65 kg for 12 reps
Estimated one-rep max: about 88 kg (194 lb). The five formulas span 83–94 kg, so treat it as a range rather than a number.
Estimated one-rep max
88 kg
Mean of five published formulas. Range 83–94 kg — above ten reps every formula is extrapolating, so this is a rough guide only.
| Formula | 1RM | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Epley | 91.0 | Epley, 1985 |
| Brzycki | 93.6 | Brzycki, 1993 |
| Lombardi | 83.3 | Lombardi, 1989 |
| O'Conner | 84.5 | O'Conner et al., 1989 |
| Mayhew | 88.0 | Mayhew et al., 1992 |
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
So is 88 kg a good bench press?
If that lift is a bench press, 88 kg (194 lb) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 8th 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% | 83.7 |
| 90% | 79.3 |
| 85% | 74.9 |
| 80% | 70.5 |
| 75% | 66.1 |
| 70% | 61.7 |
| 65% | 57.3 |
| 60% | 52.9 |
| 55% | 48.4 |
| 50% | 44.0 |
A sensible warm-up to it
| Step | Weight | Reps |
|---|---|---|
| 40% | 35.2 | 5 |
| 55% | 48.4 | 5 |
| 70% | 61.7 | 3 |
| 80% | 70.5 | 2 |
| 90% | 79.3 | 1 |
| Working | 88.1 | 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 65 kg, so the estimate for any set you actually did is one click away.
65 kg × 2
1RM 69 kg
65 kg × 3
1RM 71 kg
65 kg × 4
1RM 73 kg
65 kg × 5
1RM 75 kg
65 kg × 6
1RM 77 kg
65 kg × 7
1RM 79 kg
65 kg × 8
1RM 81 kg
65 kg × 9
1RM 82 kg
65 kg × 10
1RM 84 kg
65 kg × 11
1RM 86 kg
SOURCE·Published formulae — Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi; IPF GL and DOTS coefficients·REVIEWED JUL 2026
65 kg × 12 — common questions
What is my one-rep max if I lift 65 kg for 12 reps?
About 88 kg (194 lb), taken as the mean of the Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O'Conner and Mayhew formulas. Individually they give 83 to 94 kg, so the range is the honest answer — and above ten reps all five are extrapolating past the data they were fitted on.
Is 88 kg a good bench press?
If the lift is a bench press, 88 kg (194 lb) puts a man at 82.5–87.5 kg bodyweight at the 8th 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 35 kg × 5, 48 kg × 5, 62 kg × 3, 70 kg × 2, 79 kg × 1, then the working single at 88 kg. It is a conventional ladder rather than a rule; the test is that the last warm-up still moves fast.