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cable bench press strength standards

What is a good cable bench press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate cable bench press is about 99 lb (0.55x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 128 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 99 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 128 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 cable bench press

A solid (Intermediate) cable bench press for a 180 lb male is about 99 lb (0.55x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own cable bench press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 128 lb (0.71x bodyweight).

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

cable bench press demonstration
Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles pectorals
Equipment cable
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - The level table for this exercise is modeled from FitnessVolt strength ratios for a related base lift, not from direct measurements of this movement. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your cable bench press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 99 lbs (0.55x bodyweight) on the cable bench 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.

Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your FVCP with friends
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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

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

99 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.55x 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 cable bench 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 24 38 56 78 102
120 28 44 63 86 111
130 33 49 69 94 120
140 37 54 76 101 128
150 42 60 82 108 136
160 46 65 88 115 144
170 50 70 94 122 151
180 54 75 99 128 158
190 59 80 105 134 165
200 63 84 111 140 172
210 67 89 116 146 179
220 70 93 121 152 185
230 74 98 126 158 191
240 78 102 131 163 197
250 81 106 135 168 203
260 86 110 140 174 209
270 89 114 145 179 214
280 92 118 149 184 220
290 96 122 153 189 225
300 99 126 158 193 230
310 103 130 162 198 235

Is Your cable bench press Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) cable bench press is about 99 lb (0.55x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 128 lb (0.71x), and Elite is 158 lb (0.88x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) cable bench press is about 49 lb (0.35x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 70 lb (0.5x), and Elite is 94 lb (0.67x).

How Much Should You Be Able to cable bench press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 99 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 54 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 49 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 18 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 82 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 121 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 98 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 87 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 cable bench press Strength?

How cable bench 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 40 59 83 112 143
20 45 68 95 128 163
25 46 69 98 131 167
30 46 69 98 131 167
35 46 69 98 131 167
40 46 69 98 131 167
45 44 66 93 124 159
50 41 62 87 117 149
55 38 57 81 108 138
60 35 52 73 99 126
65 32 47 66 89 114
70 28 42 59 80 102
75 25 38 53 72 91
80 23 34 48 64 81
85 20 30 43 57 73
90 18 27 38 52 66

What Do cable bench press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the cable bench press, building the shoulder stability and pressing coordination needed to handle heavier loads safely.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can press with a consistent path and controlled tempo on the cable bench press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your cable bench press technique is efficient under heavy loads. You use programmed variations, understand how to manage pressing fatigue, and can grind through the mid-range sticking point.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have optimized your cable bench press setup for maximal force production - arch, leg drive, and grip width are dialed in. You train with periodized intensity blocks and accessory work targeting weak points.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your cable bench press is at a competitive standard. You have refined every aspect of the lift through years of structured peaking and can produce maximal force with technical precision.

How to Progress Your cable bench press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your cable bench press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the cable bench press 2-3x per week to build pressing strength and shoulder stability.
  • Use linear progression: add 2.5-5 lbs per session.
  • Practice controlled eccentrics (3-second lowering) to build tendon strength.
  • Keep working sets at RPE 6-7 to accumulate quality volume.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pressing variation (close-grip, incline, or paused) for weak-point development.
  • Increase frequency to 2-3 sessions per week with varied rep ranges.
  • Program most sets at RPE 7-8 with one heavy session including RPE 9 work.
  • Build tricep and shoulder accessory volume to support the cable bench press.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with planned volume and intensity progression.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for competition-style sets, RPE 7 for volume backoffs.
  • Target your sticking point with specific accessory work (board press, pin press, bands).
  • Manage total weekly pressing volume (12-20 sets) across all push movements.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Peak with structured 8-12 week cycles targeting a competition or max attempt.
  • Refine your setup: arch, leg drive, grip width, and bar path for maximal efficiency.
  • Use the RPE chart for precise percentage work during peaking phases.
  • Test your cable bench press under competition-style commands and judging.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform cable bench press

["Adjust the cable machine to chest height and attach the handles.","Stand facing away from the machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.","Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and step forward to create tension in the cables.","Position your feet firmly on the ground and engage your core.","Bend your elbows and bring your hands to shoulder level, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.","Push the handles forward, extending your arms fully in front of you.","Pause for a moment, then slowly reverse the movement, bringing your hands back to shoulder level.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete cable bench press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These cable bench 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 29, 2026

Is Your cable bench press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your cable bench 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 cable bench 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" cable bench 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 cable bench 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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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.