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Bent Over Row Strength Standards

Quick Answer Bent Over Row

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level Bent Over Row of 193 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 251 lbs (1.39x bodyweight).

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

Bent Over Row demonstration
Competition-Verified

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Biceps, Back
Equipment Barbell
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Bent Over Row?

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 Bent Over Row?

1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 46 74 111 156 206
120 54 85 124 171 223
130 62 95 137 186 240
140 70 105 148 200 255
150 78 115 160 213 271
160 86 124 171 226 285
170 94 134 182 238 299
180 102 143 193 251 313
190 109 152 203 262 326
200 117 160 213 274 338
210 124 169 223 285 351
220 131 177 232 295 362
230 138 185 242 306 374
240 145 193 251 316 385
250 152 201 259 326 396
260 158 208 268 335 407
270 165 216 276 345 417
280 171 223 285 354 427
290 177 230 293 363 437
300 183 237 301 372 447
310 189 244 308 380 456

How Does Age Affect Bent Over Row Strength?

How Bent Over Row standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 76 113 160 215 275
20 87 130 183 246 315
25 89 133 188 253 323
30 89 133 188 253 323
35 89 133 188 253 323
40 89 133 188 253 323
45 85 126 179 240 307
50 80 119 168 225 288
55 74 110 155 208 266
60 67 100 141 190 243
65 61 90 128 172 220
70 54 81 115 154 197
75 49 73 103 138 176
80 44 65 92 123 158
85 39 58 82 110 141
90 35 52 74 100 127

What Do Bent Over Row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Bent Over Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Bent Over Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Bent Over Row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the Bent Over Row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Bent Over Row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Bent Over Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Bent Over Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Bent Over Row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track your E1RM progress →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Bent Over Row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Bent Over Row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Bent Over Row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Bent Over Row

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, holding a barbell with a pronated (overhand) grip.
  2. Bend your knees slightly and hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight and head in line with your spine.
  3. Let the barbell hang at arm's length in front of you, with your arms fully extended.
  4. Pull the barbell towards your torso, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
  5. Pause briefly at the top of the movement, then slowly lower the barbell back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form throughout.

Read the complete Bent Over Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Bent Over Row

  • Keep your back straight to avoid injury.
  • Engage your core to maintain stability.
  • Avoid using momentum to lift the weight; focus on controlled movement.
  • Ensure your head stays in line with your spine.

Where Do These Bent Over Row Standards Come From?

These Bent Over Row 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 Bent Over Row Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your Bent Over Row 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 Bent Over Row 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" Bent Over Row 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 Bent Over Row 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