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lever shoulder press Strength Standards

Quick Answer lever shoulder press

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level lever shoulder press of 116 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 151 lbs (0.84x bodyweight).

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

lever shoulder press demonstration
Competition-Derived

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

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

Estimated Standards - Estimated from shoulder-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 shoulder 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 shoulder 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 26 43 66 94 125
120 31 50 74 103 135
130 36 56 82 112 145
140 41 62 89 120 155
150 46 68 96 129 164
160 50 74 102 136 173
170 55 79 109 144 182
180 60 85 116 151 190
190 64 90 122 158 198
200 69 95 128 166 206
210 73 101 134 172 214
220 78 106 140 179 221
230 82 110 146 186 228
240 86 115 151 191 234
250 90 120 157 198 242
260 94 125 162 203 248
270 98 129 167 210 254
280 102 134 172 215 261
290 106 138 177 221 266
300 109 142 182 226 273
310 113 146 186 231 278

How Does Age Affect lever shoulder press Strength?

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

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 45 68 97 131 169
20 51 78 110 150 193
25 53 79 114 154 198
30 53 79 114 154 198
35 53 79 114 154 198
40 53 79 114 154 198
45 50 75 108 146 188
50 46 70 101 137 176
55 43 66 94 126 163
60 39 60 86 116 149
65 36 54 77 105 134
70 32 49 70 94 121
75 29 43 62 84 108
80 26 38 55 75 97
85 23 34 50 67 86
90 21 31 45 61 78

What Do lever shoulder press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the movement on the lever shoulder 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 shoulder 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 shoulder 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 shoulder 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 shoulder 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 shoulder press

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

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

How to Perform lever shoulder press

["Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your back against the backrest.","Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and position your hands at shoulder level.","Push the handles upward until your arms are fully extended, but do not lock your elbows.","Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the handles back down to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete lever shoulder press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These lever shoulder press Standards Come From?

These lever shoulder 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 shoulder press Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your lever shoulder 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 shoulder 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 shoulder 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 shoulder 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