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Strength standards: how strong should you be?

Benchmark tables by lift and body weight, how to read them, and how to progress between levels.

Written by Updated 8 min read

Strength standards compare your lifts with those of other people your size. For a 70 kg man, a bench press of about 78 kg, a squat of 100 kg and a deadlift of 129 kg sit around the intermediate level, stronger than half of lifters in the data. Strength is also tied to body composition: use the body fat calculator and the FFMI calculator to see how your lean mass compares, and the TDEE calculator to fuel your training.

Infographic: Strength standards: intermediate lifter. Compare yourself with your own body weight, then with your last month.
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How to read the tables

The figures come from StrengthLog, which built percentile-based standards from the training logs of its users: 17,296 men and 7,112 women for the bench press, about 15,300 men and 6,800 women for the squat, and about 15,100 men and 6,600 women for the deadlift. The levels are:

  • Beginner: stronger than about 5% of lifters
  • Novice: about 25%
  • Intermediate: about 50%
  • Advanced: about 75%
  • Elite: about 95%

These are logs from gym-goers, not verified competition results, so use them as a guide. All weights are one-rep maximum equivalents in kilograms. If you do not know your max, see the one-rep max formula in the section below.

Men, selected body weights (kg)

Lift, body weightBeginnerNoviceIntermediateAdvancedElite
Bench press, 70 kg46647894127
Bench press, 80 kg547490109143
Squat, 70 kg5180100120157
Squat, 80 kg5789112137180
Deadlift, 70 kg66100129155192
Deadlift, 80 kg73111142172216

Women, selected body weights (kg)

Lift, body weightBeginnerNoviceIntermediateAdvancedElite
Bench press, 60 kg2233425175
Bench press, 70 kg2435455683
Squat, 60 kg24486785117
Squat, 70 kg26517090127
Deadlift, 60 kg386481103135
Deadlift, 70 kg396986111145
Body-weight multiples at the intermediate levelMan, 70 kg: bench 78 ÷ 70 = 1.1×, squat 100 ÷ 70 = 1.4×, deadlift 129 ÷ 70 = 1.8×. Woman, 60 kg: bench 42 ÷ 60 = 0.7×, squat 67 ÷ 60 = 1.1×, deadlift 81 ÷ 60 = 1.35×.

Other body weights have their own rows on the StrengthLog site. Heavier lifters lift more in total but less per kilogram of body weight, which is why the standards are shown by body weight, not as one number.

Estimating your one-rep max

You can estimate a max from a set of a few reps. A widely used formula is the Epley equation: 1RM = weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30). For example, 80 kg for 5 reps gives 80 × (1 + 5 ÷ 30) = 80 × 1.167 = 93 kg. Estimates become less reliable above about 10 reps. Treat the result as a rough number, and only test a true max with a spotter and a thorough warm-up.

Moving up a level

  1. Train the lifts regularly. Two to three sessions a week for each main lift is enough for most people.
  2. Add load slowly. Beginners can add small amounts each week; progress slows as you advance.
  3. Eat enough protein and calories. Gaining strength and muscle is easier with a small surplus (bulking calculator); see how much protein you need.
  4. Recover. Sleep and rest days matter as much as the programme.

Strength can still be built in a deficit, especially by beginners; see can you build muscle in a calorie deficit and bulking vs cutting. For tracking progress beyond the scale, see does muscle weigh more than fat.

Limits of any standard

Limb length, injury history, training age and technique all change what a given number means. Compare yourself mostly with your past self. If you have a health condition, or are over 40 and new to lifting, check with a doctor before testing maximal lifts.

Check your body fat to see how your strength fits your body composition.

Open the body fat calculator

Frequently asked questions

What are strength standards?
Benchmarks that compare your lifts with other lifters of similar body weight. They usually rank you from beginner to elite based on your one-rep max for lifts such as the bench press, squat and deadlift.
Where do these numbers come from?
The tables here come from StrengthLog, built from the training logs of tens of thousands of its users. Levels are percentile-based: elite means stronger than 95% of lifters in that dataset.
How strong should a beginner be?
Beginners are usually somewhere around the beginner to novice rows. A 70 kg man who benches 46 to 64 kg is in that range. Progress is fastest in the first year of consistent training.
Do I need to know my one-rep max?
Not necessarily. You can estimate it from a heavier set of a few reps with a formula. Test only when you are well warmed up and have a spotter.
Are these standards for natural lifters?
The data comes from user logs, so it is not separated by drug use or verified. Treat the numbers as a rough guide for gym lifters, not a competition standard.

Keep reading

FFMI calculatorLean mass for your height.Bulking vs cuttingWhich phase fits you?What to eat after a workoutRecovery meals.

Sources

  1. StrengthLog. Strength standards for the bench press, squat and deadlift (percentile-based, from the training logs of StrengthLog users). strengthlog.com.
  2. Jäger R, Kerksick CM, Campbell BI, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: protein and exercise. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:20. PubMed 28642676
  3. Epley B. Poundage chart. In: Boyd Epley Workout. Lincoln, NE: Body Enterprises; 1985. (Epley one-rep max formula.)