185 kg for 12 reps
Estimated one-rep max: about 251 kg (553 lb). The five formulas span 237–266 kg, so treat it as a range rather than a number.
Estimated one-rep max
251 kg
Mean of five published formulas. Range 237–266 kg — above ten reps every formula is extrapolating, so this is a rough guide only.
| Formula | 1RM | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Epley | 259.0 | Epley, 1985 |
| Brzycki | 266.4 | Brzycki, 1993 |
| Lombardi | 237.2 | Lombardi, 1989 |
| O'Conner | 240.5 | O'Conner et al., 1989 |
| Mayhew | 250.5 | Mayhew et al., 1992 |
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
So is 251 kg a good bench press?
If that lift is a bench press, 251 kg (553 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% | 238.2 |
| 90% | 225.6 |
| 85% | 213.1 |
| 80% | 200.6 |
| 75% | 188.0 |
| 70% | 175.5 |
| 65% | 163.0 |
| 60% | 150.4 |
| 55% | 137.9 |
| 50% | 125.4 |
A sensible warm-up to it
| Step | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 100.3 | 5 |
| 55% | 137.9 | 5 |
| 70% | 175.5 | 3 |
| 80% | 200.6 | 2 |
| 90% | 225.6 | 1 |
| Working | 250.7 | 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 185 kg, so the estimate for any set you actually did is one click away.
185 kg × 2
1RM 197 kg
185 kg × 3
1RM 203 kg
185 kg × 4
1RM 209 kg
185 kg × 5
1RM 214 kg
185 kg × 6
1RM 219 kg
185 kg × 7
1RM 224 kg
185 kg × 8
1RM 229 kg
185 kg × 9
1RM 235 kg
185 kg × 10
1RM 240 kg
185 kg × 11
1RM 245 kg
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
185 kg × 12 — common questions
What is my one-rep max if I lift 185 kg for 12 reps?
About 251 kg (553 lb), taken as the mean of the Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner and Mayhew formulas. Individually they give 237 to 266 kg, so the range is the honest answer — and above ten reps all five are extrapolating past the data they were fitted on.
Is 251 kg a good bench press?
If the lift is a bench press, 251 kg (553 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 100 kg × 5, 138 kg × 5, 176 kg × 3, 201 kg × 2, 226 kg × 1, then the working single at 251 kg. It is a conventional ladder rather than a rule; the test is that the last warm-up still moves fast.