Calculator
Training Max Calculator
Quick answer
A training max is a percent of your estimated or tested one-rep max, used as the base for a program. Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 uses 90 percent. This page defaults to that and lets you change it.
The week table uses the published 5/3/1 percentages of the training max: 5s week, 3s week, 5/3/1 week, and a lighter fourth week. The last set of the first three weeks is a plus set in the original plan.
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.
| Week | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | 65% × 5 (176 lb) | 75% × 5 (203 lb) | 85% × 5+ (230 lb) |
| Week 2 | 70% × 3 (189 lb) | 80% × 3 (216 lb) | 90% × 3+ (243 lb) |
| Week 3 | 75% × 5 (203 lb) | 85% × 3 (230 lb) | 95% × 1+ (257 lb) |
| Week 4 | 40% × 5 (108 lb) | 50% × 5 (135 lb) | 60% × 5 (162 lb) |
Percents are of the training max, not the true max. The last set of weeks 1–3 is written as a plus set in the original plan.
On this page
How does the training max calculator work?
Training max = estimated 1RM × percent / 100. Each cell in the week table is that training max times the week's percent. The percents are of the training max, not of the true max. Ninety percent of the true max, then 85% of that, is 76.5% of the true max.
The four weeks used here are the familiar ones: 65/75/85, 70/80/90, 75/85/95, and 40/50/60. Wendler has published variants. If your book says otherwise, trust the book and type a different base percent.
What inputs does it need?
An estimated one-rep max and a percent. Get the max from a test or from the one rep max calculator. Do not put a 10-rep max in the max field and also call it a 1RM.
If you already know your training max, set the percent to 100 and type the training max as the '1RM'. The table will then apply the week percents to it directly.
Worked example with sample numbers
Example only: a 200 kg estimated squat max at 90% is a 180 kg training max. Week 1's top set is 85% of 180, which is 153 kg, for five or more. Week 3's top set is 95% of 180, which is 171 kg, for a single or more.
That 171 kg is not 95% of 200. People who take the week percents off the true max are running a heavier program than the one written down.
Common mistakes
Updating the training max off a single good day, every week. The original idea is a small, scheduled increase after a cycle, not a chase.
Turning the plus set into a max-rep test every session. Plus means you can do more than the listed reps if the bar is moving. It does not mean failure. More of this is in the 5/3/1 guide and training max versus true max.
FAQ
What percent is a training max?
In 5/3/1, 90% of the estimated one-rep max is the usual starting point. Some lifters use a bit less if the estimate was generous.
Are the week percents of the true max?
No. They are of the training max.
What is the fourth week?
A lighter week: 40, 50, and 60 percent of the training max for easy sets of five. It is the deload built into the cycle.
Can I use this for bench, squat, and press?
Yes. Run it once per lift. Each lift has its own max and its own training max.
Do I have to follow 5/3/1 to use a training max?
No. Any program that wants a slightly conservative base can use the percent field and ignore the week table.