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Cable Incline Bench Press strength standards

What is a good Cable Incline Bench Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Cable Incline Bench Press is about 88 lb (0.49x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 114 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Cable Incline Bench Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.4. 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 21 34 50 69 90
120 25 39 56 76 99
130 29 44 62 83 106
140 33 48 68 90 114
150 37 53 73 96 121
160 41 58 78 102 128
170 45 62 84 108 134
180 48 66 88 114 141
190 52 71 94 119 147
200 56 75 98 125 153
210 59 79 103 130 159
220 62 83 108 135 164
230 66 87 112 140 170
240 69 91 116 145 175
250 72 94 120 150 180
260 76 98 125 154 186
270 79 102 129 159 190
280 82 105 133 163 195
290 85 109 136 168 200
300 88 112 140 172 204
310 91 116 144 176 209

The Cable Incline Bench Press standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Cable Incline Bench Press Standards by Age

How the Cable Incline Bench Press 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 35 52 74 99 127
20 40 60 84 114 145
25 41 62 87 116 149
30 41 62 87 116 149
35 41 62 87 116 149
40 41 62 87 116 149
45 39 58 82 110 141
50 37 55 77 104 132
55 34 51 72 96 122
60 31 46 65 88 112
65 28 42 59 79 101
70 25 38 53 71 91
75 22 34 47 64 81
80 20 30 42 57 72
85 18 27 38 51 65
90 16 24 34 46 58

The Cable Incline Bench Press standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Cable Incline Bench Press 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 88 lbs (0.49x bodyweight) on the Cable Incline Bench Press 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 Cable Incline Bench Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Cable Incline Bench Press, building the shoulder stability and pressing coordination needed to handle heavier loads safely.

Novice

You can press with a consistent path and controlled tempo on the Cable Incline Bench Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Your Cable Incline 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

You have optimized your Cable Incline 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

Your Cable Incline 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 Incline Bench Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Cable Incline Bench Press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Cable Incline 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 Incline 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 Incline Bench Press under competition-style commands and judging.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Cable Incline Bench Press

Cable Incline Bench Press demonstration
Primary Muscles pectorals
Equipment cable
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Adjust the bench to a 45-degree incline.","Attach the cable handles to the high pulleys.","Sit on the bench facing the cable machine with your feet flat on the ground.","Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and bring them to shoulder height.","Push the handles forward and upward until your arms are fully extended.","Pause for a moment, then slowly lower the handles back to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Cable Incline Bench Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Cable Incline Bench Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Incline Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.4 (confidence: low). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Cable Incline Bench Press 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" Cable Incline 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 Incline 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.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Cable Incline Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.4 (confidence: low). It is a set of targets, not a measured population.
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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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.