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Dumbbell Deadlift strength standards

What is a good Dumbbell Deadlift?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Dumbbell Deadlift is about 104 lb (0.58x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 152 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 104 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 152 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 Dumbbell Deadlift

A solid (Intermediate) Dumbbell Deadlift for a 180 lb male is about 104 lb (0.58x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Dumbbell Deadlift into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 152 lb (0.84x bodyweight).

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

Dumbbell Deadlift demonstration
Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Core, Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Upper Back
Equipment Dumbbells
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Dumbbell Deadlift?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 104 lbs (0.58x bodyweight) on the Dumbbell Deadlift 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 Dumbbell Deadlift entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

104 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.58x 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 Dumbbell Deadlift?

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 16 37 67 107 153
120 19 41 73 114 162
130 22 45 79 121 171
140 25 50 84 128 179
150 28 54 90 135 186
160 31 58 95 141 193
170 34 61 99 147 200
180 36 65 104 152 207
190 39 69 109 158 213
200 42 72 113 163 219
210 44 76 117 168 225
220 47 79 122 173 231
230 49 82 126 178 237
240 52 85 129 183 242
250 54 88 133 187 247
260 57 91 137 192 252
270 59 94 141 196 257
280 61 97 144 200 262
290 64 100 148 204 267
300 66 103 151 208 271
310 68 106 154 212 276

Is Your Dumbbell Deadlift Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Dumbbell Deadlift is about 104 lb (0.58x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 152 lb (0.84x), and Elite is 207 lb (1.15x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Dumbbell Deadlift is about 55 lb (0.39x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 84 lb (0.6x), and Elite is 118 lb (0.84x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Dumbbell Deadlift?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 104 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 36 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 55 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 16 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 90 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 122 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 96 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 86 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 Dumbbell Deadlift Strength?

How Dumbbell Deadlift 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 25 49 82 124 171
20 29 56 94 142 196
25 30 57 96 145 201
30 30 57 96 145 201
35 30 57 96 145 201
40 30 57 96 145 201
45 28 54 91 138 191
50 26 51 86 129 179
55 24 47 79 120 166
60 22 43 72 109 151
65 20 39 65 99 137
70 18 35 59 89 123
75 16 31 53 79 110
80 14 28 47 71 98
85 13 25 42 63 88
90 12 23 38 57 79

What Do Dumbbell Deadlift Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are developing the hip-hinge pattern for the Dumbbell Deadlift, learning to load your hamstrings and glutes while keeping a neutral spine under tension.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Dumbbell Deadlift with a consistent hinge pattern and controlled eccentric. You are building posterior chain strength and grip endurance through progressive loading.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Dumbbell Deadlift leverages a strong hip drive and solid lockout. You program variations strategically, use RPE to manage intensity, and have built serious hamstring and glute development.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have optimized your Dumbbell Deadlift setup, grip strategy, and bracing sequence for maximal output. You train with periodized blocks and manage recovery to handle high-intensity pulling sessions.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Dumbbell Deadlift is competition-caliber. You have dialed in every variable from stance width to breathing cadence and can execute near-maximal pulls with technical consistency.

How to Progress Your Dumbbell Deadlift

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Dumbbell Deadlift 1-2x per week, drilling the hip-hinge pattern with moderate loads.
  • Focus on keeping a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion.
  • Use linear progression: add 5-10 lbs per session while form remains solid.
  • Build grip endurance with holds at the top of each set.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a hinge variation (deficit, pause, or tempo) to address weak positions.
  • Program the Dumbbell Deadlift with RPE 7-8 working sets and occasional heavier singles.
  • Strengthen your grip separately if it becomes a limiting factor.
  • Begin tracking volume load to manage posterior chain fatigue.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks alternating between volume accumulation and intensity peaks.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for top sets, with calculated backoff sets at RPE 7.
  • Address posterior chain weak points with targeted Romanian deadlifts, hip thrusts, or glute-ham raises.
  • Manage weekly hinge volume (10-16 hard sets) to avoid CNS fatigue.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run peaking cycles with precise RPE targets for each session.
  • Optimize your setup: stance, grip, hip height, and bracing sequence.
  • Manage recovery carefully - heavy hinge work has high systemic fatigue.
  • Test your Dumbbell Deadlift in competition or mock-meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Dumbbell Deadlift

  1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip and arms fully extended at your sides.
  2. Engage your core and keep your back straight as you hinge at the hips, lowering the dumbbells towards the floor while maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
  3. Lower the dumbbells until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor or you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Drive through your heels to return to the starting position, extending your hips and standing up straight.
  5. Keep the dumbbells close to your body throughout the movement.
  6. Inhale as you lower the weights and exhale as you lift back up.

Read the complete Dumbbell Deadlift guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Dumbbell Deadlift

  • Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement to avoid lower back strain.
  • Don't let your shoulders round; keep them retracted and engaged.
  • Use a controlled tempo to maximize muscle engagement and reduce the risk of injury.
  • Start with lighter weights to master the form before progressing to heavier loads.
  • Ensure your knees are slightly bent and do not lock them out during the movement.

Where Do These Dumbbell Deadlift 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 Dumbbell Deadlift Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Dumbbell Deadlift 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 Dumbbell Deadlift 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" Dumbbell Deadlift 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 Dumbbell Deadlift 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.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

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.