Overhead Press Max Calculator
Estimate your overhead press one-rep max from a real working set, using five published formulas.
Epley (default)
134
lb
Brzycki
129
lb
Lombardi
135
lb
O'Conner
129
lb
Wathan
134
lb
Average of all five: 132 lb
Overhead Press percentage table (from your Epley estimate)
| % of 1RM | Weight (lb) | Est. reps |
|---|---|---|
| 50% | 65 | 30 |
| 55% | 75 | 25 |
| 60% | 80 | 20 |
| 65% | 85 | 16 |
| 70% | 95 | 13 |
| 75% | 100 | 10 |
| 80% | 105 | 8 |
| 85% | 115 | 5 |
| 90% | 120 | 3 |
| 95% | 125 | 2 |
| 100% | 135 | 1 |
Weights rounded to the nearest 5 lb — a real, loadable plate increment, not a raw decimal.
Core bracing, not just shoulder strength, decides this number
Unlike bench, an overhead press has nothing behind it -- no bench, no back support, nowhere for the force to go but straight up through a braced midline. A rep that fails isn't always a shoulder-strength failure; it's often a bracing failure, where the ribs flare or the lower back arches to compensate and the bar path drifts forward instead of staying stacked over your midfoot. Estimate from a set where your brace held the entire rep, standing, without leg drive -- that's the set that actually reflects your strict press.
Working weights by set/rep scheme
From today's example (115 lb × 5, Epley estimate of 134 lb):
| Scheme | Typical use | % of 1RM | Working weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 × 5 | Classic strength-building rep scheme | 80% | 105 lb |
| 3 × 5 | Heavier, lower-volume strength work | 85% | 115 lb |
| 5 × 3 | Near-max strength, still repeatable | 87% | 115 lb |
| 4 × 6 | Strength with some hypertrophy carryover | 75% | 100 lb |
| 3 × 8 | Hypertrophy-leaning volume | 70% | 95 lb |
| 3 × 10 | Higher-volume hypertrophy / technique work | 65% | 85 lb |
Frequently Asked Questions
Strict press or push press -- which should I estimate from?
Strict, if you want a strength number for the overhead press specifically. A push press uses leg drive to help the bar past the sticking point, which can add 15-20% to the weight moved for the same reps -- estimating from a push-press set and calling it your strict press max overstates it substantially.
Why is my overhead press max so much lower than my bench?
It's normal, not a sign of a weak upper body. Pressing overhead removes the chest and shoulder support a bench gives you, adds a longer bar path, and requires real core and glute bracing just to keep the weight stacked over your midfoot. A ratio of roughly 60-65% of your bench press is common and not a red flag.
Does core bracing actually change the number, or is it just technique?
It changes the number. A weak brace lets the ribs flare and the lower back arch to compensate, which leaks force sideways instead of straight up -- the bar path gets longer and less efficient, and you fail a rep you had the raw strength for. Estimate from a set where your brace held the whole way through.
What set/rep scheme should I use to build overhead press?
Overhead press typically improves slower than the bigger lifts, so many lifters do best with more frequent, moderate work: 5x5 at roughly 80%, or 3x8 at roughly 70% for more volume. See the table below for both, computed from today's estimate.
Keep going
- Overhead press and bench share the same pressing pattern; check your bench max with the same five formulas. Bench Press Max Calculator
- Overhead press standards run well below bench and squat by bodyweight ratio; see where your number lands. Strength Standards
- Turn a target pressing weight into exactly which plates go on the bar. Plate Calculator