Bench Press 1RM from Push-Ups Calculator

About this calculator

Push-up count is used as a quick, equipment-free proxy for upper-body pressing strength because push-up performance correlates with bench press one-rep max — a relationship that fitness researchers and strength coaches have quantified into regression equations relating push-up reps, body weight and sex to an estimated bench 1RM, usually expressed as a fraction of body weight. The estimate is rougher than a lab or gym max-out test since push-ups involve different leverage and stabilizer demands than a barbell bench press, but it tracks the same underlying pressing capacity closely enough to be useful.

Strength coaches, military and first-responder fitness tests, and lifters without access to a bench or spotter use this kind of estimate to gauge upper-body strength progress, to set a starting bench weight when returning to the gym, or to screen relative strength across a group without needing barbells for everyone. It's a starting-point number, not a substitute for an actual tested max.

This calculator takes your push-up count, sex and body weight, and returns an estimated bench press one-rep max.