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Close Grip Lat Pulldown strength standards

What is a good Close Grip Lat Pulldown?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Close Grip Lat Pulldown is about 207 lb (1.15x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 264 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 207 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 264 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 Lat Pulldown

A solid (Intermediate) Close Grip Lat Pulldown for a 180 lb male is about 207 lb (1.15x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Close Grip Lat Pulldown into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 264 lb (1.47x bodyweight).

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

Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Biceps, Latissimus Dorsi, Rhomboids, Trapezius
Equipment Lat Pulldown Machine
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Close Grip Lat Pulldown?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 207 lbs (1.15x bodyweight) on the Close Grip Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

207 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.15x 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 Lat Pulldown?

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 65 97 138 186 238
120 73 107 149 199 253
130 80 116 160 211 266
140 88 125 170 223 279
150 95 133 180 234 292
160 101 141 189 244 304
170 108 149 198 255 315
180 115 156 207 264 326
190 121 163 215 274 336
200 127 171 223 283 347
210 133 177 231 292 356
220 139 184 239 300 366
230 144 190 246 309 375
240 150 197 253 317 384
250 155 203 260 324 392
260 160 209 267 332 401
270 165 215 273 339 409
280 170 221 280 346 416
290 175 226 286 353 424
300 180 232 292 360 432
310 185 237 298 367 439

Is Your Close Grip Lat Pulldown Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Close Grip Lat Pulldown is about 207 lb (1.15x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 264 lb (1.47x), and Elite is 326 lb (1.81x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Close Grip Lat Pulldown is about 112 lb (0.8x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 148 lb (1.06x), and Elite is 187 lb (1.34x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Close Grip Lat Pulldown?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 207 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 115 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 112 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 56 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 180 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 239 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 199 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 177 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 Lat Pulldown Strength?

How Close Grip Lat Pulldown 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 87 124 169 222 279
20 100 142 194 254 319
25 102 146 199 261 328
30 102 146 199 261 328
35 102 146 199 261 328
40 102 146 199 261 328
45 97 138 189 247 311
50 91 130 177 232 292
55 84 120 164 215 270
60 77 109 150 196 246
65 70 99 135 177 222
70 62 89 121 159 200
75 56 79 108 142 178
80 50 71 97 127 160
85 45 64 87 114 143
90 40 57 78 103 129

What Do Close Grip Lat Pulldown Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Close Grip Lat Pulldown, 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 Lat Pulldown. 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 Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Close Grip Lat Pulldown to the next level.

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

How to Perform Close Grip Lat Pulldown

  1. Sit down at a lat pulldown machine and adjust the thigh pads to secure your legs.
  2. Grasp the bar with a close, underhand grip, hands approximately shoulder-width apart.
  3. Sit with your back straight and lean slightly back at the hips.
  4. Pull the bar down towards your upper chest by squeezing your shoulder blades together and driving your elbows down and back.
  5. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement, ensuring your elbows are close to your body.
  6. Slowly return the bar to the starting position with a controlled motion, fully extending your arms.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form throughout.

Tips for Close Grip Lat Pulldown

  • Keep your core engaged and back straight to avoid using momentum.
  • Focus on pulling with your back muscles rather than your arms to maximize effectiveness.
  • Avoid leaning too far back, which can reduce the engagement of the target muscles.
  • Control the movement both on the way down and up to ensure full muscle engagement.

Where Do These Close Grip Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Close Grip Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown 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 Lat Pulldown 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.