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barbell bench squat strength standards

What is a good barbell bench squat?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate barbell bench squat is about 269 lb (1.49x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 343 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 269 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 343 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer barbell bench squat

A solid (Intermediate) barbell bench squat for a 180 lb male is about 269 lb (1.49x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own barbell bench squat into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 343 lb (1.91x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

barbell bench squat demonstration
Estimated Standards

How strong is your barbell bench squat? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles quads
Equipment barbell
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - The level table for this exercise is modeled from FitnessVolt strength ratios for a related base lift, not from direct measurements of this movement. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your barbell bench squat?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 269 lbs (1.49x bodyweight) on the barbell bench squat ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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Share your FVCP with friends
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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted barbell bench squat entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

269 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.49x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You barbell bench squat?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 68 105 154 211 274
120 80 121 172 232 298
130 92 135 190 252 321
140 104 149 206 271 343
150 115 163 223 291 364
160 127 177 238 309 385
170 138 190 254 327 404
180 149 203 269 343 423
190 160 216 283 360 441
200 171 228 297 375 459
210 181 240 311 391 476
220 192 252 325 407 492
230 202 264 338 420 509
240 212 275 351 435 524
250 222 286 363 449 539
260 231 297 375 463 555
270 241 308 387 476 569
280 250 318 399 489 583
290 259 328 410 501 597
300 268 339 422 514 611
310 277 349 432 526 624

Is Your barbell bench squat Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good barbell bench squat at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) barbell bench squat is about 269 lb (1.49x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 343 lb (1.91x), and Elite is 423 lb (2.35x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) barbell bench squat is about 147 lb (1.05x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 204 lb (1.46x), and Elite is 267 lb (1.91x).

How Much Should You Be Able to barbell bench squat?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 269 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 149 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 147 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 63 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 223 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 325 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 264 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 235 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect barbell bench squat Strength?

How barbell bench squat standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 110 161 224 298 378
20 127 185 257 341 433
25 130 190 264 351 444
30 130 190 264 351 444
35 130 190 264 351 444
40 130 190 264 351 444
45 123 179 250 332 421
50 116 168 235 312 396
55 107 156 217 289 366
60 98 143 199 263 334
65 88 129 179 238 302
70 79 116 161 213 270
75 71 103 144 191 242
80 63 92 129 171 216
85 57 83 115 153 194
90 52 75 104 138 175

What Do barbell bench squat Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning to hit proper depth on the barbell bench squat, building ankle and hip mobility, and developing the bracing pattern needed to keep your torso upright under load.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can execute the barbell bench squat with consistent depth and bracing. You are adding weight session to session using linear progression and building foundational leg strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your barbell bench squat technique is solid through heavy loads. You use periodized programming, understand RPE-based autoregulation, and can grind through sticking points without form breakdown.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have refined your barbell bench squat stance, bar position, and breathing to maximize leverage. You train with block periodization, manage fatigue across training cycles, and likely compete or train at a competitive level.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your barbell bench squat is at a regional or national competitive standard. You have years of structured peaking cycles behind you and have optimized every technical detail from walkout to lockout.

How to Progress Your barbell bench squat

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your barbell bench squat to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the barbell bench squat 2x per week, focusing on hitting consistent depth every rep.
  • Use linear progression: add 5 lbs each session as long as form stays solid.
  • Record sets at RPE 6-7 to build volume without excessive fatigue.
  • Prioritize ankle and hip mobility work before each session.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Switch from linear to weekly periodization (e.g., light/medium/heavy days).
  • Add a barbell bench squat variation (pause squats, tempo squats) for weak-point work.
  • Keep most working sets at RPE 7-8, with occasional top singles at RPE 9.
  • Start tracking your training volume (sets x reps x load) week to week.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week training blocks with planned intensity peaks and deloads.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for primary sets, RPE 7 for backoff volume.
  • Address specific sticking points with targeted accessory work.
  • Manage fatigue: total weekly sets of 12-20 for the barbell bench squat movement pattern.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run structured peaking cycles (8-12 weeks) leading to maximal attempts.
  • Fine-tune technique details: walkout, descent speed, breath timing.
  • Use the RPE chart to hit precise percentages during peaking blocks.
  • Consider competing to test your barbell bench squat under meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform barbell bench squat

["Set up a barbell on a squat rack at chest height.","Stand facing away from the rack, with your feet shoulder-width apart.","Bend your knees and lower your body down into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up.","Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.","Lift the barbell off the rack and step back, ensuring your feet are still shoulder-width apart.","Lower your body down into a squat, keeping your knees in line with your toes.","Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete barbell bench squat guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These barbell bench squat Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

Is Your barbell bench squat Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your barbell bench squat against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can barbell bench squat 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" barbell bench squat 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 barbell bench squat 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.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
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.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
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.