The deadlift is the single most technical test of raw strength you can pull from the floor. Whether you are training for a powerlifting meet, preparing for a strongman qualifier, or simply trying to beat last month's platform number, the question that comes up every week is the same: how much can I actually lift for one rep? This deadlift calculator estimates your one-rep max (1RM) from a sub-maximal set you already completed, then scores that lift against your body weight with the Wilks formula and lays out the exact 80%, 90% and 95% training loads your next block should use. No guesswork, no chalk-covered whiteboard.
The engine blends two peer-reviewed regression equations — Brzycki and Epley — so you are not hostage to a single formula's bias. It also reports the Wilks score, the standard coefficient powerlifting judges use to compare lifters across weight classes, and the deadlift-to-bodyweight ratio that coaches use to spot intermediate vs. advanced lifters.
How to Use
- Enter the Weight Lifted — the total load on the bar, barbell plus plates, for the set you want to evaluate. If you worked in bumper plates on a 20 kg Olympic bar, add the bar to the plate total; do not enter just the plates.
- Set Reps Completed to the number of clean, full-range reps you finished before you racked the bar, had to drop it, or were told to stop. Chalk it on the high end: a rep you completed with good form counts; a grind you missed at lockout does not.
- Type your Body Weight in kilograms. Use the same scale you train on, morning and fasted if possible, so the Wilks score stays comparable week over week.
- Pick your Gender. Wilks uses different coefficient sets for men and women; choosing the correct one is what keeps your score honest against competition tables.
- Read the result card. The Estimated Deadlift 1RM is the headline number — the average of the Brzycki and Epley estimates. The Wilks Score tells you how that lift compares across weight classes, and the 80/90/95% rows give you the exact loads to program for hypertrophy, strength, and peaking.
For the most accurate estimate, feed the calculator a set in the 3–8 rep range done close to failure. Reps above 10 are noticeably less reliable, and a single rep you already completed is, by definition, your measured 1RM — the formulas will just echo it back.
The Formulas Behind the Number
Two regression equations dominate strength coaching. They are both derived by fitting linear 1RM predictions to observed sets of reps-to-failure:
Brzycki (1982): 1RM = w × 36 / (37 − r)
Epley (1985): 1RM = w × (1 + r / 30)
Where w is the weight lifted and r is the number of reps completed. On a set of 140 kg for 5 reps, Brzycki gives 140 × 36 / 32 = 157.5 kg, while Epley gives 140 × (1 + 5/30) = 163.3 kg. The calculator averages the two to smooth out either formula's known bias — Brzycki tends to be more conservative at high rep counts, Epley slightly more optimistic. Averaging is the default convention on most commercial 1RM tools and is easy to defend in a coaching log.
Wilks Score. Raw kilograms favor the heaviest lifters, so Robert Wilks' 1995 polynomial adjusts for body weight:
Wilks = 500 × lifted / (a + b·x + c·x² + d·x³ + e·x⁴ + f·x⁵)
where x is body weight in kilograms and a–f are the published male or female coefficients. The result is a single number that lets a 66 kg woman be compared with a 120 kg super-heavyweight on a roughly even scale. For context, a Wilks score around 320–350 on a three-lift total typically signals national-level raw competition; on a single deadlift it is correspondingly lower.
Examples
Example 1 — Default set: 140 kg for 5 reps at 80 kg body weight, male. Brzycki projects a 1RM of 157.50 kg, Epley 163.33 kg, and the averaged estimate is 160.42 kg. The deadlift-to-bodyweight ratio lands at 2.01× — a solid intermediate marker. The Wilks score on that single lift is about 109.5, and your training loads are 128 kg (80%, hypertrophy), 144 kg (90%, strength) and 152 kg (95%, peaking).
Example 2 — The heavy double: 200 kg for 3 reps at 90 kg body weight, male. Brzycki estimates 211.76 kg, Epley 220.00 kg, averaging to 215.88 kg. Ratio climbs to 2.40× body weight — advanced territory. The 90% training load is 194.29 kg, which is the weight you would program for a near-maximal strength day.
