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Smith Bench Press strength standards

What is a good Smith Bench Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Smith Bench Press is about 199 lb (1.11x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 256 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Smith Bench Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.9. 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 48 76 113 156 203
120 57 87 126 172 222
130 66 98 139 187 239
140 75 109 152 202 257
150 84 120 164 216 272
160 92 130 176 230 287
170 101 140 188 243 302
180 109 149 199 256 317
190 117 159 211 268 330
200 125 168 221 281 344
210 133 177 231 293 357
220 140 186 242 304 370
230 149 195 252 315 383
240 156 204 262 326 394
250 163 212 271 337 406
260 171 221 281 347 418
270 177 229 290 357 428
280 185 237 299 367 439
290 192 245 307 377 450
300 198 252 316 386 460
310 205 260 324 395 471

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

Smith Bench Press Standards by Age

How the Smith Bench 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 79 118 167 223 285
20 91 135 190 256 327
25 93 139 195 262 335
30 93 139 195 262 335
35 93 139 195 262 335
40 93 139 195 262 335
45 88 131 185 248 318
50 83 123 174 233 298
55 77 114 161 216 275
60 70 104 147 197 252
65 63 94 132 178 228
70 57 85 119 159 204
75 50 76 106 143 183
80 45 68 95 128 163
85 41 60 86 114 147
90 37 54 77 104 131

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

Check Your Smith Bench 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 199 lbs (1.11x bodyweight) on the Smith Bench 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 Smith Bench Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Smith Bench 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 Smith Bench Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Your Smith Bench 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 Smith Bench 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 Smith Bench 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 Smith Bench Press

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

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

How to Perform Smith Bench Press

Smith Bench Press demonstration
Primary Muscles pectorals
Equipment smith-machine
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Adjust the height of the smith machine bar to chest level.","Lie flat on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground.","Grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.","Unrack the bar and lower it towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.","Pause for a moment when the bar touches your chest.","Push the bar back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Smith Bench Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Smith Bench Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Smith Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.9 (confidence: low). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Smith Bench 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" Smith Bench 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 Smith Bench 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 Smith Bench Press table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.9 (confidence: low). It is a set of targets, not a measured population.
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.