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Clean Pull strength standards

What is a good Clean Pull?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Clean Pull is about 242 lb (1.34x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 337 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 242 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 337 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 Pull

A solid (Intermediate) Clean Pull for a 180 lb male is about 242 lb (1.34x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Clean Pull into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 337 lb (1.87x bodyweight).

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

Clean Pull demonstration
Estimated Standards

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

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

How Strong Is Your Clean Pull?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 242 lbs (1.34x bodyweight) on the Clean Pull 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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Reader Data Is Still Building

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

242 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.34x 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 Pull?

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 49 93 156 234 324
120 57 104 170 251 343
130 64 115 183 267 362
140 72 125 196 282 380
150 79 134 208 297 397
160 87 144 219 311 413
170 94 153 231 324 428
180 101 162 242 337 443
190 108 171 252 350 457
200 114 179 263 362 471
210 121 187 272 373 484
220 127 195 282 385 497
230 134 203 291 396 510
240 140 211 301 406 522
250 146 218 309 416 533
260 152 226 318 427 545
270 158 233 327 436 556
280 164 240 335 446 567
290 169 246 343 455 577
300 175 253 351 464 587
310 180 260 358 473 597

Is Your Clean Pull Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Clean Pull is about 242 lb (1.34x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 337 lb (1.87x), and Elite is 443 lb (2.46x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Clean Pull is about 119 lb (0.85x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 150 lb (1.07x), and Elite is 183 lb (1.31x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Clean Pull?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 242 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 101 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 119 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 68 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 208 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 282 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 233 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 207 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 Pull Strength?

How Clean Pull 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 76 128 198 284 379
20 86 147 227 325 434
25 89 151 233 333 445
30 89 151 233 333 445
35 89 151 233 333 445
40 89 151 233 333 445
45 84 143 221 316 422
50 79 134 207 297 396
55 73 124 192 274 367
60 67 113 175 250 335
65 60 102 158 226 302
70 54 92 142 203 271
75 48 82 127 181 243
80 43 73 113 162 217
85 39 66 102 145 194
90 35 59 92 131 175

What Do Clean Pull Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning to hit proper depth on the Clean Pull, building ankle and hip mobility, and developing the bracing pattern needed to keep your torso upright under load.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can execute the Clean Pull with consistent depth and bracing. You are adding weight session to session using linear progression and building foundational leg strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Clean Pull technique is solid through heavy loads. You use periodized programming, understand RPE-based autoregulation, and can grind through sticking points without form breakdown.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have refined your Clean Pull stance, bar position, and breathing to maximize leverage. You train with block periodization, manage fatigue across training cycles, and likely compete or train at a competitive level.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Clean Pull is at a regional or national competitive standard. You have years of structured peaking cycles behind you and have optimized every technical detail from walkout to lockout.

How to Progress Your Clean Pull

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Clean Pull 2x per week, focusing on hitting consistent depth every rep.
  • Use linear progression: add 5 lbs each session as long as form stays solid.
  • Record sets at RPE 6-7 to build volume without excessive fatigue.
  • Prioritize ankle and hip mobility work before each session.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Switch from linear to weekly periodization (e.g., light/medium/heavy days).
  • Add a Clean Pull variation (pause squats, tempo squats) for weak-point work.
  • Keep most working sets at RPE 7-8, with occasional top singles at RPE 9.
  • Start tracking your training volume (sets x reps x load) week to week.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week training blocks with planned intensity peaks and deloads.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for primary sets, RPE 7 for backoff volume.
  • Address specific sticking points with targeted accessory work.
  • Manage fatigue: total weekly sets of 12-20 for the Clean Pull movement pattern.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run structured peaking cycles (8-12 weeks) leading to maximal attempts.
  • Fine-tune technique details: walkout, descent speed, breath timing.
  • Use the RPE chart to hit precise percentages during peaking blocks.
  • Consider competing to test your Clean Pull under meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Clean Pull

  1. Start with your feet hip-width apart, standing over a barbell with the bar close to your shins.
  2. Bend at the hips and knees to grip the barbell with a shoulder-width, overhand grip.
  3. Keep your chest up, back flat, and core engaged.
  4. Initiate the pull by driving through your heels and extending your hips and knees forcefully.
  5. As the bar passes your knees, shrug your shoulders and pull the bar upwards explosively.
  6. Keep the bar close to your body throughout the movement.
  7. Return the bar to the ground under control and reset for the next repetition.

Read the complete Clean Pull guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Clean Pull

  • Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement to avoid injury.
  • Focus on the explosive extension of the hips and knees for maximum power.
  • Keep the barbell close to your body to ensure an efficient pull.
  • Start with lighter weights to master the form before progressing to heavier loads.

Where Do These Clean Pull 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 Pull Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Clean Pull 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 Pull 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 Pull 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 Pull 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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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.