20 kg for 7 reps
Estimated one-rep max: about 24 kg (53 lb). The five formulas span 24–25 kg, so treat it as a range rather than a number.
Estimated one-rep max
24 kg
Mean of five published formulas. Range 24–25 kg.
| Formula | 1RM | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Epley | 24.7 | Epley, 1985 |
| Brzycki | 24.0 | Brzycki, 1993 |
| Lombardi | 24.3 | Lombardi, 1989 |
| O'Conner | 23.5 | O'Conner et al., 1989 |
| Mayhew | 24.8 | Mayhew et al., 1992 |
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
So is 24 kg a good bench press?
If that lift is a bench press, 24 kg (53 lb) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 1st 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% | 23.0 |
| 90% | 21.8 |
| 85% | 20.6 |
| 80% | 19.4 |
| 75% | 18.2 |
| 70% | 17.0 |
| 65% | 15.8 |
| 60% | 14.5 |
| 55% | 13.3 |
| 50% | 12.1 |
A sensible warm-up to it
| Step | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 9.7 | 5 |
| 55% | 13.3 | 5 |
| 70% | 17.0 | 3 |
| 80% | 19.4 | 2 |
| 90% | 21.8 | 1 |
| Working | 24.2 | 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 20 kg, so the estimate for any set you actually did is one click away.
20 kg × 2
1RM 21 kg
20 kg × 3
1RM 22 kg
20 kg × 4
1RM 23 kg
20 kg × 5
1RM 23 kg
20 kg × 6
1RM 24 kg
20 kg × 8
1RM 25 kg
20 kg × 9
1RM 25 kg
20 kg × 10
1RM 26 kg
20 kg × 11
1RM 27 kg
20 kg × 12
1RM 27 kg
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
20 kg × 7 — common questions
What is my one-rep max if I lift 20 kg for 7 reps?
About 24 kg (53 lb), taken as the mean of the Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner and Mayhew formulas. Individually they give 24 to 25 kg, so the range is the honest answer.
Is 24 kg a good bench press?
If the lift is a bench press, 24 kg (53 lb) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 1st 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 10 kg × 5, 13 kg × 5, 17 kg × 3, 19 kg × 2, 22 kg × 1, then the working single at 24 kg. It is a conventional ladder rather than a rule; the test is that the last warm-up still moves fast.