Training loads for every % of your 1RM.
Enter your one-rep max and instantly get a complete load table — weight, estimated reps, and intensity zone for each 5% increment from 50% to 100%.
Your 1RM
Intensity zones
| % 1RM | Load (lb) | Est. reps | Zone |
|---|
How it's calculated
From 1RM to every training weight — with estimated reps
The Load Table calculator takes your one-rep maximum (1RM) and generates a complete table of training loads for every 5% increment from 50% to 100%. For a 225 lb squat 1RM, training at 80% means lifting 180 lb for approximately 7 reps — solidly in the hypertrophy zone. Loads are rounded to the nearest practical increment and reps are estimated using the Brzycki formula.
The table uses two simple formulas. The load at each percentage is straightforward arithmetic. The estimated rep count is derived from the Brzycki formula, which inverts the 1RM estimation equation: given a load as a fraction of 1RM, it back-calculates how many reps a lifter should be able to complete before reaching failure.
Reps = (1RM − load) ÷ (1RM × 0.0333)
Brzycki (1993) inversion
- 1Enter your 1RM for the exercise (e.g. bench press)—
- 2Multiply by each % to get the load—
- 3Apply Brzycki inversion to estimate reps—
- 4Color-code each row by intensity zoneGreen ≥ 85% (strength) · Yellow 67–84% (hypertrophy) · Blue < 67% (endurance)
Understand the terms
- Intensity zone
- A range of % 1RM associated with a specific training adaptation: strength (≥85%), hypertrophy (67–84%), or muscular endurance (<67%). Programs typically cycle through zones over a training block.
- Rep range
- The number of repetitions associated with a given load percentage. Higher intensity = fewer reps to failure. Lower intensity = more reps before fatigue sets in.
- Periodization
- The systematic manipulation of training variables (load, volume, intensity) over time to drive progressive adaptation and peak performance at a target date.
- Prilepin chart
- A Soviet-era table (Prilepin, 1974) guiding optimal training volume for each intensity zone. Similar in spirit to this load table, it specifies recommended sets × reps at each % 1RM for powerlifting.
🔢 Worked example
With a 1RM of 100 kg, training at 80% calls for 80 kg on the bar; at 70%, 70 kg. The table gives every percentage at once.
Frequently asked questions — Load Table
What percentage should I train at?
How many reps can I do at 80% of 1RM?
What is the difference between strength and hypertrophy rep ranges?
How do I use this table in my program?
Should I always train near my 1RM?
📚 Learn more — official sources
🔄 Page last reviewed: July 2026. Laws and standards cited keep their original publication year; the date above is when the content and the calculation were reviewed.
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About the Load Table Calculator
The Load Table translates your one-rep maximum into a complete, color-coded training guide. By expressing every intensity as a percentage of your 1RM, the table removes the guesswork from programming: you always know exactly how much to load the bar and approximately how many reps to expect at that weight.
The rep estimates use the Brzycki formula (1993), one of the most widely validated 1RM prediction equations in resistance training research. Intensity zones follow the NSCA and ACSM definitions: strength training at ≥85% (1–5 reps), hypertrophy at 67–85% (6–12 reps), and muscular endurance below 67% (15+ reps). Periodizing your training across all three zones over a training cycle maximizes both neural and structural adaptations.