Estimate your 1RM for any lift using a weight you've already moved. Get your full training percentage breakdown instantly.
MyWellnessCalc
One Rep Max Calculator — Result
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kg
Estimated One Rep Max
% of 1RM
Weight
Purpose
What is a One Rep Max (1RM)?
Your one rep max is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for a single repetition with good form. It's the standard way to measure absolute strength in resistance training, and it's used to program training loads for strength, hypertrophy, and power.
Testing your true 1RM carries injury risk — especially for beginners. That's why 1RM estimation formulas exist: you lift a submaximal weight for multiple reps, and the formula predicts your maximum. These estimates are accurate to within about 5% for reps under 10.
How to use your 1RM for training
Once you have your estimated 1RM, you can set training loads as a percentage of that number. Different percentages target different training goals:
50–60%: Warm-up, technique work, active recovery
60–70%: Muscular endurance (15+ reps)
70–80%: Hypertrophy / muscle building (8–12 reps)
80–90%: Strength development (3–6 reps)
90–100%: Maximum strength, competition lifts (1–3 reps)
The formulas explained
Epley: weight × (1 + reps / 30) — most widely used, tends to be accurate for moderate rep ranges
Brzycki: weight × 36 / (37 − reps) — accurate for lower rep ranges (1–10)
Lander: (100 × weight) / (101.3 − 2.67123 × reps) — validated in research studies
Lombardi: weight × reps^0.10 — tends to give higher estimates, good for higher rep ranges
Average: Mean of all four formulas — reduces outlier bias
For best accuracy, use a weight you can lift for 3–8 reps with good form. Estimates become less reliable above 10 reps.
1RM strength standards by experience level
These figures are expressed as a multiple of bodyweight and give a rough sense of where your estimated 1RM sits relative to other lifters. They're general benchmarks, not targets — bodyweight, limb length, and training history all affect where you personally fall.
Level
Squat
Bench Press
Deadlift
Novice (0–6 months)
1.0× bodyweight
0.75× bodyweight
1.25× bodyweight
Intermediate (1–2 years)
1.5× bodyweight
1.0× bodyweight
1.75× bodyweight
Advanced (3+ years)
2.0× bodyweight
1.5× bodyweight
2.5× bodyweight
Elite / competitive
2.5× bodyweight
2.0× bodyweight
3.0× bodyweight
Deadlift 1RM is typically the highest of the three main lifts because it uses the most muscle mass and has the shortest range of motion relative to load. Bench press is usually the lowest, since it relies more heavily on smaller upper-body muscle groups. If your ratios differ significantly from these patterns, it often points to a specific strength or mobility limitation worth addressing.
Frequently asked questions
How accurate is a 1RM calculator?
1RM estimates are generally accurate to within 5–10% when based on a set of 3–8 reps with good form. Accuracy decreases above 10 reps as fatigue and muscle endurance become more significant factors. Use multiple formulas and take the average for a more reliable estimate.
Should I test my actual 1RM?
True 1RM testing carries injury risk, particularly for beginners or with compound lifts. Estimation from a submaximal set is safer and accurate enough for programming purposes. If you do test your 1RM, always use a spotter, warm up thoroughly, and have several months of consistent training behind you.
What percentage of 1RM should I use for hypertrophy?
Research supports a range of 60–85% of 1RM for hypertrophy (muscle building), typically performed for 6–15 reps per set. This covers the full spectrum from moderate loads with higher reps to heavier loads with lower reps — both produce similar muscle growth when taken close to failure.
How often should I test my 1RM?
Strength increases fastest with beginners, so recalculating every 4–6 weeks is reasonable. Intermediate lifters might reassess every 8–12 weeks. A practical approach is to recalculate whenever a set feels significantly easier than expected at a given weight — this often signals a strength improvement.
What's a good 1RM for squat, bench, and deadlift?
It depends entirely on bodyweight, training age, and sex — there's no single "good" number. As a rough guide, an intermediate lifter (1–2 years of consistent training) can typically squat around 1.5× bodyweight, bench 1.0× bodyweight, and deadlift 1.75× bodyweight. Progress relative to your own starting point matters far more than comparing to these general benchmarks.
What's the difference between 1RM and rep max?
1RM (one rep max) specifically means the maximum weight you can lift for exactly one repetition. "Rep max" is the broader term — a 5RM is the maximum weight you can lift for 5 reps, a 10RM for 10 reps, and so on. This calculator estimates your 1RM from any rep max you enter, since testing a true 1RM directly carries more injury risk.
Which 1RM formula is most accurate?
No single formula is universally most accurate — each was validated on different populations and rep ranges. Epley tends to work well across a broad range of reps and is the most commonly used. Brzycki is generally more accurate for lower rep sets (under 10). For the most reliable single number, use the "Average of all" option, which reduces the impact of any one formula's bias.
Can beginners use 1RM percentages for programming?
Yes, but with caution. Beginners' strength improves quickly, so a 1RM estimate can become outdated within just a few weeks, causing percentage-based loads to feel too easy or too hard. Beginners often do better focusing on adding small amounts of weight or reps each session (progressive overload) rather than strictly following percentages calculated from an early 1RM estimate.
Not medical advice. One Rep Max testing and heavy lifting carries injury risk. Always warm up properly, use a spotter for compound lifts, and prioritize form over weight. Consult a fitness professional if you're new to strength training.