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Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press strength standards

What is a good Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press is about 166 lb (0.92x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 213 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.75. 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 40 63 94 130 170
120 47 73 105 143 185
130 55 82 116 156 200
140 62 91 127 168 214
150 70 100 137 180 227
160 77 108 147 191 239
170 84 116 157 203 252
180 91 125 166 213 264
190 98 133 176 224 275
200 104 140 185 234 287
210 111 148 193 244 298
220 117 155 202 254 308
230 124 163 210 263 319
240 130 170 218 272 329
250 136 177 226 281 338
260 143 184 234 290 348
270 148 191 242 298 357
280 154 197 249 306 366
290 160 204 256 314 375
300 165 210 263 322 383
310 171 217 270 329 392

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

Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press Standards by Age

How the Barbell Lying Close-Grip 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 66 98 139 186 238
20 76 113 158 213 272
25 77 116 163 218 279
30 77 116 163 218 279
35 77 116 163 218 279
40 77 116 163 218 279
45 74 110 155 207 265
50 69 103 145 194 248
55 64 95 134 180 230
60 59 86 122 164 210
65 53 78 110 149 190
70 47 71 99 133 170
75 42 63 89 119 152
80 38 56 80 107 136
85 34 50 71 95 122
90 31 45 64 86 110

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

Check Your Barbell Lying Close-Grip 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 166 lbs (0.92x bodyweight) on the Barbell Lying Close-Grip 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 Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Intermediate

Your Barbell Lying Close-Grip 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 Lying Close-Grip 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 Lying Close-Grip 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 Lying Close-Grip Press

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

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

How to Perform Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press

Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press demonstration
Primary Muscles triceps
Equipment barbell
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.","Grasp the barbell with a close grip, hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing towards your feet.","Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.","Slowly lower the barbell towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.","Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Barbell Lying Close-Grip Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.75 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Barbell Lying Close-Grip 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 Lying Close-Grip 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 Lying Close-Grip 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 Lying Close-Grip Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.75 (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.