Dumbbell Bench Press 1RM Calculator
Enter your dumbbell weight, say whether it is one dumbbell or both together, and the reps you did to failure. You get an estimated one-rep max (1RM) per dumbbell and for the pair, plus weights for 1 to 10 reps.
Estimated 1RM per dumbbell 74.8 lb 149.7 lb for both; average of 7 formulas for 60 lb dumbbells × 8 reps
| Formula | 1RM (lb) | Rep range given |
|---|---|---|
| Epley | 76.0 | up to 10 |
| Brzycki | 74.5 | up to 10 |
| Lander | 75.1 | not specified |
| Lombardi | 73.9 | up to 11 |
| Mayhew et al. | 75.8 | up to 15 |
| O'Connor et al. | 72.0 | not specified |
| Wathen | 76.6 | not listed |
| Reps | % of 1RM | Each dumbbell (lb) | Both (lb) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 100.0% | 74.8 | 149.7 |
| 2 | 94.3% | 70.5 | 141.1 |
| 3 | 91.5% | 68.5 | 136.9 |
| 4 | 88.9% | 66.6 | 133.1 |
| 5 | 86.6% | 64.8 | 129.6 |
| 6 | 84.4% | 63.1 | 126.2 |
| 7 | 82.2% | 61.5 | 123.1 |
| 8 | 80.2% | 60.0 | 120.0 |
| 9 | 78.2% | 58.5 | 117.1 |
| 10 | 76.3% | 57.1 | 114.2 |
One dumbbell or the pair: the same estimate
The equations scale with the weight: twice the load, twice the 1RM. So you can enter one dumbbell or the total of both and get the same answer, split or added up. 60 lb dumbbells for 8 reps (120 lb in total) give 74.8 lb per dumbbell and 149.7 lb for the pair.
Dumbbell press 1RM for 30 to 100 lb dumbbells
Find the weight of one dumbbell, then read across to your reps. Double the number for the pair.
| Dumbbell (lb) | 5 reps | 8 reps | 10 reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 34.6 | 37.4 | 39.3 |
| 40 | 46.2 | 49.9 | 52.4 |
| 50 | 57.7 | 62.4 | 65.5 |
| 60 | 69.3 | 74.8 | 78.6 |
| 70 | 80.8 | 87.3 | 91.7 |
| 80 | 92.4 | 99.8 | 104.8 |
| 90 | 103.9 | 112.2 | 117.9 |
| 100 | 115.5 | 124.7 | 131.0 |
Barbell research, dumbbell press
The studies we used to check these equations tested the barbell bench press (Reynolds et al. 2006 used a 45 lb bar), the bench press in college women (Mayhew et al. 2008) and a leg press machine. We found no dumbbell-specific 1RM equation we could verify, so a dumbbell estimate carries the barbell results over to a different lift. Reynolds et al. themselves concluded that prediction equations must be exercise specific to be accurate. Mayhew et al. also suggest rep-based estimates as a gauge of progress in a specific lift, which works the same way with dumbbells: compare a new estimate with your own earlier ones.
Questions
How do I calculate my one rep max for a dumbbell press?
Press a pair of dumbbells for as many full reps as you can, up to 10, then enter one dumbbell's weight and the reps. With 50 lb dumbbells for 10 reps, the average of the seven equations is 65.5 lb per dumbbell, 131.0 lb for both.
What is 80% of your 1 rep max?
Your 1RM times 0.8: for a 1RM of 75 lb per dumbbell, 60 lb per dumbbell. By the average of the seven equations, 80% is about what you can lift for 8 reps to failure (80.2% of 1RM).
Sources
- Reynolds JM, Gordon TJ, Robergs RA. Prediction of one repetition maximum strength from multiple repetition maximum testing and anthropometry. J Strength Cond Res 20(3):584–592, 2006.
- Mayhew JL, Johnson BD, LaMonte MJ, Lauber D, Kemmler W. Accuracy of prediction equations for determining one repetition maximum bench press in women before and after resistance training. J Strength Cond Res 22(5):1570–1577, 2008.
- Original equations, as printed in the two papers above: Epley B, Poundage Chart, Boyd Epley Workout, 1985; Brzycki M, JOPERD 64(1):88–90, 1993 (doi:10.1080/07303084.1993.10606684); Lander J, NSCA Journal 6:60–61, 1985; Lombardi VP, Beginning Weight Training, 1989; Mayhew JL, Ball TE, Arnold MD, Bowen JC, J Appl Sport Sci Res 6(4):200–206, 1992 (doi:10.1519/00124278-199211000-00002); O'Connor B, Simmons J, O'Shea P, Weight Training Today, 1989; Wathen D, Load assignment, in Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning, 1994.