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Bench Pull strength standards

What is a good Bench Pull?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Bench Pull is about 194 lb (1.08x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 261 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 194 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 261 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 Pull

A solid (Intermediate) Bench Pull for a 180 lb male is about 194 lb (1.08x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Bench Pull into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 261 lb (1.45x bodyweight).

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

Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Biceps, Middle Back, Upper Back
Equipment Flat Bench, Barbell, Dumbbells
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Bench Pull?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 194 lbs (1.08x bodyweight) on the Bench Pull 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 Pull entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

194 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.08x 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 Pull?

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 39 70 112 163 221
120 47 80 125 179 239
130 55 90 137 194 257
140 63 100 149 208 273
150 70 110 161 222 289
160 78 119 173 235 304
170 85 129 184 248 319
180 93 138 194 261 333
190 100 147 205 273 347
200 107 155 215 285 360
210 114 164 225 296 373
220 121 172 235 307 385
230 128 180 244 318 397
240 135 188 253 328 409
250 141 196 262 339 420
260 148 203 271 349 432
270 154 211 280 358 442
280 160 218 288 368 453
290 167 225 296 377 463
300 173 232 304 386 473
310 179 239 312 395 483

Is Your Bench Pull Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Bench Pull is about 194 lb (1.08x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 261 lb (1.45x), and Elite is 333 lb (1.85x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Bench Pull is about 70 lb (0.5x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 103 lb (0.74x), and Elite is 141 lb (1.01x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Bench Pull?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 194 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 93 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 70 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 24 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 161 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 235 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 191 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 170 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 Pull Strength?

How Bench Pull 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 70 111 163 225 293
20 80 127 186 257 336
25 82 130 191 264 345
30 82 130 191 264 345
35 82 130 191 264 345
40 82 130 191 264 345
45 78 123 181 250 327
50 73 116 170 235 307
55 68 107 157 217 284
60 62 98 144 198 259
65 56 88 130 179 234
70 50 79 116 161 210
75 45 71 104 144 188
80 40 63 93 129 168
85 36 57 83 115 151
90 32 51 75 104 136

What Do Bench Pull Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

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

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Bench Pull 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 Pull.
  • 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 Pull 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 Pull 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 Pull

  1. Set up a flat bench and place a barbell or pair of dumbbells underneath.
  2. Lie face down on the bench, ensuring your chest is supported and your feet are flat on the ground.
  3. Reach down and grip the barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  4. Keep your head in a neutral position and engage your core.
  5. Pull the barbell or dumbbells upward towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  6. Lower the weights back to the starting position with control.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  8. Exhale as you pull the weights up and inhale as you lower them back down.

Tips for Bench Pull

  • Keep your core engaged to maintain stability and support your lower back.
  • Avoid lifting your head or arching your back; maintain a neutral spine throughout.
  • Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
  • Control the movement on the way down to avoid injury and maximize muscle engagement.
  • Start with a lighter weight to master the form before progressing to heavier weights.

Where Do These Bench Pull 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 Pull Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Bench Pull 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 Pull 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 Pull 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 Pull 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.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

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.