Example 3 — Female lifter: 100 kg for 5 reps at 60 kg body weight. The engine switches to the female Wilks coefficients. Brzycki gives 112.50 kg, Epley 116.67 kg, averaged 114.58 kg. Wilks on that single pull is roughly 127.8, and the 95% peaking load sits at 108.85 kg — close to the top set you would take into a meet warm-up.
Example 4 — Stress test at scale. If you punch in a set of 1,000,000 kg for 1 rep, the calculator returns the expected Brzycki and Epley values around 1.0–1.03 million kg without overflowing — a sanity check that the engine handles magnitudes well beyond any human lift.
Programming the 80 / 90 / 95% Loads
The result card is not just a vanity number. Those three percentages map onto concrete training purposes:
- 80% of 1RM is the hypertrophy and general-strength zone. Sets of 5–8 reps here build the muscle and movement patterning your max is built on.
- 90% of 1RM is the strength zone. Doubles and triples here, across several weeks, are what actually move your estimated 1RM upward.
- 95% of 1RM is the peaking zone. Single reps only, for short, planned blocks before a meet — not a number to grind every week.
If your estimated 1RM is 160 kg, a strength block might look like 5 sets of 2 at 144 kg, twice a week, while a peaking week might finish with a single at 152 kg before the meet attempt at 160 kg.
FAQ
How accurate is a deadlift 1RM estimate from reps?
Brzycki and Epley estimates are typically within about 5% of a tested 1RM when the input set is in the 3–8 rep range and done close to failure. They lose accuracy above 10 reps, because fatigue and technique breakdown compound. Treat the estimate as a planning tool, not a competition attempt.
Should I use Brzycki or Epley?
Brzycki is more conservative at higher rep counts and is the formula most powerlifting coaches default to. Epley is slightly more optimistic and is common in CrossFit and general strength circles. This calculator averages both, which tracks the middle of the two biases and is the convention used across most commercial 1RM tools.
What is a good deadlift for my body weight?
A rough adult male guideline: 1.5× body weight is novice, 2× body weight is intermediate, 2.5× body weight is advanced, and 3× body weight is elite. For women, the equivalent ratios sit about 10–15% lower. The Wilks score on the result card lets you compare yourself directly against published raw powerlifting tables without doing the division yourself.
How do I improve my deadlift 1RM?
Most plateaus come down to three things: pulling from the floor with a weak off-the-floor position (add pause pulls and deficit pulls), a weak lockout (add block pulls and grip work), and inadequate frequency (two dedicated pulls per week usually beats one heavy day). Program the 80–90% loads from this calculator for 4–6 weeks, then test.
What is a good Wilks score?
In raw powerlifting competition, a Wilks score around 320–350 on a three-lift total (squat + bench + deadlift) typically signals national-level lifting, and 400+ is elite. Because this calculator applies Wilks to a single deadlift rather than a full total, expect a number roughly one-third of those meet-level figures — compare it against yourself across months, not against another lifter's total.
Why does the calculator ask for gender?
Wilks uses different fifth-degree polynomial coefficients for men and women. The female set is calibrated so that a 60 kg woman and a 90 kg man at comparable relative strength land on similar scores. Choosing the wrong gender silently skews your Wilks by a meaningful margin.
Can I enter pounds instead of kilograms?
The calculator works in kilograms, which is the competition standard in powerlifting and most strength research. If you train in pounds, convert first (1 lb ≈ 0.4536 kg); the ratios and Wilks score are unit-independent once the conversion is done correctly.
Disclaimer
This deadlift calculator is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical, physical-therapy, or coaching advice. Estimates are derived from the Brzycki and Epley regression formulas and the classic Wilks polynomial; actual one-rep max varies by lifter, equipment, stance, sumo vs. conventional style, and fatigue level. Always warm up thoroughly, use a spotter or failed-lift protocol when approaching heavy loads, and consult a qualified strength coach or healthcare professional before attempting a new maximal deadlift.