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Behind The Back Deadlift strength standards

What is a good Behind The Back Deadlift?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Behind The Back Deadlift is about 302 lb (1.68x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 403 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 302 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 403 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Behind The Back Deadlift

A solid (Intermediate) Behind The Back Deadlift for a 180 lb male is about 302 lb (1.68x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Behind The Back Deadlift into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 403 lb (2.24x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

Estimated Standards

How strong is your Behind The Back Deadlift? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Equipment Barbell
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Behind The Back Deadlift?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 302 lbs (1.68x bodyweight) on the Behind The Back Deadlift ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Behind The Back Deadlift entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

302 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.68x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You Behind The Back Deadlift?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 67 116 181 260 349
120 79 131 200 283 376
130 91 146 219 305 401
140 103 161 236 326 425
150 114 175 254 347 449
160 125 189 271 366 471
170 137 203 287 385 492
180 147 216 302 403 513
190 158 229 318 421 532
200 169 242 333 438 551
210 179 254 347 454 570
220 189 266 361 470 588
230 199 278 375 486 605
240 209 289 388 501 622
250 218 301 401 516 639
260 228 312 414 530 655
270 237 322 426 544 670
280 246 333 438 558 685
290 255 343 450 571 700
300 264 353 461 584 715
310 272 363 473 597 729

Is Your Behind The Back Deadlift Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Behind The Back Deadlift at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Behind The Back Deadlift is about 302 lb (1.68x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 403 lb (2.24x), and Elite is 513 lb (2.85x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Behind The Back Deadlift is about 145 lb (1.04x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 200 lb (1.43x), and Elite is 260 lb (1.86x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Behind The Back Deadlift?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 302 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 147 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 145 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 63 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 254 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 361 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 290 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 258 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect Behind The Back Deadlift Strength?

How Behind The Back Deadlift standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 109 169 247 340 442
20 124 194 283 389 506
25 127 199 290 399 519
30 127 199 290 399 519
35 127 199 290 399 519
40 127 199 290 399 519
45 121 188 275 379 492
50 113 177 258 355 462
55 105 164 239 329 428
60 96 149 218 300 390
65 87 135 197 271 353
70 78 121 177 243 316
75 69 108 158 217 283
80 62 97 141 194 253
85 56 87 127 174 227
90 50 78 114 157 204

What Do Behind The Back Deadlift Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are developing the hip-hinge pattern for the Behind The Back Deadlift, learning to load your hamstrings and glutes while keeping a neutral spine under tension.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Behind The Back Deadlift with a consistent hinge pattern and controlled eccentric. You are building posterior chain strength and grip endurance through progressive loading.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Behind The Back Deadlift leverages a strong hip drive and solid lockout. You program variations strategically, use RPE to manage intensity, and have built serious hamstring and glute development.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have optimized your Behind The Back Deadlift setup, grip strategy, and bracing sequence for maximal output. You train with periodized blocks and manage recovery to handle high-intensity pulling sessions.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Behind The Back Deadlift is competition-caliber. You have dialed in every variable from stance width to breathing cadence and can execute near-maximal pulls with technical consistency.

How to Progress Your Behind The Back Deadlift

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Behind The Back Deadlift to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Behind The Back Deadlift 1-2x per week, drilling the hip-hinge pattern with moderate loads.
  • Focus on keeping a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion.
  • Use linear progression: add 5-10 lbs per session while form remains solid.
  • Build grip endurance with holds at the top of each set.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a hinge variation (deficit, pause, or tempo) to address weak positions.
  • Program the Behind The Back Deadlift with RPE 7-8 working sets and occasional heavier singles.
  • Strengthen your grip separately if it becomes a limiting factor.
  • Begin tracking volume load to manage posterior chain fatigue.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks alternating between volume accumulation and intensity peaks.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for top sets, with calculated backoff sets at RPE 7.
  • Address posterior chain weak points with targeted Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, or glute-ham raises.
  • Manage weekly hinge volume (10-16 hard sets) to avoid CNS fatigue.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run peaking cycles with precise RPE targets for each session.
  • Optimize your setup: stance, grip, hip height, and bracing sequence.
  • Manage recovery carefully - heavy hinge work has high systemic fatigue.
  • Test your Behind The Back Deadlift in competition or mock-meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Behind The Back Deadlift

  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell positioned behind your legs.
  2. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the barbell with both hands, using an overhand grip.
  3. Keep your back straight, chest up, and shoulders back.
  4. Engage your core and drive through your heels to lift the barbell, extending your hips and knees simultaneously.
  5. Stand up straight with the barbell behind your thighs, maintaining proper posture.
  6. Lower the barbell back to the starting position in a controlled manner by bending at the hips and knees.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Tips for Behind The Back Deadlift

  • Maintain a flat back throughout the movement to avoid injury.
  • Engage your core to stabilize your spine.
  • Avoid using excessive weight; prioritize form and technique.
  • Ensure your knees track over your toes to protect your joints.
  • Use a mirror or have a trainer check your form to prevent common mistakes.

Where Do These Behind The Back Deadlift Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 2026

Is Your Behind The Back Deadlift Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Behind The Back Deadlift against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Behind The Back Deadlift 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Behind The Back Deadlift 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 Deadlift 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.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
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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One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
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.