Skip to content

barbell standing close grip military press Strength Standards

Quick Answer barbell standing close grip military press

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level barbell standing close grip military press of 131 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 170 lbs (0.94x bodyweight).

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

barbell standing close grip military press demonstration
Competition-Derived

How strong is your barbell standing close grip military press? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles delts
Equipment barbell
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - Estimated from shoulder-press standards using a 0.9x ratio.. These values are derived from verified competition data for the base exercise. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your barbell standing close grip military press?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your FVCP with friends
Thanks for contributing! lifters have shared their data for this exercise.
to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You barbell standing close grip military press?

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

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 29 49 75 105 140
120 35 56 83 116 152
130 41 63 92 126 163
140 46 69 100 135 175
150 51 77 108 145 185
160 57 83 115 153 194
170 62 89 122 162 204
180 68 95 131 170 214
190 72 102 137 178 223
200 77 107 144 186 231
210 82 113 151 194 240
220 87 119 158 202 248
230 92 124 164 209 257
240 96 130 170 215 264
250 101 135 176 222 272
260 105 140 182 229 279
270 110 145 188 236 286
280 114 150 194 242 293
290 119 156 199 248 300
300 122 160 204 254 307
310 127 165 210 260 313

How Does Age Affect barbell standing close grip military press Strength?

How barbell standing close grip military press standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 50 77 109 148 190
20 58 87 124 168 217
25 59 89 128 173 223
30 59 89 128 173 223
35 59 89 128 173 223
40 59 89 128 173 223
45 56 85 122 164 212
50 52 79 113 154 198
55 49 74 105 142 184
60 44 68 96 131 167
65 41 60 86 118 151
70 36 55 78 105 136
75 32 49 69 95 122
80 29 43 62 85 109
85 26 39 56 76 97
90 23 35 50 68 87

What Do barbell standing close grip military press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the bar path and loading on the barbell standing close grip military press, building the shoulder stability and pressing coordination needed to handle heavier loads safely.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can press with a consistent path and controlled tempo on the barbell standing close grip military press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your barbell standing close grip military 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have optimized your barbell standing close grip military 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

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your barbell standing close grip military 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 standing close grip military press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your barbell standing close grip military press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the barbell standing close grip military 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 your E1RM progress →
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 standing close grip military 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 standing close grip military press under competition-style commands and judging.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform barbell standing close grip military press

["Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.","Lift the barbell to shoulder height, keeping your elbows close to your body.","Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.","Lower the barbell back to shoulder height.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete barbell standing close grip military press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These barbell standing close grip military press Standards Come From?

These barbell standing close grip military press 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 standing close grip military press Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your barbell standing close grip military press 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 standing close grip military press 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 standing close grip military press 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 standing close grip military press 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.

Related Exercise Standards

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