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lever chest press Strength Standards

Quick Answer lever chest press

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level lever chest press of 177 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 227 lbs (1.26x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results

lever chest press demonstration
Competition-Derived

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

Primary Muscles pectorals
Equipment lever
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - Estimated from bench-press standards using a 0.8x ratio.. These values are derived from verified competition data for the base exercise. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your lever chest press?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
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to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You lever chest press?

1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 42 67 100 138 181
120 50 78 112 153 198
130 58 87 123 166 213
140 66 97 135 179 228
150 74 106 146 192 242
160 82 115 157 204 255
170 90 124 167 216 269
180 97 133 177 227 282
190 104 142 187 238 294
200 111 150 197 250 306
210 118 158 206 260 318
220 125 166 215 270 329
230 132 174 224 280 340
240 138 182 233 290 350
250 145 189 241 299 361
260 152 196 250 309 371
270 158 203 258 318 381
280 164 210 266 326 390
290 170 218 273 335 400
300 176 224 281 343 409
310 182 231 288 351 418

How Does Age Affect lever chest press Strength?

How lever chest press standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 70 105 148 198 254
20 81 120 169 227 290
25 82 123 174 233 298
30 82 123 174 233 298
35 82 123 174 233 298
40 82 123 174 233 298
45 78 117 165 221 282
50 74 110 154 207 265
55 68 102 143 192 245
60 62 92 130 175 224
65 56 83 118 158 202
70 50 75 106 142 182
75 45 67 94 127 162
80 40 60 85 114 145
85 36 54 76 102 130
90 33 48 68 92 117

What Do lever chest press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement on the lever chest 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 lever chest press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your lever chest 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 lever chest 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 lever chest 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 lever chest press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your lever chest press to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the lever chest 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 your E1RM progress →
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 lever chest 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 lever chest press under competition-style commands and judging.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform lever chest press

["Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your back flat against the pad.","Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and position your elbows at a 90-degree angle.","Push the handles forward until your arms are fully extended, exhaling during the movement.","Pause briefly at the end of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position, inhaling as you do so.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete lever chest press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These lever chest press Standards Come From?

These lever chest press standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.

Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.

Is Your lever chest press Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your lever chest press performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:

  1. Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
  2. Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
  3. Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
  4. Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can lever chest press 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" lever chest press depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training experience. As a general benchmark, an Intermediate-level lift (stronger than 50% of lifters) is a solid goal for most recreational athletes. Check the table above for your specific bodyweight.
Most lifters can reach Intermediate level on the lever chest press within 1-2 years of consistent training with progressive overload and proper nutrition. Genetics, training program quality, and recovery all play a role.
Yes. Our standards are calculated from 2.5M+ verified competition results and community-reported data. They are adjusted for bodyweight and age to give you an accurate comparison.
These standards are based on raw (unequipped) lifts. If you use supportive equipment like a bench shirt or squat suit, your equipped numbers will be higher than these standards reflect.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

E1RM Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE