Deadlift Calculator (1RM / Max Deadlift)

What a deadlift 1RM calculator does

This free deadlift calculator estimates your one-rep max (1RM) from a hard set — enter the weight and reps and it returns your predicted max deadlift, then reverses it into a percentage-of-1RM training table, predicted rep maxes, a warm-up ramp, and per-side plate loading. No signup, instant, lb or kg.

Estimating beats grinding a true single: you get a programmable number without the fatigue and risk of an all-out pull. One deadlift-specific note the generic tools miss — rep-based formulas tend to under-predict the deadlift, so treat your number as a floor.

How to use it

1. Enter the weight you pulled (bar plus plates).
2. Enter the reps — dead-stop reps (reset on the floor each rep) give the most honest estimate.
3. Read your estimated 1RM and program off the %-of-1RM table below it.

Worked example: 315 lb for 5 dead-stop reps estimates to about 361 lb (Epley ≈ 368, Brzycki ≈ 354) — and since the deadlift is under-predicted, your real max is likely a touch higher.

Touch-and-go vs dead-stop — why it changes your estimate

Touch-and-go reps bounce the bar off the floor and use the stretch reflex, letting you complete more reps at a given load. Feed those reps into any formula and you will over-predict your true dead-stop 1RM. Dead-stop reps — settling the bar each rep — reflect real single-rep strength, so use them when estimating. The rep-style toggle in the tool flags this without secretly changing the math.

Which formula is most accurate? (Epley, Brzycki, Lombardi, O’Conner, Wathan)

The headline defaults to the average of Epley and Brzycki — at low reps Brzycki reads slightly low and Epley slightly high, so their mean cancels the bias (LeSuer 1997). Wathan is often cited as the single most accurate across the big-three lifts. For the deadlift specifically, every equation under-predicted the true max in the validation literature, with Wathan, Mayhew and Lombardi closest — which is exactly why the tool labels the number a floor.

How accurate is a deadlift 1RM estimate?

About ±3% at 2–10 reps, best at ≤6 reps, degrading above 10 (LeSuer 1997; the 5RM set was most accurate in Reynolds 2006 — so use 3–6 reps). The deadlift carries wider error bars than bench or squat (grind-heavy, fatigue-sensitive, no eccentric pre-load) and is systematically under-predicted, so read the estimate as a floor, not a ceiling.

What’s a good deadlift for your bodyweight?

As a hedged heuristic, an intermediate male deadlifts roughly 2× bodyweight; enter your bodyweight in the standards panel for your ratio and tier. These are population norms sourced to Kilgore / ExRx — approximate, not linear in bodyweight, and not a diagnosis.

How to program with the percentage table

Take your estimated 1RM and pull the working loads straight from the table: strength at 80% and up, hypertrophy 65–80%, speed 50–70% (ACSM 2026 position stand, load prescription). Deadlift volume is punishing, so most programs run fewer heavy sets than squat or bench — the table makes the math trivial. Safety: warm up fully, keep a braced neutral spine, and stop the set when form breaks.

Frequently asked questions

How accurate is a deadlift 1RM calculator?
Within about ±3% at 2 to 10 reps, best at 6 reps or fewer (LeSuer 1997; Reynolds 2006). The deadlift carries wider error bars than bench or squat and is systematically under-predicted, so treat the estimate as a floor rather than a ceiling.

Should I use touch-and-go or dead-stop reps to estimate my max?
Use dead-stop reps (reset each rep on the floor). Touch-and-go reps use the stretch reflex and inflate rep counts, so any formula will over-predict your true dead-stop 1RM.

What is a good deadlift for my bodyweight?
As a rough heuristic an intermediate male deadlifts about 2 times bodyweight; enter your bodyweight for your ratio and tier. General reference from published standards (Kilgore/ExRx), not a diagnosis.

How do I use the percentage table to program my deadlift?
Take your estimated 1RM and read the working loads: for example 5×5 at 80 percent off a 361 estimate is about 290 lb. Strength work sits at 80 percent and up (ACSM 2026 position stand, load prescription).

Which formula is most accurate for deadlifts?
All five bracket the true value; the deadlift is under-predicted by every equation in the validation literature (LeSuer 1997), with Wathan, Mayhew and Lombardi closest. This tool averages Epley and Brzycki and flags the number as a floor.

Is it safe to test a true one-rep-max deadlift?
A true deadlift single is lower-risk than a solo squat or bench (you can simply drop the bar), but still warm up thoroughly, keep your setup tight, and stop if form breaks. The estimate lets you skip the all-out attempt entirely.

Is my deadlift 1RM the same as a bench 1RM for the same set?
The raw estimate is — 1RM formulas use only weight and reps, not the exercise, so every calculator returns the same number for the same set. But the deadlift is systematically under-predicted by those formulas (LeSuer 1997), so treat your deadlift number as a floor, and judge it against the higher deadlift strength standards rather than bench.

Related calculators & gear

Work the other lifts with the squat calculator and bench press calculator, or the multi-lift 1RM calculator hub. Pull on a barbell built for pulling and load drop-friendly bumper plates. New to it all? See how to build a home gym or grab the free garage gym planner.

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