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1 Rep Max Calculator Deadlifts in 5 Easy Steps

Updated by Rich

1-Rep Max Calculator Deadlift – Introduction

Your 1 rep max is the maximum amount of weight you can lift for a single repetition.

Knowing your one-rep max is especially meaningful for the sport of Powerlifting because, in competition, you will do your 1RM for the three lifts:

But, you are not in a powerlifting competition, and only want to get stronger.

And you know that there are few strength training exercises that will lean out your body faster than the deadlift.

This post will help you calculate your 1 rep max for the deadlift, squat, and bench press fast in 5 easy steps.

How to Find Your 1RM Without Injury

Why do you want to know how to calculate your 1 rep max?

You can just try your max squat, bench, or deadlift and see how much you can lift, right?

Well, attempting a one-rep max on a squat, deadlift, or bench press is a terrible idea!

Unless you have a deep-seated desire to injure yourself.

Some of the greatest Strongmen and Powerlifters of all time never attempted their absolute max.

For example, Herman Goerner, a name you never heard of, was at one time considered the strongest man on the planet,

Yet, he never attempted to deadlift the max weight possible.

And, if you think he didn’t lift that much, check out some of his greatest lifts over a hundred years ago!

They will leave you speechless.

So, rather than risking injury, use an equation to determine your 1RM.

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The 1 Rep Max Calculator Deadlift Formula

Instead, here is the method to assess your one-rep max for use in a beginner deadlift program:

  • 1 RM = weight * reps * 0.0333 + weight

Where:

1RM = the predicted maximum amount of weight you can lift for a single repetition.

Weight = the total weight, including the Olympic barbell and any additional weight lifting plates.

Reps = number of reps or repetitions

This formula is known as the Epley formula.

Jim Wendler popularized it in his book 5/3/1: The Simplest and Most Effective Training System to Increase Raw Strength.

As a result, the Epley formula is also known as the Wendler formula.

This deadlift 1RM calculator works for the most critical barbell compound lifts; squats, deadlifts, overhead press, bent-over rows.

And any other compound weightlifting exercises like the front squat.

How to Test Your 1 Rep Max

How to Warm Up to Test Your 1RM

To determine your one-rep max deadlift the safe way, do the following:

Test if you can easily lift two 20 pound Amazon Basics Cast Iron Kettlebell - 20 Pounds, Black from the floor.

Put the kettlebells down on the floor, push your hips back, grip the kettlebell handles, keep your back straight, tighten (brace) your core, and push the floor away with your feet.

Do not lift the kettlebells with your arms.

See the deadlift form checklist for more deadlifts tips.

Instead, keep your arms long, they are like hooks, only there to grip the handle tightly.

It is your posterior chain that pulls the bar up.

The posterior chain refers to the muscles that are on the backside of your body.

Those muscles, your glutes, your hamstrings, erector spinae, and lats are the main muscles that do the deadlift.

If you can easily lift two 20 or 30-pound kettlebells, next move on to an Olympic barbell which has two 10 lb bumper plates on each side.

Bumper Plates

Bumper plates are an excellent tool for the deadlift beginner.

This is because a 5-pound bumper plate has the same circumference as a standard 45-pound iron plate.

For example, these REP FITNESS 15lb Colored Bumper Plates for Strength and Conditioning... come in 5 lb, 10 lb, 15 lb, 25 lb 35 and 45 pounds, which means that you can warm up using bumper plates with the barbell already set at the typical height for a standard deadlift.

The proper bar height for a deadlift is 8.75 inches no matter how tall or short you are.

Always deadlift at the standard bar height.

This is better for your safety and for competition, if you want to go beyond the deadlift for fitness and pursue powerlifting.

Another plus of bumper plates is that they are made out of virgin and recycled rubber with a cast iron core.

As a result, you will protect your floor and not make as much noise deadlifting with bumper plates as iron plates, which is a welcome feature when you have a home or garage gym.

With a pair of 10 lb bumper plates, the total weight with a 45-pound Olympic barbell is 65 pounds.

Attempt to do five repetitions.

If it feels comfortable, add another pair of 10-pound iron plates to bring the weight up to 85 pounds.

Do five more deadlift repetitions.

On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult did that last set feel?

Use a scale of 1 to 10, with one being the easiest and ten being the hardest.

If you felt like it is a level 6 or 7, that is heavy enough to determine your 1RM.

1RM Calculator Deadlift in 5 Easy Steps

Here is how the deadlift 1RM calculator works:

All you have to do is plug in the numbers, for example, 85 lbs and 5 reps to the 1 rep max formula:

Step 1. 1 RM calc = weight * reps * 0.0333 + weight

Step 2. 1 RM = 85 * 5 * 0.0333 + weight =

Step 3. 85 x 5 = 425

Step 4. 425 x 0.0333 = 14.1525

Step 5. 14.1525 + the original weight of 85 pounds = 99 or round up to 100 pounds.

Are Estimated 1 Rep Maxes Useful?

1 Rep Max Calculator Deadlift – Final Thoughts

When you want to get back into shape or get fit, you owe it to yourself to not get injured.

Sprains, strains, tears, and overtraining will hamper your progress more than skipping a workout.

Because once you injure yourself, you can be sidelined for months.

There are two great benefits using this 1 rep max calculator deadlift formula:

  1. You do not need to lift your max weight to estimate what it is!
  2. And once you know your 1RM, you can then use it in a deadlift program to make continual progress.

These are two excellent reasons for using the 1RM methodology in your training.

What’s Next

Now that you know your 1 rep max for the deadlift, use this beginner deadlift workout routine and 12-week deadlift program for the next step of your body transformation and fitness journey.

If you think you are still too heavy to start deadlifting, use this free guide to lose 20 pounds in 3 months to get you started on your fitness journey.

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About The Author

Rich Hashimashi AuthorRich is a NASM-CPT (Certified Personal Trainer), an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and the author of Crossing the Bridge From Depression to Life. At the age of 55, he lost 75 pounds in 6 months, and discovered if you transform your body, you can change your life. You can read about his story here and send Rich a message here.

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