Enter a weight and reps to see your estimated max, training weights and a rep-max chart.
Example: 225 lb for 5 reps.
Estimate your one-rep max strict overhead press from a recent set and get training weights rounded for the small jumps pressing needs.
How this overhead press calculator works
Enter a set you did recently: the weight and how many clean reps you completed before you would have failed. The calculator runs seven published estimation formulas and shows their average, the spread between them, and the weights you would use at each training percentage. Everything runs in your browser.
Worked example: Overhead press 115 lb × 5
- Epley: 115 × (1 + 5/30) = 134.2 lb
- Brzycki: 115 × 36 / (37 − 5) = 129.4 lb
- All seven formulas range from 129.4 to 136.9 lb; their average is 132.8 lb, which rounds to 135 lb.
- A working set at 80% of that estimate is 106.3 lb, or 105 lb after rounding to 5 lb.
Getting a reliable overhead press estimate
- Strict reps only. No knee bend or leg drive. If you had to dip, that rep was a push press.
- Full lockout. Count reps that finish with arms straight and the bar over your mid-foot.
- Keep sets short. 3–6 reps keeps fatigue in your shoulders and triceps from skewing the result.
- Use small plates. Rounding to 2.5 lb or 1.25 kg is the default here because a 5 lb jump can be 4% or more of a press.
Pressing safely
Press inside a rack with the safety arms set at upper-chest height so you can step back and lower a failed rep. Brace your trunk and squeeze your glutes to avoid leaning back excessively as the set gets hard.
Overhead press 1RM chart (lb)
| Weight (lb) | 2 reps | 3 reps | 4 reps | 5 reps | 6 reps | 8 reps | 10 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 65 | 69 | 71 | 73 | 75 | 77 | 81 | 85 |
| 85 | 90 | 93 | 96 | 98 | 101 | 106 | 111 |
| 95 | 101 | 104 | 107 | 110 | 113 | 118 | 124 |
| 115 | 122 | 126 | 129 | 133 | 136 | 143 | 151 |
| 135 | 143 | 148 | 152 | 156 | 160 | 168 | 177 |
| 155 | 164 | 169 | 174 | 179 | 184 | 193 | 203 |
| 175 | 186 | 191 | 197 | 202 | 207 | 218 | 229 |
| 185 | 196 | 202 | 208 | 214 | 219 | 231 | 242 |
| 225 | 239 | 246 | 253 | 260 | 267 | 281 | 295 |
Each cell is the average of seven formulas, rounded to the nearest lb. Read across from the weight you lifted to the reps you got.
Overhead press 1RM chart (kg)
| Weight (kg) | 2 reps | 3 reps | 4 reps | 5 reps | 6 reps | 8 reps | 10 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 39 |
| 40 | 42 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 50 | 52 |
| 45 | 48 | 49 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 56 | 59 |
| 50 | 53 | 55 | 56 | 58 | 59 | 62 | 66 |
| 60 | 64 | 66 | 67 | 69 | 71 | 75 | 79 |
| 70 | 74 | 77 | 79 | 81 | 83 | 87 | 92 |
| 80 | 85 | 87 | 90 | 92 | 95 | 100 | 105 |
| 90 | 95 | 98 | 101 | 104 | 107 | 112 | 118 |
| 100 | 106 | 109 | 112 | 115 | 119 | 125 | 131 |
Each cell is the average of seven formulas, rounded to the nearest kg. Read across from the weight you lifted to the reps you got.
Frequently asked questions
Strict press or push press: which should I enter?
Only strict presses (no leg drive) give an overhead press estimate. A push press uses your legs and will overstate a strict max by a wide margin. Estimate push presses separately as "Other exercise".
Why does the overhead press calculator round to 2.5 lb?
Press numbers move in small steps, and a 5 lb jump is a bigger percentage of a 115 lb press than of a 315 lb squat. The default rounding is 2.5 lb (1.25 kg). Change it in the advanced options to match the plates you own.
Seated or standing?
Most lifters press more seated with back support. The formulas cannot tell the difference, so stick to one version when tracking progress.
Is my high-rep press set reliable?
Press sets above about 8 reps often end from shoulder or triceps fatigue rather than true strength limits. A heavy set of 3–6 reps gives a tighter estimate.