Squat calculator.
Enter the weight you squatted and how many reps you hit, and this squat 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%.
By Markus Evers Updated June 27, 2026 Method: Epley + Brzycki 1RM estimate
Sources
- Epley B (1985), Boyd Epley Workout (poundage chart)
- Brzycki M (1993), Journal of Physical Education, Recreation and Dance
your set
estimated squat 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, use safety pins or a rack, and have a spotter near maximal loads.
the short answer
A squat 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, 225 lb for 5 reps gives 262.5 lb by Epley, which this calculator shows as 265 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 a squat 1RM is and how it's calculated.
Your one-rep max (1RM) is the heaviest weight you could squat for a single clean rep. Testing a true 1RM under the bar is risky and fatiguing, 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.
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 reps they drift apart, which is why this tool is most accurate in the 2 to 8 rep range. Once it has your estimated 1RM, the calculator multiplies it by each percentage (95%, 90%, 85% and so on) to give you concrete working weights and the rep count you'd typically expect at each load.
The same method works for any barbell lift. Bench and deadlift use the exact same Epley and Brzycki formulas - just enter the weight and reps for that lift. Because the squat often lets you grind a few extra reps at a given percentage, treat the higher-rep squat estimates as slightly optimistic and load your sets from how they actually feel.
How coaches use a squat 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%. When the client's logged sets start beating the predicted reps, it's a clean signal to re-estimate and progress the load. For how to actually drive that progression - overload as a rising net stimulus, not just a heavier bar every session - our breakdown of Paul Carter on progressive overload is the coaching companion.
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 the 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. If you program for lifters, see our guide to powerlifting coaching software.
Turn the estimate into a 4-week squat block
Paste the estimated max and the percentage rows and the model lays out four weeks of sets, reps and loads with a deload and a retest rule, without changing the number. The wider workflow is ChatGPT for programme design as a coach.
Turn the estimate into a 4-week squat block
When to use it: After the estimate, when you write the next block.
What to paste in: The estimated 1RM, the weight and reps it came from, the percentage rows, training age, goal, a client ID.
This squat calculator estimates a one rep max of [1RM] kg from [WEIGHT] kg for [REPS] reps (training age [YEARS], goal [GOAL]). Using the percentage table the calculator shows ([PASTE THE ROWS]), write a 4-week squat block: sets, reps and load each week at those percentages, week 4 a deload at 60 to 65 percent, no week above 90 percent, and the retest rule. Do not add other exercises. Do not change the calculator's numbers; do not add medical advice; if anything needed is missing, ask me before assuming. Client ID [ID], no name.
Frequently asked questions.
How does a squat calculator work?
A squat calculator estimates your one-rep max (1RM) from a weight you can squat 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, from heavy singles down to volume sets.
Can I use this as a squat PR calculator?
Yes. Your one-rep max is essentially your squat PR (personal record) - the heaviest weight you could lift for a single clean rep - so estimating your 1RM tells you the PR you are tracking toward. Enter a recent hard set and this squat PR calculator projects that single without you having to attempt a risky maximal lift. When your logged sets start beating the reps the calculator predicts, a new PR is within reach, so re-run it from a fresh set of 3 to 6 reps.
How accurate is a squat 1RM calculator?
A squat 1RM calculator is an estimate, not a measured max. It is most reliable in the 2 to 8 rep range and gets less accurate above about 10 reps, where rep-max formulas drift apart. Squats often let you grind a few extra reps at a given load, so treat the higher-rep estimates as slightly optimistic and adjust from how the working sets actually feel.
Should I use the Epley or Brzycki formula for squats?
Both are standard. Epley (weight x (1 + reps / 30)) tends to give a slightly higher 1RM at higher reps, while Brzycki (weight x 36 / (37 - reps)) is a touch more conservative. Many coaches run both and use the average. For low-rep sets of 2 to 5 the two formulas land very close together, so the choice barely matters there.
What percentage of my squat max should I lift for reps?
As a rough guide, sets near 90 to 95 percent of your squat 1RM allow about 2 to 4 reps, 80 to 85 percent allows about 6 to 8, and 70 to 75 percent allows roughly 10 to 12. Strength work usually lives at 80 percent and up; hypertrophy work sits around 65 to 80 percent. The table on this page maps each percentage to an estimated rep count.
Can I use this calculator for bench and deadlift too?
Yes. The Epley and Brzycki formulas are lift-agnostic, so the same method estimates a bench press or deadlift 1RM from a rep set. Just enter the weight and reps for that lift instead of the squat. Because lower-body lifts often grind more reps at a given percentage, the squat and deadlift higher-rep estimates can run a little high - verify against feel.
How often should I retest my squat max?
Most lifters re-estimate every 4 to 8 weeks, or whenever a working set feels clearly easier than the calculator predicts. You rarely need to test a true one-rep max in the gym - re-running this calculator from a fresh hard set of 3 to 6 reps gives a safe, updated number without the injury risk of a maximal single under the bar.
Can ChatGPT program a squat block from this estimate?
It can turn the estimate and the percentage table into four weeks of sets, reps and loads with a deload and a retest rule. It cannot judge depth or bar speed, so the loads stay prescribed percentages you adjust from the logs; the prompt on this page keeps the max unchanged and adds no exercises.
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, dial in how to squat with solid form, warm up thoroughly, set your safety pins, and use a spotter near maximal weights.
Keep going: try the one-rep max calculator for any lift or the bench press calculator - both use the same Epley and Brzycki method, just enter that lift's weight and reps. To turn a percentage into a working weight by feel, the RIR calculator converts reps in reserve into loads, and the tempo calculator shows what a prescription like 3-1-1-0 costs in time under tension. For programming, see periodization for online coaches.
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