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Bent Arm Barbell Pullover strength standards

What is a good Bent Arm Barbell Pullover?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Bent Arm Barbell Pullover is about 56 lb (0.31x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 84 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Bent Arm Barbell Pullover Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 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 6 17 33 55 81
120 8 19 37 60 87
130 10 22 40 64 92
140 11 24 44 68 97
150 13 27 47 72 102
160 15 29 50 76 107
170 16 32 53 80 111
180 18 34 56 84 115
190 20 36 59 87 119
200 21 38 62 91 123
210 23 40 64 94 127
220 24 42 67 97 131
230 26 45 70 100 134
240 27 47 72 103 138
250 29 49 74 106 141
260 30 50 77 109 144
270 32 52 79 112 148
280 33 54 81 114 151
290 35 56 84 117 154
300 36 58 86 119 157
310 38 59 88 122 159

The Bent Arm Barbell Pullover standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Bent Arm Barbell Pullover Standards by Age

How the Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 13 26 46 70 98
20 15 30 52 80 112
25 15 31 54 82 115
30 15 31 54 82 115
35 15 31 54 82 115
40 15 31 54 82 115
45 15 29 51 78 109
50 14 28 48 73 102
55 13 26 44 68 95
60 12 23 40 62 86
65 10 21 36 56 78
70 9 19 33 50 70
75 8 17 29 45 63
80 7 15 26 40 56
85 7 14 23 36 50
90 6 12 21 32 45

The Bent Arm Barbell Pullover standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 56 lbs (0.31x bodyweight) on the Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Novice

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

Intermediate

Your Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Bent Arm Barbell Pullover to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover.
  • 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover

Bent Arm Barbell Pullover demonstration
Equipment Barbell, Bench
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet firmly on the ground.
  2. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, arms bent, and position it above your chest.
  3. Slowly lower the barbell back and over your head while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Lower the barbell until you feel a stretch in your chest and lats.
  5. Engage your chest and lats to pull the barbell back to the starting position above your chest.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  7. Inhale as you lower the barbell and exhale as you lift it back to the starting position.

Tips

  • Keep a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement to protect your joints.
  • Avoid arching your back excessively; keep your core engaged.
  • Perform the movement slowly and under control to maximize muscle engagement.
  • Use a weight that allows you to maintain proper form throughout the exercise.

Read the complete Bent Arm Barbell Pullover guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Bent Arm Barbell Pullover Standards Come From?

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

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 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" Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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 Bent Arm Barbell Pullover 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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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.