40 kg for 12 reps
Estimated one-rep max: about 54 kg (120 lb). The five formulas span 51–58 kg, so treat it as a range rather than a number.
Estimated one-rep max
54 kg
Mean of five published formulas. Range 51–58 kg — above ten reps every formula is extrapolating, so this is a rough guide only.
| Formula | 1RM | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Epley | 56.0 | Epley, 1985 |
| Brzycki | 57.6 | Brzycki, 1993 |
| Lombardi | 51.3 | Lombardi, 1989 |
| O'Conner | 52.0 | O'Conner et al., 1989 |
| Mayhew | 54.2 | Mayhew et al., 1992 |
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
So is 54 kg a good bench press?
If that lift is a bench press, 54 kg (120 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% | 51.5 |
| 90% | 48.8 |
| 85% | 46.1 |
| 80% | 43.4 |
| 75% | 40.7 |
| 70% | 37.9 |
| 65% | 35.2 |
| 60% | 32.5 |
| 55% | 29.8 |
| 50% | 27.1 |
A sensible warm-up to it
| Step | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 21.7 | 5 |
| 55% | 29.8 | 5 |
| 70% | 37.9 | 3 |
| 80% | 43.4 | 2 |
| 90% | 48.8 | 1 |
| Working | 54.2 | 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 40 kg, so the estimate for any set you actually did is one click away.
40 kg × 2
1RM 43 kg
40 kg × 3
1RM 44 kg
40 kg × 4
1RM 45 kg
40 kg × 5
1RM 46 kg
40 kg × 6
1RM 47 kg
40 kg × 7
1RM 48 kg
40 kg × 8
1RM 50 kg
40 kg × 9
1RM 51 kg
40 kg × 10
1RM 52 kg
40 kg × 11
1RM 53 kg
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
40 kg × 12 — common questions
What is my one-rep max if I lift 40 kg for 12 reps?
About 54 kg (120 lb), taken as the mean of the Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner and Mayhew formulas. Individually they give 51 to 58 kg, so the range is the honest answer — and above ten reps all five are extrapolating past the data they were fitted on.
Is 54 kg a good bench press?
If the lift is a bench press, 54 kg (120 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 22 kg × 5, 30 kg × 5, 38 kg × 3, 43 kg × 2, 49 kg × 1, then the working single at 54 kg. It is a conventional ladder rather than a rule; the test is that the last warm-up still moves fast.