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JM Press strength standards

What is a good JM Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate JM Press is about 137 lb (0.76x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 194 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 137 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 194 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 JM Press

A solid (Intermediate) JM Press for a 180 lb male is about 137 lb (0.76x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own JM Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 194 lb (1.08x bodyweight).

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

JM Press demonstration
Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Chest
Equipment Barbell, Flat Bench
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Advanced
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your JM Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 137 lbs (0.76x bodyweight) on the JM 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 JM Press entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

137 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.76x 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 JM 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 15 36 68 109 158
120 21 44 79 123 174
130 26 52 89 135 189
140 32 60 99 148 203
150 37 68 109 160 217
160 43 75 118 171 231
170 49 83 128 183 244
180 55 90 137 194 257
190 60 98 146 204 269
200 66 105 155 215 281
210 72 112 164 225 293
220 77 119 172 235 304
230 83 126 180 245 315
240 89 133 188 254 326
250 94 139 196 263 336
260 99 146 204 272 346
270 105 152 212 281 356
280 110 159 219 290 366
290 115 165 227 298 375
300 121 171 234 306 385
310 126 177 241 315 394

Is Your JM Press Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) JM Press is about 137 lb (0.76x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 194 lb (1.08x), and Elite is 257 lb (1.43x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) JM Press is about 61 lb (0.44x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 95 lb (0.68x), and Elite is 134 lb (0.96x).

How Much Should You Be Able to JM Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 137 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 55 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 61 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 17 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 109 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 172 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 146 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 130 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 JM Press Strength?

How JM 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 45 79 124 180 244
20 51 90 142 206 279
25 53 92 146 212 286
30 53 92 146 212 286
35 53 92 146 212 286
40 53 92 146 212 286
45 50 88 139 201 271
50 47 82 130 189 255
55 43 76 120 174 236
60 40 69 110 159 215
65 36 63 99 144 194
70 32 56 89 129 174
75 29 50 80 115 156
80 26 45 71 103 139
85 23 40 64 93 125
90 21 36 57 83 113

What Do JM Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

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

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your JM 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 JM 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 JM 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 JM Press

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

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

How to Perform JM Press

  1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet firmly on the ground and grasp a barbell with a shoulder-width grip.
  2. Begin with the barbell positioned over your upper chest, arms extended but not locked.
  3. Lower the barbell towards your lower chest by bending your elbows and allowing them to flare out slightly.
  4. As you lower the bar, simultaneously bring your elbows down and inwards, aiming to touch the barbell to your lower chest.
  5. Press the barbell back to the starting position by extending your elbows and straightening your arms.
  6. Maintain a controlled motion throughout the exercise and avoid locking your elbows at the top of the movement.
  7. Exhale as you press the barbell up and inhale as you lower it.

Read the complete JM Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for JM Press

  • Keep your core engaged to maintain stability.
  • Avoid flaring your elbows out excessively to prevent shoulder strain.
  • Use a moderate weight to focus on form and technique.
  • Perform the exercise slowly and controlled to maximize tricep engagement.

Where Do These JM 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 JM Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your JM 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 JM 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" JM 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 JM 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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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.