Bench Press Calculator
Enter your bench weight, reps, and bodyweight to estimate your 1-rep max (Epley formula) and see where your bench-to-bodyweight ratio falls — beginner through elite.
Standards table by bodyweight (approximate, e1RM basis)
How you compare
Bench-to-bodyweight ratio vs. approximate strength standards
Strength training programs & gear
Learn moreWhy bodyweight-ratio standards, not just raw pounds
A 225-lb bench means something very different for a 150-lb lifter than for a 250-lb lifter. Bodyweight-ratio standards divide your estimated 1-rep max by your bodyweight, so a 132-lb lifter and a 242-lb lifter can be compared on the same scale — multiples of bodyweight — instead of by an arbitrary round number like "225" that happens to be culturally famous mostly because it's the NFL Combine's bench-press test weight.
How it’s calculated & sources
Estimated 1RM (Epley formula): e1RM = weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30) — the same formula family used on NumberBench's One-Rep Max calculator. At 1 rep, e1RM equals the weight lifted exactly.
Ratio = e1RM ÷ bodyweight.
Male bands (source: bodyweight-ratio convention anchored to ExRx.net/Kilgore standards — e.g., a 198-lb male: untrained ≈135 lb, intermediate ≈215 lb; ~1.0× bodyweight sits at the novice–intermediate line): under 0.60× beginner; 0.60–0.99× novice; 1.00–1.49× intermediate; 1.50–1.99× advanced; 2.00×+ elite.
Female bands (same convention; ExRx female standards run roughly 55–65% of the male ratio at the same bodyweight): under 0.35× beginner; 0.35–0.59× novice; 0.60–0.89× intermediate; 0.90–1.19× advanced; 1.20×+ elite.
Benchmark: these ratio bands are approximate — anchored to published ExRx/Kilgore standards, which vary slightly by bodyweight class. Treat band placement as directional context, not a precise rank.
Results update as you type and are general training estimates, not personalized medical or coaching advice. If you're new to bench pressing or have any joint or shoulder concerns, work with a qualified coach and warm up thoroughly before loading heavy weight.
Worked example
A 198-lb male lifter benches 225 lb for 5 reps. Epley estimates a 1RM of 225 × (1 + 5÷30) = 262.5 lb. Dividing by his 198-lb bodyweight gives a ratio of 1.33× bodyweight — solidly in the "intermediate" band (1.00–1.49×), just above the roughly 1.0× novice-to-intermediate line and well clear of the untrained ExRx reference point of about 135 lb (a 0.68× ratio) at the same bodyweight.
Common mistakes
- Comparing raw pounds lifted (like the "225 club") across lifters of very different bodyweights instead of using a bodyweight ratio.
- Testing a true 1-rep max with poor form, no spotter, or no warm-up — especially risky for less experienced lifters.
- Letting a teenage or developing lifter attempt a maximal single rather than estimating from a moderate-rep set.
- Treating the standards table as an exact scale rather than an approximate, source-anchored convention that shifts a bit by bodyweight class.
Where it is used
- Gauging strength progress against a bodyweight-relative scale instead of an absolute number.
- Setting realistic training goals (novice → intermediate → advanced) for a bench-press-focused program.
- General context for how the NFL Combine's fixed 225-lb rep test compares to bodyweight-relative standards.
Frequently asked questions
Is benching your bodyweight good?
Yes for most men, and very good for most women. A 1.00x bodyweight bench sits right at the novice-to-intermediate line on the bodyweight-ratio convention anchored to ExRx.net/Kilgore standards, meaning most people who train consistently for a while can reach it, but plenty of regular lifters never get there without dedicated bench-specific work. For women, the equivalent standards run roughly 55-65% of the male ratio at the same bodyweight, so 1.00x bodyweight is deep into the advanced-to-elite range.
What's an average bench press for a man?
Using ExRx/Kilgore-style standards, an untrained 198-lb man benches around 135 lb for a single rep, which sits below the 0.60x-bodyweight beginner-to-novice line. That's a useful reality check against the much higher numbers often quoted online, which are usually reported by lifters who train specifically for the bench press, not a population average.
How rare is the 225-lb bench press "225 club"?
It depends heavily on bodyweight. For a lighter lifter (132-165 lb), 225 lb for reps is an advanced-to-elite bodyweight ratio. For a heavier lifter (242+ lb), the same 225 lb is closer to the novice-to-intermediate range on a bodyweight-ratio basis, even though the bar weight is identical. The NFL Combine uses 225 lb for max reps as its bench test, which is a fixed-weight test rather than a bodyweight-ratio test.
How does the Epley formula estimate my 1-rep max?
The Epley formula is estimated 1RM = weight lifted x (1 + reps / 30). It's the same formula family used on NumberBench's one-rep-max calculator and is considered reasonably accurate for sets of about 1 to 10 reps; above roughly 10-12 reps, fatigue makes any rep-based 1RM estimate less reliable, since the formula assumes a fairly direct relationship between reps and remaining strength.
Should teenagers attempt a true 1-rep max on bench?
General strength-and-conditioning guidance for young or developing lifters (in line with NSCA youth training guidance) is to avoid maximal single-rep attempts and instead estimate strength from a controlled 3-8 rep set, which is lower risk to the shoulders, elbows, and still-developing joints and connective tissue. This calculator applies the same Epley estimate either way, but for the "Under 18" age note we recommend testing with a moderate-rep set rather than attempting a true single-rep max.