Overhead press calculator.
Enter the weight you strict pressed and how many reps you hit, and this overhead press calculator estimates your one-rep max (1RM) using the Epley or Brzycki formula - then maps out the working weights for every training percentage from 95% down to 60%.
your set
estimated overhead press 1RM
-- lb
Enter a weight and reps, then press Calculate.
| % of 1RM | Working weight | Est. reps |
|---|---|---|
| 95% | -- | -- |
| 90% | -- | -- |
| 85% | -- | -- |
| 80% | -- | -- |
| 75% | -- | -- |
| 70% | -- | -- |
| 65% | -- | -- |
| 60% | -- | -- |
Estimates only - a 1RM calculator is a guide, not a measured max. The percentage rep counts are typical training ranges, not guarantees. Always warm up, and press inside a rack with the pins set so you can bail safely.
the short answer
An overhead press calculator estimates your one-rep max (1RM) from a weight and rep count. The Epley formula is 1RM = weight x (1 + reps / 30); the Brzycki formula is 1RM = weight x 36 / (37 - reps). For example, 135 lb for 5 strict reps gives 157.5 lb by Epley, which this calculator shows as 160 lb because it rounds to the nearest 5 lb for the gym. You then multiply the 1RM by 0.60-0.95 to set working weights for each training goal.
What an overhead press 1RM is and how it's calculated.
Your one-rep max (1RM) is the heaviest weight you could strict press overhead for a single clean rep, with no leg drive and no layback beyond a braced ribcage. Testing a true 1RM is fatiguing and, overhead, awkward to bail out of, so coaches estimate it instead from a set you can already do for a handful of reps. The two most common estimation formulas are Epley and Brzycki, both of which take the weight you lifted and the number of reps and project the single-rep load. An estimate is only as honest as the rep behind it, so it is worth getting how to overhead press right before you trust the number.
Epley: 1RM = weight x (1 + reps / 30). Brzycki: 1RM = weight x 36 / (37 - reps). Both agree almost exactly at one rep and stay close through about 6 reps; above 10 they drift apart. On the press that drift matters more than it does elsewhere, because the press has the narrowest rep range of the four barbell lifts: the bar slows sharply at the sticking point and the set tends to end abruptly rather than grinding on. Keep the input at 2 to 6 reps and the estimate stays honest.
One input rule decides whether the number is usable: enter a strict press, not a push press. A push press moves considerably more weight because the legs start the bar, so feeding one into a rep-max formula returns a 1RM you cannot actually press from a dead stop. The same formulas do work for the other lifts - the bench press calculator, squat calculator and deadlift calculator run identical maths on their own numbers.
How coaches use an overhead press calculator.
Online coaches use 1RM estimates to write percentage-based programs without making clients test a maximal single every block. A coach takes a recent hard set - say 5 reps - runs it through the calculator, and prescribes the next phase as percentages of the estimated max: heavy triples at 90%, volume work at 75%. The press needs one adjustment the other lifts do not: it progresses in far smaller jumps, often 2.5 lb or 1.25 kg, so a percentage table that rounds to the nearest 5 lb will quietly stall a client. Round the press down and let the reps carry the progress.
Doing this by hand for every lift and every client gets tedious fast. Coachway lets coaches set strength targets like this for every client automatically - so working weights update as each person gets stronger, inside a branded app they actually open. It's the same math as this free tool, applied across a full client list instead of one set at a time.
Frequently asked questions.
How does an overhead press calculator work?
An overhead press calculator estimates your one-rep max (1RM) from a weight you can strict press for a known number of reps. With the Epley formula it computes 1RM = weight x (1 + reps / 30); with Brzycki it uses 1RM = weight x 36 / (37 - reps). It then builds a percentage table so you can pick working weights for any training goal.
How accurate is an overhead press 1RM calculator?
Less accurate than the same formula on a squat or deadlift, and for a specific reason: the press has a narrow rep range. Most lifters can grind a few extra reps on the lower-body lifts, but the bar slows hard at the sticking point overhead and the set ends abruptly. Keep the input in the 2 to 6 rep range and treat anything above 8 reps as optimistic.
Should I enter a strict press or a push press?
A strict press, with no leg drive. A push press moves considerably more weight because the legs start the bar, so entering one produces a 1RM you cannot actually press. If you only have a push press number, use it for push press programming and test a strict set separately.
What is a good overhead press for my bodyweight?
On the bodyweight multiples this site uses, a male lifter reaches novice around 0.55x bodyweight, intermediate at 0.8x, advanced at 1.0x and elite at 1.25x. For female lifters the same tiers sit at 0.35x, 0.5x, 0.75x and 1.0x. The overhead press is the smallest of the four barbell lifts, so those numbers are far below the equivalent squat or deadlift standards by design.
What percentage of my max should I press for reps?
As a rough guide, sets near 90 to 95 percent of your press 1RM allow about 2 to 3 reps, 80 to 85 percent allows about 5 to 7, and 70 to 75 percent allows roughly 8 to 10. Expect a rep or two fewer than the same percentage would give you on the bench, because there is less margin overhead once the bar stalls.
How often should I retest my press max?
Every 6 to 8 weeks is plenty. The press moves in smaller jumps than the other lifts, often 2.5 lb or 1.25 kg at a time, so testing it more often mostly measures noise. Re-running this calculator from a fresh hard set of 3 to 5 reps gives an updated number without the fatigue of a maximal single.
This calculator gives estimates for general training use, not medical advice. A formula-based 1RM is a guide - load your sets from how they actually feel, warm up thoroughly, and press inside a rack with the pins set so you can bail safely.
Keep going: try the one-rep max calculator for any lift, check where the number lands with the strength standards calculator, or build the ramp up to it with the warm-up set calculator. For programming, see the best workout builder software for online coaches.
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