Overhead Press 1RM Calculator
Estimate your one rep max overhead press from any recent hard set. Enter the weight, reps, and how hard the set felt, and get your OHP 1RM plus training percentages.
Calculator
Estimated 1RM: 156.4 lbs
Based on 135 lbs × 5 reps @ RPE 10.
Training percentages
| % of 1RM | Weight |
|---|---|
| 95% | 148.6 lbs |
| 90% | 140.8 lbs |
| 85% | 133 lbs |
| 80% | 125.1 lbs |
| 75% | 117.3 lbs |
| 70% | 109.5 lbs |
| 65% | 101.7 lbs |
| 60% | 93.9 lbs |
| 55% | 86 lbs |
| 50% | 78.2 lbs |
Estimated rep maxes (RPE 10)
| Reps | Weight |
|---|---|
| 2RM | 149.4 lbs |
| 3RM | 144.2 lbs |
| 4RM | 139.5 lbs |
| 5RM | 135 lbs |
| 6RM | 130.9 lbs |
| 8RM | 123 lbs |
| 10RM | 115.6 lbs |
Want to lift one of these weights? Use the plate calculator to see what to load on the bar.
Estimating your overhead press max
The overhead press moves the least weight of the four main lifts and progresses in the smallest steps — which makes an accurate 1RM estimate matter more, not less. A 2.5 kg jump on a 60 kg press is a 4% leap; program off a wrong max and every set is off.
Keep the style strict when estimating: leg drive turns a press into a push press, which can inflate the prediction by 10% or more. A plate-per-side strict press (60 kg / 135 lbs) is a genuinely strong milestone, and an all-out set of 5 at 52.5 kg predicts you are about there.
The math behind the estimate is explained on the 1RM calculator page, and the full RPE-to-percentage chart lives on the RPE calculator. The method works for every lift; this page pairs it with overhead press-specific defaults and advice.
Put your overhead press 1RM to work
A max estimate is only useful when a program turns it into working weights. These Hardy routines are built around percentage-based overhead press progression:
- 5/3/1 Boring But Big — press day plus 5x10 volume to drive pressing muscle growth
- Phrak's Greyskull LP — alternates press and bench with AMRAP-driven progression
Running 5/3/1? Convert this estimate into a Training Max with the Training Max calculator, or generate the whole cycle with the 5/3/1 calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate my 1 rep max overhead press?
Enter the weight, reps, and RPE of a recent hard strict-press set. Five reps at RPE 10 is about 86% of your max, so pressing 60 kg for an all-out set of 5 predicts roughly a 69 kg single.
Is a 135 lb overhead press good?
One plate (135 lbs / ~61 kg) strict press is a solid milestone that most male lifters need 1-2 years of dedicated pressing to reach; a bodyweight press is an advanced feat at any size. The press lags every other lift in absolute numbers — that is normal, not a weakness.
Why does my overhead press stall so often?
The small muscle mass involved means the press has the least room for weight jumps: a standard 2.5 kg increase is proportionally 2-4x bigger on press than on deadlift. Programs handle this with smaller increments, AMRAP-based progression, or more pressing volume. Microplates (0.5-1 kg) help if your gym has them.
Does push press count toward my strict press max?
No — leg drive typically adds 10-30% to what you can put overhead. Track strict press and push press as separate lifts, and only estimate your strict 1RM from strict sets.
How fast should my press 1RM improve?
Slowly — and that is expected. 5/3/1 adds just 2.5 kg / 5 lbs to the press Training Max per cycle, and even that outpaces many lifters eventually. Judge progress on your estimated 1RM trend over months and on AMRAP rep counts at the same weight.
Calculators for the other lifts
Hardy tracks your overhead press 1RM automatically
Log your training in the Hardy app and it estimates a fresh overhead press max from every hard set you record, calculates your working weights from it, and moves them up as you get stronger.
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/r/HardyApp