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Close Grip Incline Bench Press strength standards

What is a good Close Grip Incline Bench Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Close Grip Incline Bench Press is about 172 lb (0.96x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 221 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 172 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 221 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 Close Grip Incline Bench Press

A solid (Intermediate) Close Grip Incline Bench Press for a 180 lb male is about 172 lb (0.96x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Close Grip Incline Bench Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 221 lb (1.23x bodyweight).

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

Estimated Standards

How strong is your Close Grip Incline Bench Press? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Upper Chest
Equipment Barbell, Incline Bench
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Close Grip Incline Bench Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 172 lbs (0.96x bodyweight) on the Close Grip Incline 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.

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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 Close Grip Incline Bench Press entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

172 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.96x 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 Close Grip Incline 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 41 64 95 132 173
120 49 74 107 146 189
130 56 84 119 160 204
140 64 94 130 173 219
150 72 103 141 185 233
160 80 112 152 197 247
170 87 121 162 209 260
180 95 130 172 221 273
190 102 138 182 232 285
200 110 147 192 243 297
210 117 155 201 253 309
220 124 163 210 263 320
230 130 171 219 273 331
240 137 179 228 283 341
250 144 186 236 293 352
260 150 194 245 302 362
270 157 201 253 311 372
280 163 208 261 320 382
290 169 215 269 328 391
300 175 222 276 337 400
310 181 229 284 345 409

Is Your Close Grip Incline Bench Press Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Close Grip Incline Bench Press is about 172 lb (0.96x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 221 lb (1.23x), and Elite is 273 lb (1.52x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Close Grip Incline Bench Press is about 87 lb (0.62x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 120 lb (0.86x), and Elite is 156 lb (1.11x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Close Grip Incline Bench Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 172 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 95 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 87 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 37 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 141 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 210 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 171 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 152 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 Close Grip Incline Bench Press Strength?

How Close Grip Incline 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 71 104 146 194 246
20 82 119 167 222 282
25 84 122 171 228 289
30 84 122 171 228 289
35 84 122 171 228 289
40 84 122 171 228 289
45 79 116 162 216 275
50 74 109 152 203 258
55 69 101 141 188 238
60 63 92 129 171 218
65 57 83 116 155 197
70 51 75 104 139 176
75 46 67 93 124 158
80 41 60 83 111 141
85 37 53 75 99 126
90 33 48 67 90 114

What Do Close Grip Incline Bench Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the bar path and loading on the Close Grip Incline 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 Close Grip Incline 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 Close Grip 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have optimized your Close Grip 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

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Close Grip 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 Close Grip Incline Bench Press

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

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

How to Perform Close Grip Incline Bench Press

  1. Set an adjustable bench to a 30-45 degree incline and lie back on it.
  2. Grasp the barbell with a close grip, about shoulder-width apart.
  3. Unrack the barbell and hold it directly above your chest with arms fully extended.
  4. Inhale and lower the barbell slowly to your upper chest, keeping elbows close to your body.
  5. Pause briefly, then exhale and press the barbell back up to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining control and proper form throughout.

Tips for Close Grip Incline Bench Press

  • Keep your elbows close to your body to maximize triceps engagement and minimize shoulder strain.
  • Control the barbell through the entire movement to enhance muscle activation and prevent injury.
  • Avoid arching your back excessively; maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise.
  • Start with lighter weights to master the form before progressing to heavier loads.

Where Do These Close Grip Incline 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 28, 2026

Is Your Close Grip Incline Bench Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Close Grip Incline 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 Close Grip Incline 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" Close Grip 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 Close Grip 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.
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.