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Clean and Press strength standards

What is a good Clean and Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Clean and Press is about 176 lb (0.98x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 236 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 176 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 236 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 Clean and Press

A solid (Intermediate) Clean and Press for a 180 lb male is about 176 lb (0.98x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Clean and Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 236 lb (1.31x bodyweight).

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

Clean and Press demonstration
Estimated Standards

How strong is your Clean and Press? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Equipment Barbell
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Advanced
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Clean and Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 176 lbs (0.98x bodyweight) on the Clean and 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.

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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

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

176 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.98x 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 Clean and 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 42 72 112 160 214
120 49 81 122 172 228
130 55 89 132 184 241
140 62 97 142 195 254
150 68 104 151 206 266
160 74 112 160 216 278
170 80 119 168 226 289
180 85 126 176 236 300
190 91 132 184 245 311
200 96 139 192 254 321
210 102 145 200 263 331
220 107 152 207 271 340
230 112 158 214 279 349
240 117 164 221 287 358
250 122 170 228 295 366
260 127 175 234 302 375
270 132 181 241 309 383
280 136 186 247 316 391
290 141 192 253 323 398
300 145 197 259 330 406
310 150 202 265 337 413

Is Your Clean and Press Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Clean and Press is about 176 lb (0.98x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 236 lb (1.31x), and Elite is 300 lb (1.67x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Clean and Press is about 91 lb (0.65x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 130 lb (0.93x), and Elite is 173 lb (1.24x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Clean and Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 176 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 85 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 91 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 35 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 151 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 207 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 176 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 156 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 Clean and Press Strength?

How Clean and 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 67 103 149 205 265
20 76 118 171 234 304
25 78 121 176 240 312
30 78 121 176 240 312
35 78 121 176 240 312
40 78 121 176 240 312
45 74 115 167 228 296
50 70 108 156 214 277
55 64 100 145 198 257
60 59 91 132 181 234
65 53 82 119 163 212
70 48 74 107 146 190
75 43 66 96 131 170
80 38 59 86 117 152
85 34 53 77 105 136
90 31 48 69 95 123

What Do Clean and Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the bar path and loading on the Clean and 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 Clean and Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Clean and 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 Clean and 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 Clean and 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 Clean and Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Clean and Press to the next level.

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

How to Perform Clean and Press

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, barbell on the floor in front of you.
  2. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
  3. Engage your core and lift the bar by extending your hips and knees, pulling the bar close to your body.
  4. As the bar reaches your thighs, explosively extend your hips and pull the barbell up to your shoulders, catching it in a front rack position.
  5. Slightly dip your knees and drive the bar overhead by extending your arms and legs simultaneously.
  6. Lower the bar back to your shoulders, then to the floor, maintaining control throughout.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  8. Breathing: Inhale before lifting, exhale during the press, and inhale again as you lower the bar.

Read the complete Clean and Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Clean and Press

  • Keep the bar close to your body during the clean.
  • Engage your core to protect your lower back.
  • Use an explosive movement to drive the bar overhead.
  • Avoid hyperextending your back during the press.
  • Start with lighter weights to master the technique.

Where Do These Clean and 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 Clean and Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Clean and 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 Clean and 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" Clean and 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 Clean and 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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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.