Rep Max Conversion
Rep Max Converter
Enter any rep max you already know, such as your 5RM, and convert it into every other rep max from one to fifteen. Averaged across five formulas in both directions, in pounds or kilograms.
Every Rep Max From 1 to 15
The row you entered is outlined. Everything else is converted from it.
| Rep max | Weight | % of 1RM | Best used for |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 rep max (1RM) | 260 lb | 100% | Peaking and max testing |
| 2 rep max | 247 lb | 95% | Peaking and max testing |
| 3 rep max | 239 lb | 92% | Strength work |
| 4 rep max | 232 lb | 89% | Strength work |
| 5 rep max | 225 lb | 87% | Strength work |
| 6 rep max | 219 lb | 84% | Strength and size |
| 7 rep max | 213 lb | 82% | Strength and size |
| 8 rep max | 207 lb | 80% | Strength and size |
| 9 rep max | 202 lb | 78% | Muscle building |
| 10 rep max | 196 lb | 75% | Muscle building |
| 11 rep max | 191 lb | 74% | Muscle building |
| 12 rep max | 186 lb | 72% | Muscle building |
| 13 rep max | 181 lb | 70% | Work capacity |
| 14 rep max | 177 lb | 68% | Work capacity |
| 15 rep max | 172 lb | 66% | Work capacity |
Looking for training weights at a given percentage instead of a rep count? The percentage chart lays out every percent of your max in one table.
How the Rep Max Converter Works
Any rep max in, every other rep max out.
A rep max is simply the heaviest weight you can lift for a given number of reps. Your 5RM is the most you can move for five, your 10RM the most for ten. They are all describing the same strength from different angles, which is why one can be converted into another.
The conversion runs in two steps. First the weight and reps you entered go through five established prediction equations, Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, Lander and Wathan, and the results are averaged into a single one-rep max. Then each of those same five equations is run backwards from that max to work out the weight for one rep, two reps, and so on to fifteen, and those results are averaged too. Using all five in both directions stops any single formula's bias from steering the answer.
Because the maths is symmetrical, the row matching what you entered comes back to almost exactly the weight you typed in. That is a useful sanity check rather than a coincidence.
These five equations are long established one-rep-max prediction formulas from strength training research. For coaching and testing standards the recognised professional body is the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Every rep-max table on this site now runs the same five equations in both directions and averages them, so the tables on the individual lift pages agree with this converter exactly. Estimates are guidance, not coaching or medical advice.
A Worked Example
One set of five, converted in both directions.
Say you benched 225 lb for 5 reps. The five formulas put your one-rep max near 260 lb. Run them backwards and your 3RM lands near 239 lb and your 10RM near 196 lb. Nothing was measured except that one set. Everything else is inference.
That is the practical value of the table. A program that calls for a heavy triple does not have to send you hunting for a triple you have never taken. You already have a defensible starting weight, and the first honest set will tell you whether it was close.
How Far to Trust It
Accuracy is not the same at both ends of the table.
Conversions are tightest between about one and six reps, where the formulas agree closely with each other and with what people actually lift. Past ten reps they spread out, because how many reps someone gets at a given percentage depends on muscular endurance, on how well they pace a long set, and on how comfortable they are being close to failure. Two lifters with an identical 1RM can be several reps apart at 70 percent.
The lift matters too. Deadlifts usually give fewer reps at a given percentage than the bench press, so a converted 10RM deadlift tends to read high. Grip, breathing and the fact that each rep starts from a dead stop all eat into it.
Treat any converted number as a starting weight for the first set, not a promise. If the bar moves faster than expected, add weight next time. If it grinds, take some off. Retest with a real set whenever a number stops matching what happens under the bar, and remember that a rep max only counts if the reps were clean.
More Rep Max Tools
Go straight to the number you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What people ask about converting between rep maxes.
What is a rep max?
A rep max is the heaviest weight you can lift for a set number of reps with good form. A 5RM is the most you can lift for five reps. The number written in front of RM is always the rep count, so 1RM is a single.
How do you convert a 5 rep max to a 1 rep max?
You run the weight and rep count through a prediction formula. A 5RM is commonly around 85 to 87 percent of a one-rep max, so a 225 lb five-rep max points to a single near 260 lb. This page averages five formulas rather than relying on one.
Is a converted rep max as good as a tested one?
No, but it is close enough to program from, and it costs nothing. Conversions are most accurate between one and six reps. Above ten reps the spread between lifters widens, so treat those rows as a starting point.
Does this page agree with the rep max tables on the lift pages?
Yes. Every rep-max table on this site averages the same five formulas in both directions, so a set entered here and the same set entered on a lift page give the same weight at every rep count.
Which rep max should I train with?
Low rep maxes suit strength work, the middle of the table suits building strength and size together, and the higher rows suit muscle building and work capacity. The last column of the table gives a use for each row.