174 lb works out to 1x45 + 2x10 per side plus the bar — call it 175 lb in practice, since gyms rarely stock the odd change. At 9 reps the formulas are starting to drift apart — 12 lb between the lowest and highest here — which is the method telling you the estimate is getting soft. Treat the lower end as the safer number. Your 135 lb set represents about 78% of the estimated max.
Why 9 reps widens the answer
Nine reps is near the outer limit of what these equations were fitted on, and it shows: 12 lb separates the lowest and highest estimate. A nine-rep set is shaped by conditioning, breathing and tolerance for discomfort, none of which is what a single measures. Treat 174 lb as a rough ceiling for planning, and re-test with a set of four or five before you believe it.
Training loads from a 174 lb max
Programmes are written as percentages of the max, not as absolute weights. From 174 lb, rounded to the nearest 5 lb:
| Percentage | Load | Typical set |
|---|---|---|
| 95% | 165 lb | Heavy single |
| 90% | 155 lb | Doubles and triples |
| 85% | 150 lb | Sets of four to five |
| 80% | 140 lb | Sets of six |
| 75% | 130 lb | Sets of eight |
| 70% | 120 lb | Volume work, ten or more |
174 lb loads as 1x45 + 2x10 per side plus the bar, or 175 lb on the bar. Round every figure in that table to the nearest 5 lb and stop there — the seven formulas disagree by 12 lb on this set, so chasing a two-pound difference is chasing noise. If your gym stocks 2.5 lb pairs, save them for the top two rows, where a small miss costs the most reps.
The formulas behind this answer, and their limitations
The table above the fold is Epley (1985), Brzycki (1993), Lombardi (1989), O'Conner (1989), Wathan (1994), Lander (1985) and Mayhew (1992), each applied to 135 lb for 9 reps; the headline figure is their median. All seven assume a set taken close to failure with clean technique. At 9 reps you are at the top of the band these equations were fitted on, and beyond it they diverge fast, so 174 lb is a ceiling rather than a target. They also under-rate strong, experienced lifters, who hold a higher percentage of max at any rep count than the regression average. The full account — the populations behind each equation, what a bounced rep does to it, and why we stop at ten reps — is set out on the methodology page. Warm up thoroughly and use safety bars or a spotter before going anywhere near 174 lb. This is a training estimate, not medical advice.