once with good form. Instead of testing it, enter a weight you lifted for several reps and we’ll estimate your 1RM, give you the weight to use for 2 to 12 reps, and show which plates to load on each side of the bar.
How it works
Your main estimate is the average of two well-known formulas (averaging two equations may reduce the error, Mayhew et al., 1995):
For the bench press, Brzycki’s formula was the most accurate in a study of 220 men who did 10 reps or fewer (Mayhew et al., 1995), and in 20 resistance-trained lifters on the bench press at loads up to 70% of their max, Epley’s did best of the four methods compared (Nickerson et al., 2020). The “All seven formulas” table adds five more classic equations (Lander, Lombardi, Mayhew, O’Conner and Wathen) as printed in the research literature (Lin et al., 2021), so you can see the full spread.
For the best estimate, use a hard set of 3–10 reps: a study of multiple-rep testing (Reynolds et al., 2006) found a 5-rep max gave the best prediction. Use the number to plan training weights, not as a guaranteed max.
Sources
Epley B. Poundage chart. Boyd Epley Workout. Lincoln, NE: Body Enterprises; 1985 (a training-manual chart, not a study), as listed in Richens B, Cleather DJ. Biol Sport. 2014;31:157–161. Source
Brzycki M. Strength testing: predicting a one-rep max from reps-to-fatigue. J Phys Educ Recreat Dance. 1993;64(1):88–90. Source
Mayhew JL, et al. Muscular endurance repetitions to predict bench press strength in men of different training levels. J Sports Med Phys Fitness. 1995;35(2):108–113. Source
Nickerson BS, et al. Validity of one-repetition maximum prediction equations and velocity in resistance-trained adults (bench press). J Strength Cond Res. 2020;34(9):2427–2433. Source
Lin T, et al. (table of the seven classic one-rep max prediction equations, after LeSuer et al., 1997). Sci Rep. 2021;11:9137. Source
Reynolds JM, Gordon TJ, Robergs RA. Prediction of one repetition maximum strength from multiple repetition maximum testing and anthropometry. J Strength Cond Res. 2006;20(3):584–592. Source
General information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are new to lifting, learn the movements with a qualified coach before lifting heavy.