About the bench press
A barbell on a flat bench: lower to the chest and press up. Always use a spotter or safety arms for heavy sets.
Percentage chart
Training weights for common bench press maxes, rounded to the nearest 5 lb, with the reps the NSCA training load chart pairs with each percentage.
| 1RM | 95% (2 reps) | 87% (5) | 80% (8) | 75% (10) | 70% (12) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 95 lb | 90 | 85 | 75 | 70 | 65 |
| 120 lb | 115 | 105 | 95 | 90 | 85 |
| 145 lb | 140 | 125 | 115 | 110 | 100 |
| 170 lb | 160 | 150 | 135 | 130 | 120 |
| 195 lb | 185 | 170 | 155 | 145 | 135 |
| 220 lb | 210 | 190 | 175 | 165 | 155 |
| 245 lb | 235 | 215 | 195 | 185 | 170 |
| 270 lb | 255 | 235 | 215 | 205 | 190 |
| 295 lb | 280 | 255 | 235 | 220 | 205 |
| 320 lb | 305 | 280 | 255 | 240 | 225 |
| 345 lb | 330 | 300 | 275 | 260 | 240 |
| 370 lb | 350 | 320 | 295 | 280 | 260 |
| 395 lb | 375 | 345 | 315 | 295 | 275 |
| 420 lb | 400 | 365 | 335 | 315 | 295 |
| 445 lb | 425 | 385 | 355 | 335 | 310 |
| 470 lb | 445 | 410 | 375 | 355 | 330 |
| 495 lb | 470 | 430 | 395 | 370 | 345 |
Estimating your max safely
You do not need to test a true single to train well. A hard set of 3 to 10 reps with good form gives a useful estimate, and the calculator shows three methods side by side so you can see the spread. Use the lower end when you plan heavy work, and leave the true max test for a day with a spotter or safety arms.
Frequently asked questions
How do I estimate my bench press max without maxing out?
Do a hard set of 2 to 10 reps with good form, then enter the weight and reps. The NSCA training load chart, for example, puts 5 reps at 87% of your one-rep max, so 5 reps at 200 lb suggests about 230 lb.
What percentage of my bench press max should I train at?
The NSCA chart pairs 100% with 1 rep, 87% with 5 reps, 80% with 8 reps and 75% with 10 reps. Pick the percentage that matches the reps your program asks for.
Sources: NSCA Training Load Chart; Epley and Brzycki equations. Our formulas.