1RM

Bench Press Calculator

Enter your bodyweight and a recent bench press set to estimate your bench press one-rep max and see it as a multiple of your bodyweight.

Updated

Your bench press

Unit

Whole number, 1–20. Most accurate from 1–10 reps.

Your bench press results

Enter your details and select Calculate to see your results.

Estimated bench press 1RM
—kg
Bodyweight ratio (estimated)
—× BW

Formula comparison

FormulaEstimated 1RM

Compare this with the bench press strength standards for your bodyweight.

Results are estimates from prediction equations, not a tested max. They are most useful from sets of about 1–10 reps.

Estimated Bench Press Rep Maxes

Estimated bench press weights for other rep counts, based on your estimated 1RM. These are estimates, not tested maxes.

Reps% of 1RMEst. weight

Calculate to see estimated bench press weights for 1–12 reps.

What Is a Bench Press 1RM?

Your bench press 1RM is the heaviest weight you can bench press for one repetition with correct technique. An estimated bench press 1RM predicts that number from a set of several reps, while an actual 1RM is a single you have really pressed.

Lifters calculate it to follow progress, to choose working weights as a percentage of their max, and to compare pressing strength over time without testing a maximal single. Dividing the estimate by bodyweight gives a strength-to-bodyweight ratio: 1.0 means an estimated 1RM equal to your bodyweight. Ratios help compare lifters of different sizes, but they don’t account for height, arm length or body composition, so treat them as a general reference.

  • Actual 1RM is a bench press you have completed for one rep. Enter 1 rep and it is used as entered.
  • Estimated 1RM is a prediction from a multi-rep set, averaged across five formulas.
  • Bodyweight ratio shows the estimate as a multiple of your bodyweight, e.g. 1.2 × BW.

How the Bench Press Calculator Works

How bench press 1RM is estimated

This calculator uses the same method as our One Rep Max Calculator — no separate bench press formula. Your weight and reps go into five published formulas — Epley, Brzycki, Lander, Lombardi, Mayhew et al. — and the estimate shown is their average. Each formula’s result is listed so you can see how closely they agree. A single rep is treated as your actual 1RM.

Estimated bench press 1RM = average of the five formula estimates

How bodyweight ratio is calculated

The estimated 1RM is divided by your bodyweight, using the same unit for both:

Bodyweight ratio = estimated bench press 1RM ÷ bodyweight

Sources

  1. Epley, B. (1985). Poundage Chart. Boyd Epley Workout. Lincoln, NE: Body Enterprises.
  2. Brzycki, M. (1993). Strength testing — predicting a one-rep max from reps-to-fatigue. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance, 64(1), 88–90.
  3. Lander, J. (1985). Maximums based on reps. National Strength and Conditioning Association Journal, 6, 60–61.
  4. Lombardi, V. P. (1989). Beginning Weight Training. Dubuque, IA: W. C. Brown.
  5. Mayhew, J. L., Ball, T. E., Arnold, M. D., & Bowen, J. C. (1992). Relative muscular endurance performance as a predictor of bench press strength in college men and women. Journal of Applied Sport Science Research, 6(4), 200–206.

Example Calculation

Example only

A 75 kg lifter bench presses 80 kg for 6 reps. Illustrative figures, not a real person’s result.

  1. Epley96 kg
  2. Brzycki92.9 kg
  3. Lander93.8 kg
  4. Lombardi95.7 kg
  5. Mayhew et al.97.2 kg
  6. Estimated 1RMAverage of the five = 95.1 kg
  7. Bodyweight ratio95.1 ÷ 75 = 1.27 × BW

Limitations

  • Estimates, not tests. The formulas predict a max from submaximal effort, so your actual 1RM may be higher or lower.
  • Rep range matters. Estimates are most useful from about 1–10 reps; above that the formulas spread further apart.
  • Technique changes the numbers. Grip width, arch, pauses on the chest and leg drive all affect how much you can press.
  • Effort and fatigue. A set stopped well short of failure gives a low estimate; a tired session or loose reps can skew it either way.
  • Ratios simplify. Bodyweight ratio doesn’t capture height, arm length or body composition.

Compare Your Bench Press With Strength Standards

Your estimated 1RM and bodyweight ratio tell you how much you can press. To see how that compares with reference levels from Beginner to Elite, use the site’s Strength Standards. They list bench press values by bodyweight and gender in kilograms or pounds.

Bench press standards are generally lower than squat and deadlift standards, so compare your bench with bench press values rather than across lifts. Standards are reference points, not a verdict on your overall ability. For a level based on a set you enter, try the Strength Level Calculator.

Reference

Bench Press Strength Standards

Reference levels by bodyweight and gender, shown as weights and bodyweight multiples.

View bench press standards

Estimate your other main lifts with the Squat Calculator and Deadlift Calculator. If you rate sets by effort, the RPE Calculator estimates a 1RM from reps and RPE.

Frequently asked questions

What is a bench press 1RM?

Your bench press 1RM (one-rep max) is the heaviest weight you can bench press for a single repetition with correct technique — the bar touching the chest and pressed to straight arms. It is a common measure of upper-body pressing strength.

How is my bench press 1RM estimated?

The calculator applies five published 1RM formulas — Epley, Brzycki, Lander, Lombardi and Mayhew et al. — to the weight and reps you enter, and shows their average. It is the same method as our One Rep Max Calculator, so both give the same answer for the same set.

What is the difference between estimated and actual bench press 1RM?

An actual 1RM is a weight you have pressed for one rep. An estimated 1RM is a prediction from a set of several reps. If you enter a single rep, the calculator uses that weight as your actual 1RM instead of estimating.

How accurate is an estimated bench press 1RM?

It is an approximation. Estimates tend to be most useful from a hard set of about 1–10 reps with a consistent technique. Longer sets, sets stopped well short of failure, or a change in grip or pause can move the estimate away from what you would actually press.

What does my bench press bodyweight ratio mean?

It is your estimated bench press 1RM divided by your bodyweight. A ratio of 1.0 means an estimated 1RM equal to your bodyweight. The ratio lets you compare pressing strength between lifters of different sizes, or track it as your bodyweight changes.

How do I compare my bench press with strength standards?

Look up your bodyweight and gender in the bench press strength standards, or enter your set in the Strength Level Calculator to see which reference level it falls into.

Should I count a paused or touch-and-go bench press?

Either can be entered, but use the same style each time you calculate. Paused reps are usually harder than touch-and-go reps, so switching between them makes estimates harder to compare.

Do I need to test my bench press 1RM?

No. An estimate from a recent set is enough for most training purposes. If you do attempt a max bench press, use a spotter or safety arms and only attempt weights you can control.

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Estimate your squat one-rep max from a submaximal set and see training weights at common percentages.

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Estimate your deadlift one-rep max and see how it compares with deadlift strength standards.

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Turn a set’s weight, reps and RPE into an estimated one-rep max and working weights for other sets.

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