Bench Press 1RM from 8 Reps — Epley and Brzycki Estimate
bench press 1rm from 8 reps — the answer, worked out below, is about 100.3 kg for your one-rep max, if you can bench press 80 kg for 8 reps. The two published formulas disagree slightly: Epley (1985) gives 101.3 kg and Brzycki (1993) gives 99.3 kg, so this page uses their average of 100.3 kg as the working figure and shows you the full percentage table built from it. The worked example uses 80 kg for 8 reps as the input — plug your own numbers into the one-rep-max calculator and the same formulas give your personal estimate.
A one-rep max is never measured by guessing: it is estimated from a submaximal set, and the estimate is only as good as the set it comes from. A set of 8 reps sits in the accurate zone for both formulas (both lose accuracy above 10 reps), so a bench press estimate from 8 reps is about as trustworthy as a formula estimate gets — typically within a few kilograms of a true tested max, provided the set was taken close to failure with good form.
The bench press is the barbell push: chest, triceps, and shoulders (the primary muscles listed for this lift in the FitCalc data), done with a barbell. It is also the lift most people test first, which is exactly why it deserves a careful estimate rather than a gym-floor guess — a wrong number here sets every working weight in the programme wrong with it.
Work out your own 1RM
Use the one-rep-max calculator for any lift and any rep count — enter the weight and the reps and it returns both the Epley and Brzycki estimates. The bench press 1RM calculator does the same thing specialised for this lift. Both formulas are estimates, not measurements: they agree with the figures on this page to the kilogram because they are the same arithmetic.
The formulas, shown and cited
Epley (1985): 1RM = weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30)
Brzycki (1993): 1RM = weight × 36 ÷ (37 − reps)
Both formulas come from the published strength literature: Epley (Boyd Epley, 1985, the Epley workout) and Brzycki (Matt Brzycki, 1993, Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance). Neither is a measurement — both are regressions fitted to lifters doing submaximal sets, and both are most accurate from sets of 10 reps or fewer. At 8 reps, both are in their accurate range, which is why this page can quote them with reasonable confidence.
Working it through for this page, with an 80 kg set of 8 reps:
Epley: 80 × (1 + 8 ÷ 30) = 80 × 1.267 = 101.3 kg
Brzycki: 80 × 36 ÷ (37 − 8) = 80 × 36 ÷ 29 = 99.3 kg
Working 1RM (average of the two): (101.3 + 99.3) ÷ 2 = 100.3 kg
The two formulas differ by 2.0 kg here — a small gap, which is what you expect at 8 reps. If the gap were large, that would be a warning sign: either the set was not close to failure, or the rep count is high enough that the formulas are drifting apart. Treat the average as your training number and the two individual figures as the error band around it.
Your 1RM from a set of 8 reps
The table below applies both formulas to a range of bench press weights lifted for 8 reps, so you can read off your estimate without doing the arithmetic:
| Weight lifted for 8 reps | Epley 1RM | Brzycki 1RM | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 76.0 kg | 74.5 kg | 75.2 kg |
| 70 kg | 88.7 kg | 86.9 kg | 87.8 kg |
| 80 kg | 101.3 kg | 99.3 kg | 100.3 kg |
| 90 kg | 114.0 kg | 111.7 kg | 112.9 kg |
| 100 kg | 126.7 kg | 124.1 kg | 125.4 kg |
Use the row that matches the weight you actually lifted for 8 good reps — reps done with a full range of motion, bar touching the chest, no bouncing, and the last rep genuinely hard. A set that stopped two reps short of failure will understate your max by roughly 5 to 7 kg; a set with sloppy form overstates it. The estimate is only as honest as the set.
Training percentages for a 100.3 kg bench press max
Most programmes do not train at 100% — they train at a percentage of the max. The table below converts the 100.3 kg working max into working weights:
| % of 1RM | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|
| 50% | 50.2 kg |
| 60% | 60.2 kg |
| 70% | 70.2 kg |
| 75% | 75.2 kg |
| 80% | 80.3 kg |
| 85% | 85.3 kg |
| 90% | 90.3 kg |
| 95% | 95.3 kg |
| 100% | 100.3 kg |
How to read it: strength work lives at 80 to 90% (80.3 to 90.3 kg) for sets of 3 to 6 reps; hypertrophy work at 65 to 80% (65.2 to 80.3 kg) for sets of 8 to 12; technique and speed work at 50 to 65% (50.2 to 65.2 kg). If you are following a percentage-based programme, use this table rather than re-deriving the numbers each session — and re-test (or re-estimate) every 8 to 12 weeks, because a max that has gone up by 5 kg moves every working weight with it.
