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Arnold Press strength standards

What is a good Arnold Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Arnold Press is about 56 lb (0.31x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 81 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Arnold Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 9 20 35 55 78
120 11 22 39 59 83
130 13 25 42 63 87
140 15 27 45 67 92
150 16 30 48 71 96
160 18 32 51 74 100
170 20 34 54 77 104
180 21 36 56 81 108
190 23 38 59 84 112
200 25 41 61 87 115
210 26 43 64 90 118
220 28 44 66 93 122
230 29 46 69 95 125
240 31 48 71 98 128
250 32 50 73 101 131
260 34 52 75 103 134
270 35 54 77 106 137
280 36 55 79 108 139
290 38 57 82 110 142
300 39 59 83 113 144
310 40 60 85 115 147

The Arnold Press standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Arnold Press Standards by Age

How the Arnold Press standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 16 29 46 67 92
20 18 33 52 77 105
25 19 34 54 79 107
30 19 34 54 79 107
35 19 34 54 79 107
40 19 34 54 79 107
45 18 32 51 75 102
50 17 30 48 70 96
55 15 28 44 65 89
60 14 25 40 59 81
65 13 23 37 54 73
70 11 20 33 48 65
75 10 18 29 43 59
80 9 16 26 38 52
85 8 15 24 35 47
90 7 13 21 31 42

The Arnold Press standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Arnold Press Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 56 lbs (0.31x bodyweight) on the Arnold Press is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

of 100
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What the Arnold Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning dumbbell stabilization and control on the Arnold Press, building the shoulder stability and pressing coordination needed to handle heavier loads safely.

Novice

You can press with a consistent path and controlled tempo on the Arnold Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Your Arnold Press technique is efficient under heavy loads. You use programmed variations, understand how to manage pressing fatigue, and can grind through the mid-range sticking point.

Advanced

You have optimized your Arnold Press setup for maximal force production - arch, leg drive, and grip width are dialed in. You train with periodized intensity blocks and accessory work targeting weak points.

Elite

Your Arnold Press is at a competitive standard. You have refined every aspect of the lift through years of structured peaking and can produce maximal force with technical precision.

How to Progress Your Arnold Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Arnold Press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Arnold Press 2-3x per week to build pressing strength and shoulder stability.
  • Use linear progression: add 2.5-5 lbs per session.
  • Practice controlled eccentrics (3-second lowering) to build tendon strength.
  • Keep working sets at RPE 6-7 to accumulate quality volume.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pressing variation (close-grip, incline, or paused) for weak-point development.
  • Increase frequency to 2-3 sessions per week with varied rep ranges.
  • Program most sets at RPE 7-8 with one heavy session including RPE 9 work.
  • Build tricep and shoulder accessory volume to support the Arnold Press.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with planned volume and intensity progression.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for competition-style sets, RPE 7 for volume backoffs.
  • Target your sticking point with specific accessory work (board press, pin press, bands).
  • Manage total weekly pressing volume (12-20 sets) across all push movements.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Peak with structured 8-12 week cycles targeting a competition or max attempt.
  • Refine your setup: arch, leg drive, grip width, and bar path for maximal efficiency.
  • Use the RPE chart for precise percentage work during peaking phases.
  • Test your Arnold Press under competition-style commands and judging.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Arnold Press

Arnold Press demonstration
Equipment Dumbbells
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
  1. Start by sitting or standing with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your body, and elbows bent at 90 degrees.
  2. Rotate your palms outward as you begin to press the dumbbells overhead.
  3. Continue pressing until your arms are fully extended above your head, with palms facing forward.
  4. Slowly reverse the motion, bringing the dumbbells back down while rotating your palms to face your body again.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Maintain a neutral spine and engage your core throughout the movement.
  • Avoid using excessive weight to prevent compromising form.
  • Perform the exercise in a slow and controlled manner to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Exhale as you press the dumbbells overhead and inhale as you lower them.

Read the complete Arnold Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Arnold Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Arnold Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Arnold Press itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Arnold Press depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Arnold Press after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Arnold Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

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Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.