How can one calculate ones
1 rep max? Is there a formula
that i can use?
example:
if I can bench 225 for 5 reps
thanks…
The real way to find out your 1RM is to keep going up in weight doing one rep until you can’t lift it. The last successful lift was your one rep max.
Sorry, I’m not trying to be a wiseguy, but that is the real point of a 1RM - actually maxing out.
Anything else is an approximation.
just google some bench charts, but again nothing is as accurate as actually trying a one rep max. 225 for 5? To exhaustion…I want to say my one rep max was around 270 when i was doing this numbers, but that was long ago
Poliquin has a link to convert a 2-10 rep max into a 1RM. Now I think this is somewhat useful. About as useful as guessing your 6RM from your 1RM. A powerlifter will have very high 1RM relative to the others… Bobybuilders will have high 6-8RM. There was an article on the site about a guy who was a powerlifter who took 2 years off to put on mass instead of compete. He thought he was stronger. And he was stronger in the 6+ range than ever before. But his 1RMs weren’t what they used ot be.
here’s a rough guideline to help you figure it out:
1 Rep Max Percentages
Reps %1RM
1 100
2 95
3 90
4 88
5 86
6 83
7 80
8 78
9 76
10 75
11 72
12 70
As it has already been said, nothing is as accurate as a true 1 RM. However I have found the following formula (I can’t remember where I first got it) gives a close approximation.
1RM = (weight lifted x 0.03 x # of reps) + weight lifted
using your example:
(225 x .03 x 5)+ 225
= 33.73 + 225
= 258.75
so your 1 RM is probably somewhere between 255 and 260. Again, you’re better off getting a good spotter and doing a true 1 RM.
Calculating Your 1 Rep Max
Being able to calculate your one rep max (1RM) on a lift is vital for engaging in a periodization workout where you lift at a certain percentage of your 1 rep max. The most accurate way of finding the weight is to do an actual one rep max, but there are times when because of the risk for injury you must use an equation to calculate your max weight. There are many equations that can be used but they all will give you a slightly different number. Here are several of the most widely used equations you can use to compare to the 1RM calculator on this web site. Remember none are perfect but they will give you a close estimate to your actual 1RM.
Prediction Test 1RM =
Epley Formula ( 1 + 0.0333 x reps ) x weight
NFL - 225 Test 226.7 + ( 7.1 x # of reps while using 225lbs)
Brzycki Formula 100 x weight / ( 102.78 - 2.78 x reps)
O’Connor Formula ( 1 + 0.025 x reps ) x weight
Mississippi State Formula ( 1.12 x weight ) + ( 5.09 x reps ) - 24.62
Bench Press (4-6 reps)
Mississippi State Formula ( 1.16 x weight ) + ( 1.68 x reps ) - 1.89
Bench Press (7-10 reps)
Reference:
Scheett, T, PhD. (2003). How much can you bench? Muscle and Fitness, May, 42.
[quote]SKman wrote:
As it has already been said, nothing is as accurate as a true 1 RM. However I have found the following formula (I can’t remember where I first got it) gives a close approximation.
1RM = (weight lifted x 0.03 x # of reps) + weight lifted
[/quote]
This formula is from “Husker Power”.
Boyd D Epley is the Associate Director of Athletics at the University of Nebraska. The formula you show is a simplified version of Epleys formula.
Search for the article here on T-Nation called “Big Numbers”, by Dennis B. Weis. It has a good conversion table for determining your 1RM from a higher rep set.
Ben
**Moderator’s note: Here’s the link to this article:
You have to test it because week stabilizers may cause your form to shift when you hit a real max, but the formula that always worked best for me for the bench press at least was to take the weight you did for reps, add 5% for reps 2 and 3 and add 2.5% for reps 4 and above.
When I benched 345 I had done 300 x 5
300+(5%+5%+2.5%+2.5%=15%)=345
I did 315 x 3
315 + (5%+5%=10%)=345
But using a formula may psychologically handicap you.