How to use the result
Start from the percentages, not from the max itself. A bench press programme built on a 100.3 kg max means your heavy day is around 85.3 kg for sets of 4 to 5, your volume day around 72.2 kg for sets of 8, and your light day around 60.2 kg for technique work. Progress by adding 2.5 kg to the bar when you complete all prescribed sets and reps with good form — the smallest plate in most gyms — rather than by jumping to a new max every week.
Test safely. Never test a true one-rep max alone: use a spotter, set the safety pins, and warm up in steps (bar × 10, 50% × 5, 70% × 3, 85% × 1) before any heavy single. In practice, most lifters never need a true tested max at all — the estimate from a 8-rep set on this page is accurate enough to set every working weight, and it carries none of the injury risk of a maximal single. Re-estimate from a fresh 8-rep set every couple of months instead.
And remember the safety frame for everything on this site: results are estimates, not medical advice, and daily intakes below 1,200 kcal (women) or 1,500 kcal (men) need medical supervision. Strength training is safe for most healthy adults, but if you have a shoulder, chest, or blood-pressure condition, check with a healthcare professional before heavy pressing.
What the estimate does NOT tell you
Both formulas lose accuracy above 10 reps, and they say nothing about your technique, your sticking point, or your injury history — a lifter who fails halfway up needs different training from one who fails at lockout, and no formula can see that. The estimate also assumes the set was taken close to failure: a comfortable set of 8 understates the max, and a set done with a bounce off the chest overstates it.
Bodyweight matters too. A 100.3 kg bench press means something different at 70 kg bodyweight than at 100 kg, and the formulas do not adjust for it — compare yourself against strength standards for your bodyweight (the strength standards calculator does that) rather than against other lifters' absolute numbers. Finally, a 1RM is a snapshot: it moves with sleep, food, and training, and a single estimate is a starting point for a programme, not a verdict on your strength.
Related pages
- Bench Press 1RM from 5 Reps — Epley and Brzycki Estimate
- Bench Press 1RM from 6 Reps — Epley and Brzycki Estimate
- Bench press 1RM from 3 reps
- One-rep-max hub
Frequently asked questions
What is my bench press 1RM from 8 reps?
From an 80 kg set of 8 reps, Epley gives 101.3 kg and Brzycki gives 99.3 kg — an average of 100.3 kg. Plug your own weight into the table above or the one-rep-max calculator for your personal figure.
Which formula is better, Epley or Brzycki?
At 8 reps they agree within 2.0 kg, so either is fine — the average is the safest working number. Epley tends to run slightly higher at higher rep counts, Brzycki slightly lower; the gap widens above 10 reps, which is why both formulas are quoted together rather than one alone.
How accurate is a 1RM estimate from 8 reps?
Good: 8 reps is inside the accurate range for both formulas (10 reps or fewer), so the estimate is typically within a few kilograms of a true tested max — provided the set was taken close to failure with strict form. Above 10 reps, accuracy falls off quickly.
What weight should I train with if my bench press max is 100.3 kg?
Strength work at 80 to 90% (80.3 to 90.3 kg) for sets of 3 to 6, hypertrophy at 65 to 80% (65.2 to 80.3 kg) for sets of 8 to 12, and technique work at 50 to 65%. The full table is above.
Do I need to test a true one-rep max?
Usually not. The estimate from a 8-rep set is accurate enough to set every working weight, and a maximal single carries real injury risk — always use a spotter and safety pins if you do test one. Re-estimate from a fresh 8-rep set every 8 to 12 weeks instead.
Why is my bench press 1RM estimate different from my gym max?
Most often because the input set was not close to failure, or form differed (bounce, partial range, spotter assistance). Re-test with a strict 8-rep set taken to near failure, and use the same form every time you estimate — consistency matters more than any single number.
Estimates only, not medical advice. Minimum safe intakes: 1,200 kcal/day women, 1,500 kcal/day men — consult a healthcare professional before a very-low-calorie diet.