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Barbell Pullover strength standards

What is a good Barbell Pullover?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Barbell Pullover is about 105 lb (0.58x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 162 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Barbell Pullover 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 10 31 65 110 165
120 13 36 71 119 176
130 16 40 77 127 185
140 19 45 83 134 195
150 21 49 89 142 203
160 24 53 95 149 212
170 27 57 100 156 220
180 30 61 105 162 227
190 32 65 110 168 235
200 35 69 115 174 242
210 38 72 120 180 249
220 40 76 125 186 255
230 43 79 129 191 262
240 46 83 134 197 268
250 48 86 138 202 274
260 51 89 142 207 280
270 53 93 146 212 286
280 55 96 150 217 291
290 58 99 154 221 297
300 60 102 158 226 302
310 62 105 162 230 307

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

Barbell Pullover Standards by Age

How the Barbell Pullover 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 23 49 88 137 194
20 26 56 100 157 222
25 27 58 103 161 228
30 27 58 103 161 228
35 27 58 103 161 228
40 27 58 103 161 228
45 26 55 98 152 216
50 24 52 92 143 203
55 22 48 85 132 188
60 20 44 77 121 171
65 18 39 70 109 155
70 16 35 63 98 139
75 15 32 56 88 124
80 13 28 50 78 111
85 12 25 45 70 99
90 11 23 41 63 90

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

Check Your Barbell Pullover 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 105 lbs (0.58x bodyweight) on the Barbell Pullover 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 Pullover Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Novice

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

Intermediate

Your Barbell Pullover 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 Pullover through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Barbell Pullover 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 Pullover

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Barbell Pullover 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 Pullover.
  • 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 Pullover 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 Pullover 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 Pullover

Barbell Pullover demonstration
Equipment Barbell, Flat Bench
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your head and upper back supported and feet firmly on the ground.
  2. Grasp a barbell with both hands using an overhand grip, keeping your hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Extend your arms straight up, holding the barbell directly above your chest.
  4. Inhale and slowly lower the barbell in an arc motion behind your head while keeping your elbows slightly bent.
  5. Lower the barbell until you feel a stretch in your chest and lats.
  6. Exhale and bring the barbell back to the starting position by reversing the arc motion, keeping control throughout the movement.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of reps, maintaining proper form.

Tips

  • Keep a slight bend in your elbows to reduce strain on the joints.
  • Focus on a slow and controlled movement to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Avoid lowering the barbell too far to prevent shoulder strain.
  • Engage your core to maintain stability throughout the exercise.

Read the complete Barbell Pullover guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Barbell Pullover Standards Come From?

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