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Barbell Front Raise strength standards

What is a good Barbell Front Raise?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Barbell Front Raise is about 90 lb (0.5x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 159 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Barbell Front Raise 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 0 7 34 80 142
120 0 11 42 92 157
130 1 16 50 104 173
140 2 20 58 115 188
150 4 25 66 126 202
160 6 30 74 138 216
170 9 35 82 148 230
180 12 41 90 159 243
190 15 46 98 169 256
200 18 51 106 180 268
210 21 57 113 190 280
220 24 62 121 199 292
230 28 68 128 209 303
240 31 73 136 218 315
250 34 78 143 227 326
260 38 84 150 236 336
270 42 89 157 245 347
280 45 94 164 254 357
290 49 99 171 262 367
300 52 104 178 270 377
310 56 109 184 278 386

The Barbell Front Raise standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Barbell Front Raise Standards by Age

How the Barbell Front Raise 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 6 29 72 134 211
20 7 33 82 153 241
25 7 34 84 157 248
30 7 34 84 157 248
35 7 34 84 157 248
40 7 34 84 157 248
45 7 32 80 149 235
50 6 30 75 140 221
55 6 28 69 129 204
60 5 26 63 118 186
65 5 23 57 107 168
70 4 21 51 96 151
75 4 19 46 86 135
80 3 17 41 77 121
85 3 15 37 69 108
90 3 13 33 62 98

The Barbell Front Raise standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Barbell Front Raise 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 90 lbs (0.5x bodyweight) on the Barbell Front Raise 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 Barbell Front Raise Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the bar path and loading on the Barbell Front Raise, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Barbell Front Raise with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Barbell Front Raise is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Barbell Front Raise through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Barbell Front Raise strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Barbell Front Raise

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Barbell Front Raise to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Barbell Front Raise 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Barbell Front Raise.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Barbell Front Raise plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Barbell Front Raise strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Barbell Front Raise

Barbell Front Raise demonstration
Primary Muscles Trapezius, Anterior Deltoid, Serratus Anterior
Equipment Barbell
Difficulty Beginner
Type Isolation
  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and grasp a barbell with an overhand grip, hands about shoulder-width apart.
  2. Start with the barbell resting against the fronts of your thighs, arms fully extended, and elbows slightly bent.
  3. Engage your core and keep your back straight throughout the exercise.
  4. Inhale and raise the barbell in front of you to shoulder height, keeping your arms straight but not locked out.
  5. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, ensuring the barbell is parallel to the ground.
  6. Exhale and slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your movements slow and controlled to avoid using momentum.
  • Avoid lifting the barbell above shoulder height to prevent shoulder strain.
  • Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.
  • Engage your core to stabilize your body and prevent leaning backward.

Read the complete Barbell Front Raise guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Barbell Front Raise Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Barbell Front Raise table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Barbell Front Raise 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" Barbell Front Raise 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 Front Raise 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 Barbell Front Raise 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.