Average Bench Press: Real Numbers from 42,580 Lifters

The average bench press for men who lift is 207 lb (estimated one-rep max): the median of 35,989 men who log the bench press on Gravitus. For women who lift, the average is 88 lb, measured across 6,591 female lifters. These are medians of real logged sets, not numbers scaled from a formula. People who track their workouts train more than the average person, so treat these as averages for lifters, not the general population.

61%

of the 35,989 men on Gravitus bench less than 225 lb. Formula charts file 225 under "intermediate"; measured against real lifters, it beats most of them.

Updated weekly from Gravitus workout data. Last computed Jul 17, 2026.

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How Men's Bench 1RMs Are Distributed

35,989 lifters, estimated one-rep max

Men: 25th percentile 168 lb · median 207 lb · 75th percentile 247 lb · a 225 lb bench beats 61% of men

Women: 25th percentile 69 lb · median 88 lb · 75th percentile 110 lb · a 135 lb bench beats 90% of women

Average Bench Press by Bodyweight

Bodyweight (lbs) Average: Men (lbs) Average: Women (lbs)
110 - 80
120 - 85
130 - 90
140 175 95
150 190 95
160 205 95
170 220 100
180 225 100
190 235 100
200 235 100
210 245 -
220 245 -
230 245 -
240 245 -
250 245 -
260 245 -

The average is the median (50th percentile) estimated 1RM of real Gravitus lifters at each bodyweight. Brackets without enough logged lifters are omitted rather than filled with a formula.

Average vs. Strength Standards

The average tells you where the middle is: half of real lifters sit above it, half below. Strength standards answer a different question, what good looks like at your bodyweight, from Beginner to Elite. If you want targets instead of a midpoint, the bench press strength standards break the same real data into five levels, and the strength calculator places you on them from any recent set.

Average Bench Press by Age

Strength on the bench press typically climbs fast through your first training years, peaks somewhere in the late 20s to 30s, and declines only gradually after 40. Training history matters far more than the calendar: a well-trained 50-year-old beats most untrained 25-year-olds, and lifters who keep training into their 60s hold on to most of their strength.

5.6%

Only 5.6% of Gravitus lifters share a birthday, so we can't measure honest age averages. We won't dress a formula up as data; when enough lifters share their age, we'll publish the real numbers.

Until then, treat the medians and by-bodyweight averages above as your benchmark at any age, and judge progress against your own logged history rather than an age chart someone extrapolated.

Frequently Asked Questions

The average bench press for men who lift is 207 lb as an estimated one-rep max: that is the measured median of 35,989 men who log the bench press on Gravitus, so it describes men who train, not all men. A typical untrained man usually starts near 95-135 lb, and consistent training moves most men well past the middle. Where you should be depends on your bodyweight, so check the by-bodyweight averages above for your size.

The average bench press for women who lift is 88 lb as an estimated one-rep max, the measured median of 6,591 women who log the bench press on Gravitus, so it describes women who train, not all women. Untrained women usually start around 45-65 lb, and consistent training moves most women well past the starting range.

Yes. A 225 lb bench press beats 61% of the 35,989 men who log bench press on Gravitus. Formula sites often file 225 under "intermediate," but measured against real lifters it is well past the middle.

Rare. Only about 4% of the 35,989 men who log bench press on Gravitus have a logged best effort at 315 lb or beyond. Three plates is a multi-year goal for most lifters.

Most sites publish formula estimates calibrated to dedicated strength athletes. Our numbers are the measured median of every lifter who logs the bench press in Gravitus, beginners included, so the middle sits lower and closer to reality. Even so, these are averages of people who lift; the average across all men or all women would sit lower still. We would rather tell you where the real middle is than where a formula thinks it should be.

We do not publish age tables, because only 5.6% of Gravitus lifters share a birthday and we will not dress a formula up as data. Qualitatively, strength on the bench press tends to peak in the late 20s to 30s and declines gradually after 40; a well-trained 50-year-old is still stronger than most untrained 25-year-olds.

Beat the Average

Log your bench in Gravitus and the app tracks your estimated 1RM on every set, so you can watch yourself pull away from the median.

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