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Behind The Neck Press Strength Standards

Quick Answer Behind The Neck Press

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level Behind The Neck Press of 142 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 199 lbs (1.11x bodyweight).

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

Competition-Verified

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Trapezius, Upper Back
Equipment Barbell, Squat Rack
Data Points 71 rows

How Strong Is Your Behind The Neck Press?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
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to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You Behind The Neck 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 18 40 73 115 164
120 23 48 83 128 180
130 29 56 94 141 195
140 35 64 104 153 209
150 41 72 114 165 223
160 47 80 123 177 237
170 52 87 133 188 250
180 58 95 142 199 263
190 64 102 151 210 275
200 70 109 160 220 287
210 76 117 169 231 298
220 82 124 177 240 310
230 87 131 185 250 321
240 93 137 194 259 331
250 98 144 202 269 342
260 104 151 209 278 352
270 109 157 217 286 361
280 114 164 224 295 371
290 120 170 232 303 381
300 125 176 239 311 390
310 130 182 246 320 399

How Does Age Affect Behind The Neck Press Strength?

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

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 43 77 122 178 241
20 50 88 140 204 275
25 51 90 143 209 283
30 51 90 143 209 283
35 51 90 143 209 283
40 51 90 143 209 283
45 48 86 136 198 268
50 45 80 128 186 252
55 42 74 118 172 233
60 38 68 108 157 212
65 35 61 97 142 192
70 31 55 87 127 172
75 28 49 78 114 154
80 25 44 70 102 138
85 22 39 63 91 123
90 20 36 56 82 111

What Do Behind The Neck Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the bar path and loading on the Behind The Neck Press, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Behind The Neck Press with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Behind The Neck Press 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built significant strength on the Behind The Neck Press through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Behind The Neck Press 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 Neck Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Behind The Neck Press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Behind The Neck Press 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 your E1RM progress →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Behind The Neck Press.
  • 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 Neck Press 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 Neck Press 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 Neck Press

  1. Start by setting up a barbell at shoulder height in a squat rack or power rack.
  2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip the barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  3. Step under the bar and position it behind your neck, resting it on your trapezius muscles.
  4. Lift the bar off the rack by pushing through your legs and step back to clear the rack.
  5. Maintain a tight core, keep your head neutral, and ensure your elbows are pointing downward.
  6. Press the barbell overhead by extending your elbows until your arms are fully extended, keeping the bar path straight and close to your head.
  7. Lower the barbell back down to the starting position behind your neck with control.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  9. Breathe in as you lower the barbell and exhale as you press it overhead.

Tips for Behind The Neck Press

  • Make sure to warm up your shoulders and rotator cuff before performing this exercise.
  • Keep your core engaged throughout the movement to maintain stability.
  • Avoid using excessive weight to prevent shoulder strain or injury.
  • If you have a history of shoulder issues, consider performing alternative shoulder exercises.

Where Do These Behind The Neck Press Standards Come From?

These Behind The Neck 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 Behind The Neck Press Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your Behind The Neck 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 Behind The Neck 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" Behind The Neck 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 Behind The Neck 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