Part of the data ring
WHITELIGHTS

Real judged lifts. Zero self-reported numbers. This is what strong actually is.

One-rep max

220 kg for 2 reps

Estimated one-rep max: about 235 kg (517 lb). The five formulas span 226–245 kg, so treat it as a range rather than a number.

Estimated one-rep max

235 kg

Mean of five published formulas. Range 226245 kg.

Formula1RMSource
Epley234.7Epley, 1985
Brzycki226.3Brzycki, 1993
Lombardi235.8Lombardi, 1989
O'Conner231.0O'Conner et al., 1989
Mayhew245.2Mayhew et al., 1992

SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026

So is 235 kg a good bench press?

If that lift is a bench press, 235 kg (517 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.

SOURCE·Judged competition results (OpenPowerlifting)·29,914 judged bench presses, men 82.5–87.5 kg·REVIEWED JUL 2026

Percentages of that max

% of 1RMWeight
95%222.9
90%211.1
85%199.4
80%187.7
75%175.9
70%164.2
65%152.5
60%140.7
55%129.0
50%117.3

A sensible warm-up to it

StepWeightReps
40%93.85
55%129.05
70%164.23
80%187.72
90%211.11
Working234.61

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 220 kg, so the estimate for any set you actually did is one click away.

SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026

220 kg × 2 — common questions

What is my one-rep max if I lift 220 kg for 2 reps?

About 235 kg (517 lb), taken as the mean of the Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner and Mayhew formulas. Individually they give 226 to 245 kg, so the range is the honest answer.

Is 235 kg a good bench press?

If the lift is a bench press, 235 kg (517 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 94 kg × 5, 129 kg × 5, 164 kg × 3, 188 kg × 2, 211 kg × 1, then the working single at 235 kg. It is a conventional ladder rather than a rule; the test is that the last warm-up still moves fast.

See all 10 sites in this family, with what each one answers

Published by

Amit Sharma

Auckland real-estate agent and marketer. Builds free, sourced data tools.