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Seated Shoulder Press strength standards

What is a good Seated Shoulder Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Seated Shoulder Press is about 155 lb (0.86x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 211 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Seated Shoulder 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 23 46 78 119 166
120 29 55 90 133 183
130 36 64 101 147 199
140 43 73 112 161 215
150 50 82 123 174 230
160 57 90 134 187 245
170 63 99 145 199 259
180 70 107 155 211 272
190 77 116 165 222 286
200 84 124 175 234 298
210 90 132 184 245 311
220 97 140 194 256 323
230 104 148 203 266 335
240 110 156 212 276 346
250 116 163 220 286 357
260 123 170 229 296 368
270 129 178 237 306 379
280 135 185 246 315 390
290 141 192 254 324 400
300 147 199 262 333 410
310 153 206 270 342 419

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

Seated Shoulder Press Standards by Age

How the Seated Shoulder 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 52 87 132 187 248
20 60 99 151 214 284
25 61 102 155 220 292
30 61 102 155 220 292
35 61 102 155 220 292
40 61 102 155 220 292
45 58 97 147 208 277
50 55 91 138 196 260
55 50 84 128 181 240
60 46 76 117 165 219
65 42 69 105 149 198
70 37 62 95 134 178
75 33 55 85 120 159
80 30 50 76 107 142
85 27 44 68 96 127
90 24 40 61 86 115

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

Check Your Seated Shoulder 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 155 lbs (0.86x bodyweight) on the Seated Shoulder 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

of 100
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What the Seated Shoulder Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning dumbbell stabilization and control on the Seated Shoulder 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 Seated Shoulder Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Your Seated 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

You have optimized your Seated 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

Your Seated 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 Seated Shoulder Press

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

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

How to Perform Seated Shoulder Press

Seated Shoulder Press demonstration
Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Upper Chest
Equipment Dumbbells, Bench with back support
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
  1. Sit on a bench with back support, feet flat on the floor, and hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder height with palms facing forward.
  2. Brace your core and keep your back straight through the entire movement.
  3. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended, but do not lock your elbows.
  4. Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position at shoulder height.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  6. Breathing: Inhale as you lower the weights and exhale as you press them overhead.

Tips

  • Keep your core engaged to avoid arching your lower back.
  • Maintain a smooth and controlled motion throughout the exercise.
  • Avoid using excessively heavy weights that compromise your form.
  • For beginners, start with lighter weights to master the technique.

Read the complete Seated Shoulder Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Seated Shoulder Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Seated Shoulder Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Seated Shoulder 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" Seated Shoulder 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 Seated Shoulder 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 Seated Shoulder 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.