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Bent Over Row strength standards

What is a good Bent Over Row?

The Intermediate Bent Over Row standard is about 193 lb (1.07x bodyweight) for a 180 lb man and 90 lb for a 140 lb woman. Advanced starts around 251 lb for men and 128 lb for women. Enter your bodyweight below for your exact standard. These are estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, not averages of what people lift in the gym.

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Bent Over Row 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 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

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

Bent Over Row Standards by Age

How the Bent Over Row 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 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

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

Check Your Bent Over Row 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 193 lbs (1.07x bodyweight) on the Bent Over Row 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 Over Row Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

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

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

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

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 progress with the one rep max calculator →
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

Bent Over Row demonstration
Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Biceps, Back
Equipment Barbell
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
  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.

Tips

  • 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.

Read the complete Bent Over Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Bent Over Row Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Bent Over Row table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Bent Over Row 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 Over Row 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 Over Row 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 Over Row 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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Compare Bent Over Row

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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.