155 lb for 5 reps
Estimated one-rep max: about 179 lb (81 kg). The five formulas span 174–184 lb, so treat it as a range rather than a number.
Estimated one-rep max
81 kg
Mean of five published formulas. Range 79–84 kg.
| Formula | 1RM | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Epley | 82.0 | Epley, 1985 |
| Brzycki | 79.1 | Brzycki, 1993 |
| Lombardi | 82.6 | Lombardi, 1989 |
| O'Conner | 79.1 | O'Conner et al., 1989 |
| Mayhew | 83.7 | Mayhew et al., 1992 |
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
So is 179 lb a good bench press?
If that lift is a bench press, 179 lb (81 kg) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 6th percentile of 29,914 judged competition benches — novice. For a squat or a deadlift the same weight ranks lower, because those lifts are heavier for everyone.
Bench standards
Full curve for this class
Open →Squat standards
Same class, different lift
Open →Deadlift standards
Same class, different lift
Open →SOURCE·Judged competition results (OpenPowerlifting)·29,914 judged bench presses, men 82.5–87.5 kg·REVIEWED JUL 2026
Percentages of that max
| % of 1RM | Weight |
|---|---|
| 95% | 77.2 |
| 90% | 73.2 |
| 85% | 69.1 |
| 80% | 65.0 |
| 75% | 61.0 |
| 70% | 56.9 |
| 65% | 52.8 |
| 60% | 48.8 |
| 55% | 44.7 |
| 50% | 40.6 |
A sensible warm-up to it
| Step | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 32.5 | 5 |
| 55% | 44.7 | 5 |
| 70% | 56.9 | 3 |
| 80% | 65.0 | 2 |
| 90% | 73.2 | 1 |
| Working | 81.3 | 1 |
A conventional ramp, not the ramp. Add or remove steps to taste — the point is to arrive warm and not tired.
Same weight, other rep counts
The whole rep range for 155 lb, so the estimate for any set you actually did is one click away.
155 lb × 2
1RM 165 lb
155 lb × 3
1RM 170 lb
155 lb × 4
1RM 175 lb
155 lb × 6
1RM 184 lb
155 lb × 7
1RM 188 lb
155 lb × 8
1RM 192 lb
155 lb × 9
1RM 197 lb
155 lb × 10
1RM 201 lb
155 lb × 11
1RM 206 lb
155 lb × 12
1RM 210 lb
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
155 lb × 5 — common questions
What is my one-rep max if I lift 155 lb for 5 reps?
About 179 lb (81 kg), taken as the mean of the Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner and Mayhew formulas. Individually they give 174 to 184 lb, so the range is the honest answer.
Is 179 lb a good bench press?
If the lift is a bench press, 179 lb (81 kg) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 6th percentile of 29,914 judged competition benches — novice. That population all competed, so it is stronger than a gym average.
What should I warm up with?
The ramp below runs 72 lb × 5, 99 lb × 5, 125 lb × 3, 143 lb × 2, 161 lb × 1, then the working single at 179 lb. It is a conventional ladder rather than a rule; the test is that the last warm-up still moves fast.