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Military Press strength standards

What is a good Military Press?

The Intermediate Military Press standard is about 143 lb (0.79x bodyweight) for a 180 lb man and 74 lb for a 140 lb woman. Advanced starts around 184 lb for men and 102 lb for women. Enter your bodyweight below for your exact standard. These are estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, not averages of what people lift in the gym.

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Military Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 29, 2026. Find the row closest to your bodyweight. Beginner is a first target for a new lifter, Novice a few months in, Intermediate about one to two years of structured training, Advanced several years, Elite the top of the table.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 33 53 80 111 145
120 40 62 89 122 159
130 46 70 99 134 172
140 53 78 108 145 184
150 59 85 118 155 196
160 66 93 126 165 207
170 72 100 135 175 218
180 78 107 143 184 228
190 84 115 152 194 239
200 90 121 159 203 249
210 96 128 167 211 258
220 102 135 175 220 268
230 107 141 182 228 277
240 113 148 189 236 286
250 118 154 196 244 294
260 124 160 203 252 303
270 129 166 210 259 311
280 134 172 216 266 319
290 139 178 223 273 327
300 144 183 229 280 334
310 149 189 235 287 342

The Military Press standard at each level as bodyweight rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Military Press Standards by Age

How the Military Press standards change with age, as a 1RM in lb. This table is not tied to one bodyweight, so read it for the trend and use the bodyweight table above for your own number.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 59 86 121 161 205
20 67 99 138 184 235
25 69 101 142 189 241
30 69 101 142 189 241
35 69 101 142 189 241
40 69 101 142 189 241
45 65 96 135 180 229
50 61 90 126 169 215
55 57 83 117 156 198
60 52 76 107 142 181
65 47 69 96 129 164
70 42 62 86 115 147
75 38 55 77 103 131
80 34 49 69 92 117
85 30 44 62 83 105
90 27 40 56 75 95

The Military Press standard at each level as age rises, for the sex selected above. Exact numbers in the table above.

Check Your Military Press Level

Intermediate
Level score: 50 of 100
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
A 180 lb male lifting 143 lbs (0.79x bodyweight) on the Military Press is at the Intermediate standard for his bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

Over 40? Add your age and the calculator also shows an age-adjusted level and an age-30 equivalent, using the McCulloch age factor to scale your lift to peak age. Every age band is in the standards by age table above.

Level score:
Level score on the FitnessVolt standards: Beginner 5, Novice 20, Intermediate 50, Advanced 80, Elite 95
Age-adjusted score
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

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What the Military Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the bar path and loading on the Military Press, building the shoulder stability and pressing coordination needed to handle heavier loads safely.

Novice

You can press with a consistent path and controlled tempo on the Military Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Your Military 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

You have optimized your Military 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

Your Military 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 Military Press

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

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

How to Perform Military Press

Military Press demonstration
Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Upper Chest
Equipment Barbell, Weight Plates
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
  1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and grip a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  2. Lift the barbell to shoulder height with your elbows pointed slightly forward.
  3. Press the barbell overhead by extending your arms fully while keeping your core tight and back straight.
  4. Lower the barbell back to the starting position in a controlled manner.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your core engaged to maintain stability throughout the movement.
  • Avoid arching your back to prevent lower back strain.
  • Use a full range of motion for optimal muscle engagement.
  • Start with a manageable weight to master the form before increasing the load.

Read the complete Military Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Military Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Military Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Military Press itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

  • Level tables: the FitnessVolt strength standards model, not meet data.
  • Method: Strength standards methodology - how the level tables are built and where each data source on the site comes from.
Cite this Fitness Volt strength standards model, 2026. Beginner to Elite levels are model values, not competition percentiles. https://fitnessvolt.com/strength-standards/methodology/

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Military 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 Military 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.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Military Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
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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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.