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Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press strength standards

What is a good Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press is about 159 lb (0.88x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 204 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.72. 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 38 60 90 125 163
120 45 70 101 138 178
130 53 78 111 150 192
140 60 87 122 161 205
150 67 96 131 173 217
160 73 104 141 184 230
170 81 112 150 194 242
180 87 120 159 204 253
190 94 127 168 215 264
200 100 135 177 225 275
210 107 142 185 234 286
220 112 149 194 243 296
230 119 156 202 252 306
240 125 163 210 261 315
250 130 170 217 269 325
260 137 176 225 278 334
270 142 183 232 286 343
280 148 189 239 294 351
290 153 196 246 302 360
300 158 202 253 309 368
310 164 208 259 316 377

The Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press Standards by Age

How the Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 63 94 133 179 228
20 73 108 152 204 261
25 74 111 156 210 268
30 74 111 156 210 268
35 74 111 156 210 268
40 74 111 156 210 268
45 71 105 148 199 254
50 66 99 139 186 238
55 61 91 129 173 220
60 56 83 117 158 202
65 50 75 106 143 182
70 45 68 95 127 163
75 40 60 85 114 146
80 36 54 76 102 130
85 32 48 68 91 117
90 30 43 61 83 105

The Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 159 lbs (0.88x bodyweight) on the Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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

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What the Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the bar path and loading on the Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Your Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press under competition-style commands and judging.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press

Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press demonstration
Primary Muscles triceps
Equipment barbell
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.","Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.","Grasp the barbell with a close grip, slightly narrower than shoulder-width apart.","Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.","Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.","Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.72 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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" Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench 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 Barbell Incline Close Grip Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.72 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population.
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.