165 kg for 12 reps
Estimated one-rep max: about 224 kg (493 lb). The five formulas span 212–238 kg, so treat it as a range rather than a number.
Estimated one-rep max
224 kg
Mean of five published formulas. Range 212–238 kg — above ten reps every formula is extrapolating, so this is a rough guide only.
| Formula | 1RM | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Epley | 231.0 | Epley, 1985 |
| Brzycki | 237.6 | Brzycki, 1993 |
| Lombardi | 211.5 | Lombardi, 1989 |
| O'Conner | 214.5 | O'Conner et al., 1989 |
| Mayhew | 223.4 | Mayhew et al., 1992 |
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
So is 224 kg a good bench press?
If that lift is a bench press, 224 kg (493 lb) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 99th percentile of 29,914 judged competition benches — world-class. 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% | 212.4 |
| 90% | 201.2 |
| 85% | 190.1 |
| 80% | 178.9 |
| 75% | 167.7 |
| 70% | 156.5 |
| 65% | 145.3 |
| 60% | 134.2 |
| 55% | 123.0 |
| 50% | 111.8 |
A sensible warm-up to it
| Step | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 89.4 | 5 |
| 55% | 123.0 | 5 |
| 70% | 156.5 | 3 |
| 80% | 178.9 | 2 |
| 90% | 201.2 | 1 |
| Working | 223.6 | 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 165 kg, so the estimate for any set you actually did is one click away.
165 kg × 2
1RM 176 kg
165 kg × 3
1RM 181 kg
165 kg × 4
1RM 186 kg
165 kg × 5
1RM 191 kg
165 kg × 6
1RM 195 kg
165 kg × 7
1RM 200 kg
165 kg × 8
1RM 205 kg
165 kg × 9
1RM 209 kg
165 kg × 10
1RM 214 kg
165 kg × 11
1RM 219 kg
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
165 kg × 12 — common questions
What is my one-rep max if I lift 165 kg for 12 reps?
About 224 kg (493 lb), taken as the mean of the Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner and Mayhew formulas. Individually they give 212 to 238 kg, so the range is the honest answer — and above ten reps all five are extrapolating past the data they were fitted on.
Is 224 kg a good bench press?
If the lift is a bench press, 224 kg (493 lb) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 99th percentile of 29,914 judged competition benches — world-class. That population all competed, so it is stronger than a gym average.
What should I warm up with?
The ramp below runs 89 kg × 5, 123 kg × 5, 157 kg × 3, 179 kg × 2, 201 kg × 1, then the working single at 224 kg. It is a conventional ladder rather than a rule; the test is that the last warm-up still moves fast.