Prilepin's Chart
The classic programming chart, converted into actual loads. Enter your max and the percentage zones become concrete weights.
Calculate loads
| Zone | Load | Reps / set | Optimal total | Range | Example sets |
|---|
How this calculator works
In the 1970s A. S. Prilepin compiled observations from the training logs of Soviet weightlifters on how much work to do at a given load. The result was a chart dividing loads into four percentage zones, each with a recommended number of reps per set and an optimal total rep count for the session.
The logic is straightforward: the heavier the load, the fewer reps per set and the smaller the total. Too little volume fails to provide a stimulus; too much degrades technique and bar speed – precisely the quality weightlifting training aims to preserve.
This calculator converts the percentage zones directly into loads based on your max, and suggests a set count that lands on the optimal total. That turns the chart into a starting point for a session plan rather than a list of percentages.
Frequently asked questions
Does the chart apply to powerlifting or general gym training?
It is a reasonable starting point but not a rule. The chart was compiled from weightlifters performing the snatch and clean and jerk, which are fast and technically demanding. Powerlifting movements are slower and their sets last longer, and many coaches use somewhat higher rep counts, particularly in the squat and bench press.
Do warm-up sets count towards the total?
No. The total refers to working sets within that percentage zone. Warm-ups are performed below the zone and are not included.
What if a load falls between two zones?
Take the more conservative, heavier zone. The boundaries are approximate, and doing too few reps is a safer error than doing too many.
Results are estimates and do not replace advice from a coach or healthcare professional.