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Barbell Wide Bench Press strength standards

What is a good Barbell Wide Bench Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Barbell Wide Bench Press is about 210 lb (1.17x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 270 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Barbell Wide Bench Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.95. 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 50 80 119 164 215
120 60 92 133 181 235
130 69 104 146 198 253
140 79 115 161 213 271
150 88 126 173 228 287
160 97 137 186 242 303
170 106 147 199 257 319
180 115 158 210 270 334
190 124 168 222 283 349
200 132 178 234 296 363
210 141 187 244 309 377
220 148 197 256 321 390
230 157 206 266 333 404
240 164 216 276 344 416
250 172 224 286 355 428
260 181 233 296 367 441
270 187 241 306 377 452
280 195 250 315 388 464
290 202 258 324 398 475
300 209 266 333 408 485
310 217 275 342 417 497

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

Barbell Wide Bench Press Standards by Age

How the Barbell Wide 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 84 124 176 236 301
20 96 143 200 270 345
25 98 146 206 276 353
30 98 146 206 276 353
35 98 146 206 276 353
40 98 146 206 276 353
45 93 139 196 262 335
50 87 130 183 246 314
55 81 121 170 228 291
60 74 109 155 208 266
65 67 99 140 188 240
70 60 89 125 168 216
75 53 80 112 151 193
80 48 71 101 135 172
85 43 64 90 121 155
90 39 57 81 109 139

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

Check Your Barbell Wide 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 210 lbs (1.17x bodyweight) on the Barbell Wide 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

of 100
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What the Barbell Wide Bench Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Intermediate

Your Barbell Wide 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 Wide 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 Wide 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 Wide Bench Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Barbell Wide Bench Press to the next level.

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

How to Perform Barbell Wide Bench Press

Barbell Wide Bench Press demonstration
Primary Muscles pectorals
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 wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.","Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.","Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly flared out.","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 Wide Bench Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Barbell Wide Bench Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Barbell Wide Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.95 (confidence: medium). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Barbell Wide 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 Wide 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 Wide 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 Wide Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.95 (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.