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Behind the Back Barbell Shrug strength standards

What is a good Behind the Back Barbell Shrug?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Behind the Back Barbell Shrug is about 293 lb (1.63x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 411 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Behind the Back Barbell Shrug Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 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 38 84 151 239 341
120 49 100 173 266 373
130 60 116 194 292 404
140 72 133 215 317 434
150 84 149 235 342 462
160 96 164 255 366 490
170 108 180 275 389 517
180 120 195 293 411 542
190 132 211 312 433 567
200 144 225 330 454 592
210 156 240 348 475 615
220 167 254 365 495 638
230 179 268 382 515 660
240 190 282 398 534 682
250 202 296 414 553 703
260 213 309 430 571 724
270 224 323 446 589 744
280 234 335 461 606 763
290 245 348 476 623 782
300 256 361 490 640 801
310 266 373 505 656 819

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

Behind the Back Barbell Shrug Standards by Age

How the Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 88 155 247 360 487
20 100 178 283 412 557
25 103 182 290 422 572
30 103 182 290 422 572
35 103 182 290 422 572
40 103 182 290 422 572
45 98 173 275 401 543
50 92 162 258 376 509
55 85 150 239 348 471
60 77 137 218 318 430
65 70 124 197 287 388
70 63 111 177 257 349
75 56 99 158 230 312
80 50 89 141 206 279
85 45 80 127 185 250
90 41 72 114 166 225

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

Check Your Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 293 lbs (1.63x bodyweight) on the Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Novice

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

Intermediate

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

Elite

Your Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Behind the Back Barbell Shrug to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug.
  • 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug

Primary Muscles Rhomboids, Trapezius, Levator Scapulae
Equipment Barbell
  1. Stand upright with feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell placed behind your back, gripping it with an overhand grip (palms facing backwards).
  2. Maintain a straight posture with your chest up and shoulders pulled back.
  3. Inhale and elevate your shoulders as high as possible towards your ears in a shrugging motion.
  4. Hold the contraction at the top for a brief moment.
  5. Exhale and slowly lower your shoulders back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your core engaged to maintain a straight back.
  • Avoid rotating or rolling your shoulders during the movement.
  • Use a controlled motion throughout to prevent injury.
  • Start with a lighter weight to master form before progressing.

Where Do These Behind the Back Barbell Shrug Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Behind the Back Barbell Shrug table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Behind the Back Barbell Shrug itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 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" Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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 Behind the Back Barbell Shrug 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.