Strength Training Guides

Everything we know about one rep maxes, strength standards, and programming — organized into five sections, written from the gym floor and checked against the research. No fluff, no recycled definitions. Start anywhere; every guide links to the next thing you’ll need.

Browse by Topic

1RM Basics

What a one rep max actually is, how to test it without getting hurt, warm-up protocols, and how much you can trust the calculators.

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1RM Formulas & Calculations

Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi and the rest — compared head to head, plus percentage charts, conversion tables, and why calculators disagree.

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Coming soon

Strength Standards

Real benchmark tables by bodyweight, age, and sex. Find out where your bench, squat, and deadlift actually rank.

Coming soon

Training & Programming

How to use your 1RM in real programs — 5/3/1, training maxes, RPE vs percentages, and when to retest.

Coming soon

1RM by Lift

Lift-specific max guides: bench, squat, deadlift, overhead press, and more — technique, testing, and programming for each.

Start here: What Is a One Rep Max?

The foundation everything else builds on — true vs estimated 1RM, why the number matters for programming, which lifts to test, and whether beginners should max out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are these guides free?
Yes — every guide, calculator, and chart on this site is free, no signup. We’d rather be the page lifters bookmark than the page behind a paywall.
Who writes these guides?
Lifters and coaches who actually train. Every guide is checked against published research (NSCA guidelines, peer-reviewed formula studies) and real gym experience — not rewritten from someone else’s article.
Do I need to read the guides in order?
No. Each guide stands alone, but they link to each other where it helps. If you’re brand new, start with What Is a One Rep Max? and follow the links from there.
How often is the content updated?
Every guide carries a last-reviewed date. We revisit the core guides whenever new research lands or our own testing changes a recommendation.

Know your numbers? Run them through all seven major 1RM formulas at once and get the consensus estimate.

Open the 1RM Calculator