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barbell pendlay row Strength Standards

Quick Answer barbell pendlay row

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level barbell pendlay row of 150 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 193 lbs (1.07x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results

barbell pendlay row demonstration
Competition-Derived

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

Primary Muscles upper-back
Equipment barbell
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Advanced
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - Estimated from bench-press standards using a 0.68x ratio.. These values are derived from verified competition data for the base exercise. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your barbell pendlay row?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
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to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You barbell pendlay row?

1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 36 57 85 118 154
120 43 66 95 130 168
130 50 74 105 141 181
140 56 82 115 152 194
150 63 90 124 163 205
160 69 98 133 173 217
170 76 105 142 184 228
180 82 113 150 193 239
190 88 120 159 203 250
200 95 127 167 212 260
210 101 134 175 221 270
220 106 141 183 230 279
230 112 148 190 238 289
240 118 154 198 246 298
250 123 160 205 254 307
260 129 167 212 262 316
270 134 173 219 270 324
280 139 179 226 277 332
290 145 185 232 285 340
300 150 190 239 292 347
310 155 197 245 299 356

How Does Age Affect barbell pendlay row Strength?

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

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 60 89 126 169 216
20 69 102 143 193 247
25 70 105 148 198 253
30 70 105 148 198 253
35 70 105 148 198 253
40 70 105 148 198 253
45 67 99 140 188 240
50 63 93 131 176 225
55 58 86 122 163 208
60 53 78 111 149 190
65 48 71 100 135 172
70 43 64 90 120 154
75 38 57 80 108 138
80 34 51 72 97 123
85 31 46 65 86 111
90 28 41 58 78 99

What Do barbell pendlay row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the barbell pendlay row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the barbell pendlay row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your barbell pendlay row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the barbell pendlay row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your barbell pendlay row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your barbell pendlay row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your barbell pendlay row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the barbell pendlay row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track your E1RM progress →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the barbell pendlay row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the barbell pendlay row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the barbell pendlay row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform barbell pendlay row

["Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.","Bend forward at the hips, keeping your back straight and your chest up.","Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.","Pull the barbell towards your upper abdomen, squeezing your shoulder blades together.","Lower the barbell back down to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete barbell pendlay row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These barbell pendlay row Standards Come From?

These barbell pendlay row standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.

Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.

Is Your barbell pendlay row Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your barbell pendlay row performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:

  1. Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
  2. Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
  3. Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
  4. Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can barbell pendlay row 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" barbell pendlay row depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training experience. As a general benchmark, an Intermediate-level lift (stronger than 50% of lifters) is a solid goal for most recreational athletes. Check the table above for your specific bodyweight.
Most lifters can reach Intermediate level on the barbell pendlay row within 1-2 years of consistent training with progressive overload and proper nutrition. Genetics, training program quality, and recovery all play a role.
Yes. Our standards are calculated from 2.5M+ verified competition results and community-reported data. They are adjusted for bodyweight and age to give you an accurate comparison.
These standards are based on raw (unequipped) lifts. If you use supportive equipment like a bench shirt or squat suit, your equipped numbers will be higher than these standards reflect.

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Related Calculators

E1RM Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE