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Long-tail 1RM calculator

Bench Press 1RM Calculator with Confidence Interval

Estimate your bench press 1RM as a formula range, not one fragile number. Compare seven formulas, account for paused vs touch-and-go benching, and choose a usable training max.

7 formulas
Confidence interval
Training advice

Use a paused or competition-style bench set when possible.

Estimated 1RM

262.5 lb
Bench Press using Epley

Recommended training max

235 lb
90% standard. Good default for 5/3/1-style percentage work.

Formula spread

253.1-267.8 lb
14.7 lb / 5.6%

Best use

Use selected TM
Recommended: Epley with 90% training max is a usable programming number.

Formula range

253.1-267.8 lb

Spread: 14.7 lb / 5.6%

Lowest: O'ConnerHighest: Mayhew

Training max guidance

Use the recommended training max for multi-week programs. Current load rounding uses 5 lb jumps and nearest rounding.

Sustainable range: 220-245 lb. Pick the lower end when reps are high, the spread is wide, or the set used RIR adjustment.

Scroll table horizontally

PercentLoadRoundingRepsPurposePlates
100%265 lb+2.5 lb1Max strengthLoad
95%250 lb+0.6 lb2Max strengthLoad
90%235 lb-1.2 lb3-4Max strengthLoad
85%225 lb+1.9 lb5-6StrengthLoad
80%210 lbexact7-8StrengthLoad
75%195 lb-1.9 lb9-10HypertrophyLoad
70%185 lb+1.3 lb11-12HypertrophyLoad
65%170 lb-0.6 lb13-15Technique or enduranceLoad
60%160 lb+2.5 lbAMRAPGeneral workLoad
55%145 lb+0.6 lbAMRAPGeneral workLoad
50%130 lb-1.2 lbAMRAPGeneral workLoad
Build training maxGenerate warm-upsBuild 5/3/1 waveLoad plates

URL updates as you change inputs.

Recent estimates

Save a result to track your estimated max by lift on this device. Nothing is uploaded.

Bench press 1RM confidence interval

For a default example of 225 lb x 5, the seven formulas produce a practical confidence interval of 253.1 lb - 267.8 lb, with a formula mean of 259.9 lb.

Use this range as the answer, not a single number. If the set was clean and low-rep, the middle of the range is reasonable. If technique changed or reps were high, use the lower end and build a training max from there.

Suggested training range: about 215 to 245 lb, before rounding to plates and adjusting for recovery.

Scroll table horizontally

Formula Calculation Estimate Use it as
Epley 225 x (1 + 5 / 30) 262.5 lb Optimistic side of the range
Brzycki 225 x 36 / (37 - 5) 253.2 lb Conservative side of the range
Lombardi 225 x 5^0.10 264.3 lb Optimistic side of the range
O'Conner 225 x (1 + 0.025 x 5) 253.1 lb Conservative side of the range
Mayhew 100 x 225 / (52.2 + 41.9 x e^(-0.055 x 5)) 267.8 lb Optimistic side of the range
Wathan 100 x 225 / (48.8 + 53.8 x e^(-0.075 x 5)) 262.3 lb Optimistic side of the range
Lander 100 x 225 / (101.3 - 2.67123 x 5) 255.8 lb Conservative side of the range

How to estimate your bench press 1RM

Bench press 1RM estimation is most accurate when the input set uses the same standard you plan to train: paused, touch-and-go, close grip, or competition grip. Sets of three to eight clean reps usually produce the most useful estimate.

The calculator above keeps the same input set and shows seven formulas side by side: Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner, Mayhew, Wathan, and Lander. For bench press, use the formula spread as the confidence signal. Tight spread means the set is probably useful; wide spread means the input was too high-rep, too technical, or too inconsistent.

What is a good bench press 1RM?

These are practical bodyweight-multiple ranges for a raw bench press. They are not federation records and they assume an adult lifter using a consistent range of motion.

Scroll table horizontally

Lifter level Bodyweight 1RM ratio Example
Untrained 0.5-0.75x 90-135 lb for a 180 lb lifter
Novice 0.75-1.0x 135-180 lb for a 180 lb lifter
Intermediate 1.0-1.25x 180-225 lb for a 180 lb lifter
Advanced 1.25-1.75x 225-315 lb for a 180 lb lifter
Elite 1.75x+ 315+ lb for a 180 lb lifter

Bench press 1RM notes

  • Use a paused bench if the number will feed a powerlifting block.
  • Log grip width, touch point, pause length, and whether the set was touch-and-go.
  • Prefer Brzycki or O'Conner when the set had rep quality issues or you are starting a high-volume cycle.

Bench press numbers move with setup. A tighter arch, stronger leg drive, better upper-back position, or shorter touch point can increase the load without changing the formula. That is why a bench estimate should always be tied to the exact bench style used in the input set.

High-rep bench estimates often inflate because the triceps or shoulders fail before absolute pressing strength is fully tested. A hard set of five is usually more informative than a set of twelve, even if the set of twelve looks more dramatic in a logbook.

For programming, the safest workflow is to calculate the formula spread, choose a training max around 90-95% of the estimate, and round to plates you can actually load. If the first week feels like a max test, reduce the training max and let performance confirm the bigger number later.

Programming with your bench press 1RM

Use the estimated max to choose a conservative training max before writing the block. For most healthy adult lifters, 90-95% of estimated 1RM is enough. If the set was high-rep, grindy, or technically inconsistent, use 85-90% instead.

Scroll table horizontally

Goal Working % Sets x reps Note
Strength 85-92.5% 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps Best for heavy paused practice and low-rep exposure.
Hypertrophy 70-80% 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps Use a training max if shoulder or elbow fatigue accumulates.
Power 50-60% 6-8 sets of 2-3 reps Move every rep fast and stop before bar speed collapses.

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