Bench Press Strength Standards

Enter one set: we'll estimate your 1RM and rank it against real bench press lifts logged on Gravitus, by bodyweight and gender.

What Is a Good Bench Press?

A good bench press for a 180 lb man is about 225 lb, the intermediate standard; for a 140 lb woman it is about 95 lb. Good is relative to bodyweight and sex, and the calculator below ranks your lift against real bench press sets logged by lifters in the Gravitus app. The benchmark tables use allometric bodyweight scaling so you can compare fairly at any size.

What's the average bench press? See the real numbers →

Learn proper bench press form, muscles worked, and programming →

Calculate Your Bench Press Strength Level

1RM estimated from your weight and reps with the Brzycki formula

How Men's Bench Press 1RMs Are Distributed

Estimated one-rep max

Men: 25th percentile 168 lb · median 207 lb · 75th percentile 247 lb

Women: 25th percentile 69 lb · median 88 lb · 75th percentile 110 lb

The bench press is the most popular upper body strength exercise and a key indicator of pressing power. These strength standards help you see how your bench press compares to other lifters at your bodyweight and gender. Whether you're just starting out or pushing for elite numbers, use these benchmarks to set realistic goals and track your progress.

Track Your Strength Progress

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Bench Press Standards for Men (lbs)

Bodyweight (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate median Advanced Elite
120* 80 120 150 190 220
130* 85 130 160 200 235
140 90 135 175 215 255
150 110 150 190 235 270
160 120 165 205 245 285
170 130 175 220 255 300
180 135 185 225 265 310
190 135 185 235 280 320
200 135 190 235 290 330
210 135 190 245 295 340
220 135 190 245 300 345
230 135 190 245 305 355
240 135 190 245 310 365
250 135 190 245 315 370
260* 140 190 250 320 375
270* 140 195 260 325 390
280* 145 205 265 335 400
290* 150 210 270 345 410
300* 155 215 280 355 420

Unmarked rows are computed from real Gravitus lifter data. * Estimated with allometric scaling, outside the bodyweight range with enough logged lifters.

Bench Press Standards for Women (lbs)

Bodyweight (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate median Advanced Elite
100* 35 55 75 95 120
110 40 60 80 105 125
120 45 65 85 110 140
130 45 65 90 110 140
140 50 75 95 120 145
150 50 75 95 120 150
160 50 75 95 130 165
170 50 75 95 130 180
180 50 75 95 130 180
190 50 75 95 130 180
200 50 75 95 130 205

Unmarked rows are computed from real Gravitus lifter data. * Estimated with allometric scaling, outside the bodyweight range with enough logged lifters.

How These Standards Are Calculated

These standards are computed directly from workouts logged in the Gravitus app: the all-time best bench press efforts of real lifters, converted to estimated one-rep max (1RM). Each level corresponds to a percentile among lifters in your bodyweight bracket: Beginner (5th), Novice (20th), Intermediate (50th), Advanced (80th), and Elite (95th). Brackets with fewer than 50 lifters are estimated with allometric scaling and marked as interpolated. Figures reflect lifters who share workouts publicly; extreme outliers are excluded.

Tips for Improving Your Bench Press

To improve your bench press: focus on proper arch and leg drive, strengthen your triceps and shoulders with accessory work, practice paused reps for power off the chest, ensure progressive overload by adding weight or reps weekly, and prioritize recovery with adequate sleep and nutrition.

Strength Levels Explained

  • Beginner

    The strength level of someone who has recently started training. Achievable within the first few months of proper training.

  • Novice

    Represents early progress with consistent training. Most dedicated lifters reach this level within their first year.

  • Intermediate

    Above-average strength that represents consistent, dedicated training over multiple years.

  • Advanced

    Exceptional strength that far exceeds the average lifter. Requires years of dedicated programming and nutrition.

  • Elite

    Competitive-level strength representing the top 1% of lifters. May require favorable genetics to achieve.

Frequently Asked Questions

For an average-weight man (170-180 lbs), benching 225 lbs typically takes 1-3 years of consistent training. This varies widely based on starting strength, bodyweight, genetics, programming quality, and consistency. Heavier lifters may reach this milestone faster.

Yes, a 315 lb bench press is an advanced to elite level lift for most bodyweights. For a 180 lb man, this represents about 1.75x bodyweight, which places you well above average. Very few recreational lifters achieve this level.

Common reasons for bench press plateaus include: insufficient training volume, poor technique (especially lacking leg drive or arch), inadequate nutrition and recovery, not enough tricep and shoulder accessory work, and training too heavy too often. Consider deloading and rebuilding with a structured program.

More Strength Standards

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