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Bench Pin Press strength standards

What is a good Bench Pin Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Bench Pin Press is about 234 lb (1.3x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 295 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 234 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 295 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 Bench Pin Press

A solid (Intermediate) Bench Pin Press for a 180 lb male is about 234 lb (1.3x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Bench Pin Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 295 lb (1.64x bodyweight).

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

Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Chest
Equipment Power Rack, Barbell, Bench
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Bench Pin Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 234 lbs (1.3x bodyweight) on the Bench Pin Press 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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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

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

234 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.3x 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 Bench Pin Press?

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 58 89 128 174 224
120 69 103 144 193 246
130 81 116 160 211 266
140 92 129 176 229 286
150 103 143 191 246 306
160 114 155 206 263 324
170 125 168 220 279 342
180 135 180 234 295 360
190 146 192 248 310 377
200 156 204 261 325 393
210 166 215 274 340 409
220 176 227 287 354 424
230 186 238 299 368 439
240 195 248 311 381 454
250 205 259 323 394 468
260 214 269 335 407 482
270 223 280 346 419 496
280 232 290 357 431 509
290 241 299 368 443 522
300 249 309 378 455 535
310 258 318 389 467 547

Is Your Bench Pin Press Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Bench Pin Press at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Bench Pin Press is about 234 lb (1.3x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 295 lb (1.64x), and Elite is 360 lb (2x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Bench Pin Press is about 86 lb (0.61x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 127 lb (0.91x), and Elite is 175 lb (1.25x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Bench Pin Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 234 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 135 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 86 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 28 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 191 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 287 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 243 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 217 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 Bench Pin Press Strength?

How Bench Pin Press 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
15 105 151 207 272 343
20 121 173 237 312 393
25 124 177 243 320 403
30 124 177 243 320 403
35 124 177 243 320 403
40 124 177 243 320 403
45 117 168 231 303 382
50 110 158 217 285 359
55 102 146 200 263 332
60 93 133 183 240 303
65 84 120 165 217 274
70 75 108 148 195 245
75 67 96 133 174 219
80 60 86 119 156 196
85 54 77 106 140 176
90 49 70 96 126 159

What Do Bench Pin Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the bar path and loading on the Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin Press

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Bench Pin 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 progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin Press

  1. Set the safety pins in a power rack at a height where the barbell will be close to your chest (typically 2-4 inches above your chest).
  2. Lie on the bench with your eyes directly under the barbell, feet flat on the ground, and your back slightly arched.
  3. Grip the barbell with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and unrack it, positioning it on the safety pins.
  4. Inhale and brace your core.
  5. Press the barbell upwards explosively until your arms are fully extended.
  6. Control the descent and lower the bar back to the safety pins.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips for Bench Pin Press

  • Keep your elbows tucked in to protect your shoulders and focus on the triceps.
  • Ensure your back remains arched and feet planted firmly throughout the movement.
  • Avoid bouncing the bar off the pins; control both the ascent and descent.

Where Do These Bench Pin Press 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 Bench Pin Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Bench Pin Press 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 Bench Pin Press 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" Bench Pin 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 Bench Pin 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.
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.