HOW TORQ
SCORES YOUR
LIFTS
TORQ calculates your estimated 1 rep max using the Epley formula, adjusts it for your bodyweight, then compares it against real gym population data to place you in one of six strength tiers. Every lift is scored separately on a 0–1000 point scale. Your overall tier is the average across all tracked lifts.
Most gym apps tell you how much weight you lifted. TORQ tells you what that weight actually means — whether you're in the bottom half of the gym or the top 2%, and exactly how far you are from the next level.
THE FOUR STEPS
LOG YOUR SET
Record the weight you lifted and how many reps you completed. TORQ tracks your all-time best for each lift — your highest estimated 1 rep max from any set you've ever logged.
CALCULATE ESTIMATED 1 REP MAX
TORQ applies the Epley formula to convert your set into a predicted single-rep maximum. This lets every set — whether it's 3 reps or 8 reps — be compared on equal terms.
ADJUST FOR BODYWEIGHT
Your e1RM is compared against strength standards calibrated to your bodyweight bracket. A 100kg bench means something different at 70kg bodyweight than at 110kg. TORQ interpolates between brackets for precision.
ASSIGN YOUR TIER
Your bodyweight-adjusted e1RM is placed against real population data to determine which of the six tiers you fall into — from Dusty (bottom 50%) to Goated (top 2%). You get a score out of 1000 and a percentile rank.
THE EPLEY FORMULA
The Epley formula is the industry standard for estimating maximal strength from submaximal sets. Published in 1985, it remains the most widely used e1RM equation in both academic research and training software.
If you perform a single rep, your e1RM equals the weight lifted. For multi-rep sets, the formula estimates what you could lift for one rep at maximum effort.
e1RM = 100 × (1 + 5 ÷ 30) = 100 × 1.167 = 116.7kg
e1RM = 140 × (1 + 3 ÷ 30) = 140 × 1.1 = 154kg
e1RM = 200kg (no calculation needed — a single rep is your max)
WHY REPS ARE CAPPED AT 10
The Epley formula is most accurate with sets of 1 to 6 reps, and remains reliable up to 10. Above 10 reps, the set is limited by muscular endurance and cardiovascular fatigue rather than maximal strength, making the e1RM estimate less precise. TORQ caps at 10 reps so your tier is based on real strength, not endurance.
BODYWEIGHT ADJUSTMENT
Raw strength numbers are meaningless without context. A 140kg bench press is exceptional for a 70kg lifter but routine for a 110kg lifter. Without bodyweight adjustment, heavier lifters would always rank higher simply because they carry more muscle mass — even if their relative strength is average.
TORQ maintains strength standards tables for every scored lift, with thresholds at bodyweight brackets from 60kg to 110kg for males and 50kg to 100kg for females. If your bodyweight falls between two brackets, TORQ interpolates the thresholds linearly so you get precise numbers rather than rounding to the nearest bracket.
This means two lifters with the same bench press e1RM can be in different tiers if their bodyweights differ — and that's the point. Relative strength is what the tier system measures.
Lifter B: 100kg bodyweight, 114kg bench e1RM → Cooking (top 50%)
Same weight on the bar. Completely different levels of relative strength.
THE SIX TIERS
Each tier corresponds to a fixed population percentile. What changes across lifts and bodyweights is the absolute weight required to reach each tier — the percentile boundaries stay the same.
Your overall tier is the average score across all tracked lifts. You need a minimum of three scored lifts for TORQ to calculate an overall tier — this prevents a single strong or weak lift from defining your entire profile.
WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM
TORQ's strength standards are derived from population data aggregated from hundreds of thousands of logged lifts across the global gym-going population, sourced via strengthlevel.com. This data represents real training performance from everyday gym-goers — not powerlifting competition results, not theoretical maximums, and not self-reported numbers.
The data covers 10 lifts: Bench Press, Squat, Deadlift, Overhead Press, Barbell Row, Romanian Deadlift, Pull-up, Incline Bench Press, Leg Press, and Dumbbell Bench Press. Each lift has separate male and female standards across multiple bodyweight brackets.
For the complete threshold values for every lift and bodyweight bracket, see the full strength standards tables.
WHAT TORQ DOES DIFFERENTLY
Most gym apps track volume. They tell you how much weight you moved, how many sets you did, and whether you lifted more than last week. That is useful — but it does not answer the question serious lifters actually care about: how strong am I?
TORQ answers that question with a number, a tier, and a percentile. Not based on arbitrary charts. Not based on your own history. Based on where you stand in the actual gym population at your bodyweight, using your best estimated 1 rep max for every lift you track.
Everything runs locally on your phone. No account, no server, no data leaving your device. Your lifts are yours.
COMMON QUESTIONS
What formula does TORQ use to calculate estimated 1 rep max?
The Epley formula: e1RM = weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30). This is the most widely used formula in both research and training apps. Reps are capped at 10 for accuracy.
Why does TORQ adjust for bodyweight?
A 140kg bench press means something very different for a 70kg lifter than a 110kg lifter. Bodyweight adjustment ensures your strength tier reflects relative strength — how strong you are for your size — rather than just raw weight on the bar.
Where does TORQ get its population data?
From hundreds of thousands of logged lifts aggregated via strengthlevel.com. The data represents real training performance from everyday gym-goers, not competition results or self-reported numbers.
How accurate is estimated 1 rep max?
The Epley formula is most accurate with sets of 1 to 6 reps, and remains reliable up to 10 reps. Above 10 reps, the estimation becomes less precise because the set is limited by muscular endurance rather than maximal strength. TORQ caps at 10 reps for this reason.