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Pendlay Row Strength Standards

Quick Answer Pendlay Row

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level Pendlay Row of 202 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 255 lbs (1.42x bodyweight).

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

Pendlay Row demonstration
Competition-Verified

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

Equipment Barbell, Weight plates
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Advanced
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Pendlay Row?

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 Pendlay Row?

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

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 54 82 117 158 203
120 63 93 130 174 221
130 73 104 143 189 238
140 82 115 156 203 254
150 90 125 168 217 269
160 99 135 180 230 284
170 108 145 191 243 298
180 116 155 202 255 312
190 124 165 213 268 325
200 132 174 223 279 338
210 140 183 234 291 351
220 148 192 244 302 363
230 155 200 253 312 375
240 163 209 263 323 386
250 170 217 272 333 398
260 177 225 281 343 408
270 184 233 290 353 419
280 191 240 298 362 429
290 198 248 307 372 439
300 204 255 315 381 449
310 211 263 323 390 459

How Does Age Affect Pendlay Row Strength?

How Pendlay Row standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 89 125 170 222 278
20 101 143 195 254 318
25 104 147 200 260 326
30 104 147 200 260 326
35 104 147 200 260 326
40 104 147 200 260 326
45 99 139 189 247 309
50 93 131 178 232 290
55 86 121 164 214 268
60 78 110 150 196 245
65 71 100 136 177 221
70 63 90 122 159 199
75 57 80 109 142 178
80 51 72 97 127 159
85 45 64 87 114 142
90 41 58 79 103 128

What Do Pendlay Row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Pendlay Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the Pendlay Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Pendlay Row shows strong back engagement with minimal momentum. You use RPE to regulate pulling intensity and train strategically to balance horizontal and vertical pull volume.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the Pendlay Row with refined technique and heavy loads. Your grip is no longer a limiting factor, and you manage rowing and pulling fatigue across training blocks.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Pendlay Row strength is exceptional. You can handle loads that most lifters cannot move with strict form, and your back development reflects years of high-volume, periodized pulling work.

How to Progress Your Pendlay Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Pendlay Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Pendlay Row 2x per week, focusing on initiating the pull from your back, not your arms.
  • Use linear progression with strict form - no swinging or excessive body English.
  • Pause briefly at peak contraction to build the mind-muscle connection.
  • Develop grip strength in parallel to avoid it becoming a bottleneck.
Track your E1RM progress →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Add a pull variation (different grip width, underhand, or single-arm) for balanced development.
  • Increase pulling volume to 10-15 sets per week across all back movements.
  • Program the Pendlay Row at RPE 7-8, saving RPE 9 work for top sets only.
  • Balance horizontal pulls (rows) with vertical pulls (pulldowns/pull-ups).
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week blocks with progressive overload on the Pendlay Row.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for heavy sets with calculated backoff work at RPE 6-7.
  • Add controlled eccentrics and paused reps to break through plateaus.
  • Total back volume of 15-22 sets per week, distributed across pull patterns.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize the Pendlay Row through advanced intensity techniques and precise volume management.
  • Use periodized blocks with planned overreaching and supercompensation phases.
  • Refine execution: squeeze at contraction, controlled stretch, zero momentum.
  • Your back development should reflect years of disciplined, high-volume pulling.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Pendlay Row

  1. Start with a loaded barbell on the floor.
  2. Stand with your feet hip-width apart and bend at the hips to grip the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  3. Lower your torso until it's almost parallel to the floor, keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent.
  4. Engage your core and pull the barbell towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top of the movement.
  5. Lower the barbell back to the floor, ensuring each rep starts from a dead stop.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Read the complete Pendlay Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Pendlay Row

  • Maintain a flat back throughout the exercise to avoid injury.
  • Ensure each rep starts from a dead stop on the floor.
  • Engage your core to stabilize your body and prevent swinging.
  • Keep your elbows close to your body during the pull.
  • Use a weight that allows you to maintain strict form for all reps.

Where Do These Pendlay Row Standards Come From?

These Pendlay Row 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 Pendlay Row Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your Pendlay Row 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 Pendlay Row 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" Pendlay Row 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 Pendlay Row 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