Take the guessing out of weightlifting. (1-RM Calculator)

This repetition max calculator can identify weights that should be used for the bench press, deadlift, squat, and hang-clean exercises. Simply enter your max weights across the 'MAX' row, and enter the desired training intensity below the '% MAX'.

 

Example: If  BP, DL, SQ & HC Maxes are 225, 350, 315 and 165 respectively, enter them in that specified order. This calculator is particularly useful when you may need to calculate weights throughout a cycle or week, whereby days are designated as heavy, medium, and light.

To do this, I use 100% of a 90% max for heavy day, 90% for a medium day and 80% for a light day. By using 90% of a max, this ensures that the weights can be lifted repeatedly over a number of sets, and not just for a single set. Using 100% of a max will lead to excessive fatigue and burnout throughout sets 2,3,4 etc.

BP Calculation: 
220 * .9 = 198
198 * .1 = heavy
198 *.9 = medium
198 * .8= light

BP Heavy = 198 BP Medium= 178.2 BP Light= 158.4
^these numbers are for heavy, medium and light days for a 1-RM. To calculate percentages/weights for specified reps, refer to the chart below.

Determining what percentage is dependent upon the training goal within a cycle. If gaining strength is the primary objective, percentages should be kept at ≥ 85% of max weight. However, the percentage will be adjusted if muscular endurance or hypertrophy is the goal. For muscular endurance, the percentage of max weight lifted should be ≤ 65%, while for hypertrophy, the percentage of max weight lifted will range from 65-80%.

  Important Note: Percentage of max and repetitions lifted to failure are inversely related. For example, a weight at 90% of one's max may only be lifted consecutively for 3 repetitions. Yet, if the same lifter were to choose a weight at 80%, they may be able to lift this weight eight times consecutively. To give a better idea of weights and percentages and what significance they have for weightlifting goals, refer to the NSCA Training load chart below. The training load chart can be used to quickly reference what weights that can be lifted for each exercise. Due to it's basic structure, the training load chart is best referred to within the gym setting.