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Clean strength standards

What is a good Clean?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Clean is about 211 lb (1.17x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 265 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 211 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 265 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

A solid (Intermediate) Clean for a 180 lb male is about 211 lb (1.17x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Clean into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 265 lb (1.47x bodyweight).

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

Clean demonstration
Estimated Standards

How strong is your Clean? 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?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 211 lbs (1.17x bodyweight) on the Clean 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 entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

211 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.17x 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?

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 68 98 136 180 227
120 77 109 148 194 243
130 85 119 160 207 257
140 93 128 171 219 272
150 101 138 182 232 285
160 109 147 192 243 298
170 117 155 202 254 310
180 124 164 211 265 322
190 131 172 221 276 334
200 138 180 230 286 345
210 145 188 239 295 355
220 151 195 247 305 366
230 158 203 255 314 376
240 164 210 263 323 386
250 170 217 271 332 395
260 177 224 279 340 404
270 182 230 286 348 413
280 188 237 293 356 422
290 194 243 301 364 430
300 199 249 307 372 439
310 205 255 314 379 447

Is Your Clean Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Clean is about 211 lb (1.17x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 265 lb (1.47x), and Elite is 322 lb (1.79x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Clean is about 123 lb (0.88x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 157 lb (1.12x), and Elite is 192 lb (1.37x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Clean?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 211 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 124 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 123 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 70 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 182 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 247 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 206 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 184 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 Strength?

How Clean 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 95 131 176 227 281
20 108 150 201 259 322
25 111 154 206 266 330
30 111 154 206 266 330
35 111 154 206 266 330
40 111 154 206 266 330
45 106 146 196 253 313
50 99 137 184 237 294
55 92 127 170 219 272
60 84 116 155 200 248
65 76 105 140 181 224
70 68 94 126 162 201
75 61 84 112 145 180
80 54 75 101 130 161
85 49 67 90 116 144
90 44 61 81 105 130

What Do Clean Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

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

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Clean 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 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 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

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

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

How to Perform Clean

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, barbell over mid-foot.
  2. Bend at hips and knees to grasp barbell with a shoulder-width grip.
  3. Keep chest up, back straight, and arms fully extended.
  4. Drive through heels, extend hips and knees to lift the bar.
  5. When bar reaches mid-thigh, explosively extend hips and shrug shoulders.
  6. Pull yourself under the bar, rotating elbows forward to catch it on shoulders.
  7. Stand up fully with barbell resting on shoulders.
  8. Lower barbell back to the floor under control.

Read the complete Clean guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Clean

  • Keep the bar close to your body throughout the lift.
  • Focus on a powerful hip extension to generate momentum.
  • Ensure a strong and stable catch position by rotating elbows quickly.

Where Do These Clean 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 Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Clean 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 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 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 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.