Calculator · preset of one rep max calculator
Deadlift one rep max calculator
Estimate your deadlift max from a set you completed. Four formulas, the spread between them, and the percentages to train at.
Open the full one rep max calculator to change anything this preset fixes
Estimate your deadlift max
Estimated one rep max
114.8 kg
The four formulas span 112.5 to 117.5 kg. Train off the average.
- Epley
- 116.7
- Brzycki
- 112.5
- Lombardi
- 117.5
- O'Conner
- 112.5
Training weights
| Reps | Percent | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100% | 114.8 |
| 2 | 95% | 109 |
| 3 | 93% | 106.7 |
| 4 | 90% | 103.3 |
| 5 | 87% | 99.9 |
| 6 | 85% | 97.6 |
| 8 | 80% | 91.8 |
| 10 | 75% | 86.1 |
| 12 | 70% | 80.3 |
| 15 | 65% | 74.6 |
Percentages are the ranges programs are written against. They are a starting point for picking a weight, not a promise about how many reps you will get on the day.
What the four formulas are
- Epley
- The most widely used. Runs high above about ten reps.
- Brzycki
- Close to Epley at low reps, more conservative as reps climb.
- Lombardi
- A power curve. The most conservative of the four at high reps.
- O'Conner
- Epley flattened. Sits lowest across most of the rep range.
How it works
The deadlift is the lift where estimated maxes need the most caution. Long sets end because the grip gives out or the lower back stops holding position, and neither of those is what limits a single.
Use a set of three to five. Inside that range the formulas track well. Past eight reps the estimate drifts low, sometimes by a lot, because the set ended for reasons a single never encounters.
Enter the weight and reps and the calculator returns the spread and the training percentages. A hundred and forty kilos for three comes out near one hundred and fifty-three.
Of the three big lifts, the deadlift is the most reasonable to test directly. A failed attempt simply does not leave the floor. The thing to watch is your back position under a maximal load, and the moment it rounds the attempt is over regardless of whether the bar is moving.
Questions
- Why are deadlift estimates less reliable?
- Because grip and lower back endurance fail before the muscles do on long sets. A set of ten deadlifts ends for reasons that have little to do with what a single would be.
- How many reps should I estimate from?
- Three to five. Past five, the deadlift estimate drifts low, and past eight it is close to meaningless.
- Is the deadlift safe to test directly?
- Safer than most lifts, because a failed rep simply stays on the floor. The risk is form breaking down under a maximal load rather than the bar trapping you.