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Incline Bench Press strength standards

What is a good Incline Bench Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Incline Bench Press is about 199 lb (1.11x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 252 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 199 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 252 lb Advanced standard
Gym median 176 lb (80.0 kg) Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards / Gym Percentiles / By Age
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Incline Bench Press

A solid (Intermediate) Incline Bench Press for a 180 lb male is about 199 lb (1.11x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Incline Bench Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 252 lb (1.4x bodyweight).

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

Incline Bench Press demonstration
Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Upper Chest
Equipment Incline Bench, Barbell or Dumbbells
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Incline Bench Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 199 lbs (1.11x bodyweight) on the 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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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

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

199 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.11x 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 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 48 75 108 148 192
120 58 86 122 165 211
130 67 98 136 180 229
140 77 109 149 196 246
150 86 120 162 210 262
160 95 131 175 225 278
170 104 142 187 239 294
180 113 152 199 252 309
190 122 162 211 265 323
200 131 172 222 278 337
210 139 182 233 290 351
220 148 192 244 302 364
230 156 201 255 314 377
240 164 210 265 326 389
250 172 219 275 337 402
260 180 228 285 348 413
270 188 237 294 358 425
280 195 245 304 369 436
290 203 254 313 379 448
300 210 262 322 389 458
310 217 270 331 399 469

Is Your Incline Bench Press Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Incline Bench Press is about 199 lb (1.11x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 252 lb (1.4x), and Elite is 309 lb (1.72x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Incline Bench Press is about 93 lb (0.66x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 138 lb (0.99x), and Elite is 189 lb (1.35x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Incline Bench Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 199 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 113 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 93 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 30 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 162 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 244 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 196 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 175 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 Incline Bench Press Strength?

How 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 83 121 167 221 280
20 95 138 191 253 321
25 98 142 196 260 329
30 98 142 196 260 329
35 98 142 196 260 329
40 98 142 196 260 329
45 93 134 186 247 312
50 87 126 175 231 293
55 80 117 162 214 271
60 73 106 148 195 247
65 66 96 133 176 223
70 60 86 120 158 200
75 53 77 107 142 179
80 48 69 96 127 160
85 43 62 86 113 144
90 38 56 77 102 129

What Do Incline Bench Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

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

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

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

How to Perform 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 shoulder-width grip or hold a dumbbell in each hand.
  3. Position the weights at chest level with elbows bent and pointed down.
  4. Inhale, then press the weights up until your arms are fully extended.
  5. Exhale as you lower the weights back to the starting position with control.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Read the complete Incline Bench Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Incline Bench Press

  • Keep your feet flat on the floor for stability.
  • Avoid flaring your elbows too wide to prevent shoulder strain.
  • Maintain a slight arch in your lower back.
  • Control the movement to maximize muscle engagement and minimize injury risk.

Where Do These 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 29, 2026

Is Your Incline Bench Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your 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 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" 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 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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Compare Incline Bench Press

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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.