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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.

Good target 155 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 211 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Seated Shoulder Press

A solid (Intermediate) Seated Shoulder Press for a 180 lb male is about 155 lb (0.86x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Seated Shoulder Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 211 lb (1.17x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

Seated Shoulder Press demonstration
Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Upper Chest
Equipment Dumbbells, Bench with back support
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Seated Shoulder Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 155 lbs (0.86x bodyweight) on the Seated Shoulder Press ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Seated Shoulder Press entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

155 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.86x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You Seated Shoulder Press?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

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

Is Your Seated Shoulder Press Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Seated Shoulder Press at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Seated Shoulder Press is about 155 lb (0.86x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 211 lb (1.17x), and Elite is 272 lb (1.51x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Seated Shoulder Press is about 67 lb (0.48x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 104 lb (0.74x), and Elite is 147 lb (1.05x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Seated Shoulder Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 155 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 70 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 67 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 19 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 123 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 194 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 155 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 138 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect Seated Shoulder Press Strength?

How Seated Shoulder Press standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

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

What Do Seated Shoulder Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. 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

Stronger than 20% of lifters. 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

Stronger than 50% of lifters. 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. 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

Stronger than 95% of lifters. 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

  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.

Read the complete Seated Shoulder Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Seated Shoulder Press

  • 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.

Where Do These Seated Shoulder Press Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

Is Your Seated Shoulder Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Seated Shoulder Press against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Seated Shoulder Press 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

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.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
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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One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
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.