Calculator
Bench Press Calculator
Quick answer
Enter the load and the reps you benched. The page estimates a one-rep max, defaults to the Mayhew equation for barbell bench variations, and builds a bench press percentage chart from that number.
Incline, decline, close-grip, and dumbbell bench stay on this page. Another lift belongs on the one rep max calculator, which is linked under the answer.
Need a 1RM first? Use the one rep max calculator →
Estimates only. Testing a true max carries risk; use a spotter or safety arms. Not medical advice.
Mayhew was built on the bench press. Keep the set at 10 reps or under when you can.
Mayhew
Compare formulas
| Formula | 1RM |
|---|---|
| Epley | — |
| Brzycki | — |
| Lombardi | — |
| Lander | — |
| Mayhew | — |
| O'Conner | — |
| Wathen | — |
Bench press percentage chart
Loads round to 5 lb. Reps are the inverse of Mayhew.
| % of 1RM | Weight | Approx. reps |
|---|---|---|
| 100% | — | — |
| 95% | — | — |
| 90% | — | — |
| 85% | — | — |
| 80% | — | — |
| 75% | — | — |
| 70% | — | — |
| 65% | — | — |
| 60% | — | — |
| 55% | — | — |
| 50% | — | — |
Bench press chart
| Reps | Estimated load |
|---|---|
| 1RM | — |
| 2RM | — |
| 3RM | — |
| 4RM | — |
| 5RM | — |
| 6RM | — |
| 7RM | — |
| 8RM | — |
| 9RM | — |
| 10RM | — |
| 11RM | — |
| 12RM | — |
Warm-up sets
Enter a weight to build a warm-up toward that work set.
History
Saved in this browser only. Nothing is uploaded.
No logged sets yet. Use Log after a result.
On this page
Estimating another lift? Use the one rep max calculator →
How does the bench press calculator work?
Mayhew's equation is 1RM = 100 × weight / (52.2 + 41.9 × e^(−0.055 × reps)). It came from bench-press tests. Flat, incline, decline, and close-grip start on that equation. Dumbbell bench starts on Epley, because you are entering one dumbbell, and the average of all seven formulas is one menu away.
One rep returns the weight you typed. The range under the result is the lowest and highest of the seven formulas. A wide range means the reps were high or the equations do not agree. It is not a confidence interval from a lab.
Worked example
Example only: 100 kg for 5 reps on the flat bench. Mayhew's percent curve puts that set a bit under a simple Epley estimate. Read both lines in the table instead of picking the larger one because it flatters you. The percentage chart then takes whichever formula you left selected.
The same 100 kg for 5 on a steep incline is not a flat-bench max. Switch the chip to incline before you read the chart. Close-grip is usually lighter than a normal grip. Keep the grip the same the next time you check.
Programming from your max
A lot of bench plans live between about 70 and 90 percent of a max for sets you can finish clean. Use the chart, then round to real plates with the plate calculator. If you run 5/3/1, take 90 percent first on the training max calculator. Those week percents are of the training max, not of this estimate.
How to increase your bench covers frequency and the triceps work that usually belongs in the week. Progressive overload is the rule for adding weight when the sets actually look the same.
Common mistakes
Touch-and-go reps and paused reps are different tests. A bounce off the chest adds load the formula treats as strength. Partial reps, a high butt, or a spotter who lifts the bar through the middle third will inflate the estimate. Count the reps you would accept on a strict day.
Entering a dumbbell's weight as if it were a barbell, or entering the pair. The dumbbell chip says one dumbbell. Two 40 kg dumbbells are not an 80 kg bench.
Standards
This page will not tell you that a bodyweight bench is intermediate. That kind of ladder is someone else's data, and copying it would be a made-up standard. Divide the estimate by your body weight if you want a ratio, on the strength level calculator. Read bench press standards and average bench press before you decide the number means a rank.
FAQ
How do I use the bench press calculator?
Enter the weight you benched and the reps. The default formula is Mayhew. The big number is the estimated one-rep max. The chart turns it into training percents.
Why is Mayhew the default?
Mayhew and colleagues fit their curve on the bench press. It is the default here for flat, incline, decline, and close-grip. You can still switch to the average of all seven formulas.
How many reps should I enter?
A finished set of about 3–6 clean reps is the useful range. Stay at 10 or under when you can. One rep returns the weight you typed.
How do I enter a dumbbell bench?
Enter the weight of one dumbbell. The result is for one dumbbell. It is not a barbell max.
Do incline and close-grip use the same max as a flat bench?
No. Switch the variation before you read the chart. A steep incline or a close grip is its own lift.
Will this tell me if my bench is intermediate?
Not on this calculator. A ratio is not a rank. The bench standards guide explains how to read a number without a copied tier chart.