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Shoulder Pin Press strength standards

What is a good Shoulder Pin Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Shoulder Pin Press is about 149 lb (0.83x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 197 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Shoulder Pin Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 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 29 51 80 117 158
120 35 59 91 130 173
130 41 67 101 142 187
140 48 76 111 154 201
150 54 84 121 165 214
160 61 92 130 176 226
170 67 99 140 187 238
180 74 107 149 197 250
190 80 114 158 208 262
200 86 122 166 217 273
210 92 129 175 227 283
220 98 136 183 236 294
230 104 143 191 245 304
240 110 150 198 254 314
250 115 156 206 263 323
260 121 163 214 271 333
270 126 169 221 279 342
280 132 176 228 287 351
290 137 182 235 295 359
300 142 188 242 303 368
310 148 194 249 311 376

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

Shoulder Pin Press Standards by Age

How the Shoulder Pin 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 56 87 127 174 227
20 64 99 145 199 259
25 65 102 149 205 266
30 65 102 149 205 266
35 65 102 149 205 266
40 65 102 149 205 266
45 62 97 141 194 252
50 58 91 132 182 237
55 54 84 123 168 219
60 49 77 112 154 200
65 44 69 101 139 181
70 40 62 91 125 162
75 36 56 81 111 145
80 32 50 73 100 130
85 29 45 65 89 116
90 26 40 59 81 105

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

Check Your Shoulder Pin 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 149 lbs (0.83x bodyweight) on the Shoulder Pin 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 Shoulder Pin Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the bar path and loading on the Shoulder Pin Press, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Shoulder Pin Press with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Shoulder Pin Press is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Shoulder Pin Press through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Shoulder Pin Press strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Shoulder Pin Press

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Shoulder Pin Press 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Shoulder Pin Press.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Shoulder Pin Press plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Shoulder Pin Press strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Shoulder Pin Press

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Upper Chest
Equipment Barbell, Power Rack
  1. Set up a barbell on a power rack at approximately shoulder height or slightly above.
  2. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, grip the barbell with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width.
  3. Position the barbell just under your chin or at collarbone level, keeping your chest up and core engaged.
  4. Press the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully without locking out your elbows.
  5. Lower the barbell back to the starting position, ensuring it touches the pins gently.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your core engaged to maintain stability and prevent back arching.
  • Avoid using momentum; focus on controlled, smooth movements.
  • Ensure the barbell touches the pins lightly to maintain consistent form.

Where Do These Shoulder Pin Press Standards Come From?

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

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 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" Shoulder Pin 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 Shoulder Pin 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 Shoulder Pin 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.