Training Max Calculator
Calculate your training max and all working set weights for percentage-based programs like 5/3/1.
| % of TM | Weight | Common use |
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Training Max vs True 1RM
The training max concept was popularised by Jim Wendler in his 5/3/1 program. The core insight is that training at or near your true maximum every session is unsustainable and leads to stalled progress, injury, and burnout. By setting the training max at 90% of your actual 1RM, every prescribed percentage now has a built-in buffer that keeps the work hard but manageable.
Over time, the training max is increased by small, fixed increments - typically 2.5 kg for upper body lifts and 5 kg for lower body lifts per training cycle. These small increases compound into significant strength gains over months. A lifter adding 5 kg to their squat training max every 4 weeks will add 60 kg in a year - far more than most crash programs promise.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a training max?
A training max (TM) is a percentage of your true 1RM used as the baseline for calculating all working set weights in a program. Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 popularised the concept, recommending 90% of 1RM as the training max to keep programmed weights conservative enough to ensure consistent progress.
Why not just use 100% of my 1RM?
Using your true 1RM as the baseline means any bad day, fatigue, or slight technique error can cause you to miss prescribed sets. A conservative training max provides built-in buffer. You will almost always hit your sets, which builds consistency and confidence - and over time, training max increases add up to significant strength gains.
What percentage should I use for my training max?
The most common is 90%, used in 5/3/1 and its variants. Some programs use 85% for beginners or in periods of high volume. If you are new to a program, start at 90% and adjust based on how the first cycle feels. Sets should be challenging but never truly maximal.
How often should I increase my training max?
In 5/3/1, you add 2.5 kg (5 lb) to upper body training maxes and 5 kg (10 lb) to lower body training maxes every 4-week cycle. This steady, predictable progression compounds into large strength gains over months and years.
Can I use this for any program?
Yes. Any percentage-based program can use a training max. Enter your true 1RM (or estimate it using the One Rep Max Calculator) and the table will show your working weights for common program percentages.