How much can you bench for one? Enter a set you have actually done and we run all seven standard formulas.
Estimated bench press max
median of seven formulas — the full range is 253 to 268 lb
Lowest of the seven253 lb
Highest of the seven268 lb
Your set was86% of max
Every one-rep-max formula applied to this set
Formula
Equation
Estimate
Brzycki
253 lb
O'Conner
253 lb
Lander
256 lb
Wathan
262 lb
Epley
263 lb
Lombardi
264 lb
Mayhew
268 lb
Fitted on sets of 2 to 10 reps. Above 10 the estimates drift apart and none of them is dependable.
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Most of the published one-rep-max equations were regressed on bench-press data, because bench is easy to test safely in a lab with a spotter and a fixed bar path. Wathan and Mayhew in particular were fitted on bench specifically. That makes a bench estimate the most trustworthy output any of these formulas produce — more so than squat, and considerably more so than deadlift, where grip and lower-back fatigue end the set before the prime movers do.
Worked example: 225 lb for 5 reps
Brzycki and O'Conner both return 253 lb. Lander returns 256. Wathan 262, Epley 263, Lombardi 264, Mayhew 268. The median is 262 lb and the spread is 15 lb — about 6%.
In practical terms: 262 lb is two 45s, a 25 and a 10 per side plus the bar, which comes to 265. That is the number you would actually load. The precision the formulas imply does not survive contact with a plate rack, and that is fine — you are picking a training weight, not settling a bet.
Turning the estimate into training weights
From a 262 lb estimate: a heavy triple sits around 92% (240 lb), a working set of five around 85% (222 lb), and volume work at 70% comes to 185 lb. Those are round, loadable numbers, which is usually a sign you have not over-thought it. If the 5-rep sets at 222 lb feel easy for three weeks running, your max moved and the estimate needs redoing — that is what this page is for.
Methodology
Seven published equations: Epley (1985), Brzycki (1993), Lombardi (1989), O'Conner (1989), Wathan (1994), Lander (1985) and Mayhew (1992). All derived by regression from submaximal and maximal lifts by trained lifters. We compute all seven and report the median.
Limitations
The set you enter must have been taken close to failure with clean technique — no bounce off the chest, no hips leaving the bench, no spotter fingertips on the bar. A set with any of those in it will over-state your max. Above 10 reps the formulas diverge sharply and the median stops being meaningful. Strong, experienced benchers are frequently under-estimated, because they hold a higher percentage of max for a given rep count than the regression average.
If you decide to test a real max: warm up thoroughly, work up in small jumps, and use a spotter or set the safety bars at a height that lets you fail without the bar on your chest. This is a fitness estimate, not medical advice, and not a substitute for a professional who can actually see you.
Common questions
How accurate is a bench press max calculator?
For a set of 2 to 5 reps taken close to failure, usually within about 5% of a tested max — which is roughly one plate jump at a 250 lb bench. For 8 to 10 reps the error grows to 10% or more and the seven formulas start disagreeing with each other, which is the signal that the estimate is getting soft. Bench is the lift these equations fit best, because most of them were derived from bench data.
Why does the calculator say I can bench more than I actually can?
Almost always because the input set was not as hard as it felt in memory, or because it included a rep that was not clean — a chest bounce, a hip lift, or a spotter helping more than either of you noticed. It can also happen if you are strong at reps but not at singles, which is common in lifters who train mostly in the 8 to 12 range and rarely handle heavy weight. Re-enter your last set honestly and, if the number still looks high, trust the lower end of the range rather than the median.
What is a good bench press?
It depends entirely on bodyweight and training age, which is why a single number is useless. A rough orientation for men: bodyweight for one rep is a common intermediate marker, and 1.5× bodyweight puts you well ahead of most people who train recreationally. For women the equivalent markers sit near 0.6× and 0.9× bodyweight. See strength standards for the full picture rather than a single milestone.
Does this work for dumbbell bench press?
The rep-to-max relationship is roughly similar, so the estimate is not nonsense, but it will be looser. Dumbbells add a stabilising demand that fails before the pressing muscles do, and the two dumbbells are not one load — you cannot simply double one and compare it to a barbell. Use it as a rough guide within dumbbell work, not as a way to predict a barbell number.
How often should I re-estimate my max?
Whenever a working set that used to be hard stops being hard — typically every four to eight weeks for a newer lifter, and considerably less often once progress slows. Re-estimating from a genuinely heavy set of three or five is more informative than re-estimating from a set of ten.