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Smith Bent Over Row strength standards

What is a good Smith Bent Over Row?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Smith Bent Over Row is about 150 lb (0.83x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 193 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Smith Bent Over Row Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Bench Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.68. 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 36 57 85 118 154
120 43 66 95 130 168
130 50 74 105 141 181
140 56 82 115 152 194
150 63 90 124 163 205
160 69 98 133 173 217
170 76 105 142 184 228
180 82 113 150 193 239
190 88 120 159 203 250
200 95 127 167 212 260
210 101 134 175 221 270
220 106 141 183 230 279
230 112 148 190 238 289
240 118 154 198 246 298
250 123 160 205 254 307
260 129 167 212 262 316
270 134 173 219 270 324
280 139 179 226 277 332
290 145 185 232 285 340
300 150 190 239 292 347
310 155 197 245 299 356

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

Smith Bent Over Row Standards by Age

How the Smith Bent Over Row 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 60 89 126 169 216
20 69 102 143 193 247
25 70 105 148 198 253
30 70 105 148 198 253
35 70 105 148 198 253
40 70 105 148 198 253
45 67 99 140 188 240
50 63 93 131 176 225
55 58 86 122 163 208
60 53 78 111 149 190
65 48 71 100 135 172
70 43 64 90 120 154
75 38 57 80 108 138
80 34 51 72 97 123
85 31 46 65 86 111
90 28 41 58 78 99

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

Check Your Smith Bent Over Row 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 150 lbs (0.83x bodyweight) on the Smith Bent Over Row 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 Smith Bent Over Row Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are building the mind-muscle connection for the Smith Bent Over Row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

You can perform the Smith Bent Over Row with proper scapular retraction and a controlled range of motion. You are progressively overloading and building back thickness and lat width.

Intermediate

Your Smith Bent Over 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

You have built substantial back development through the Smith Bent Over 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

Your Smith Bent Over 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 Smith Bent Over Row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Smith Bent Over Row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Smith Bent Over 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 progress with the one rep max calculator →
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 Smith Bent Over 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 Smith Bent Over 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 Smith Bent Over 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 Smith Bent Over Row

Smith Bent Over Row demonstration
Primary Muscles upper-back
Equipment smith-machine
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Set up the smith machine with the bar at hip height.","Stand facing the bar with your feet shoulder-width apart.","Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.","Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.","Pull the bar towards your lower chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.","Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Smith Bent Over Row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Smith Bent Over Row Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Smith Bent Over Row table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.68 (confidence: low). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Smith Bent Over Row 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 Bent Over Row 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 Bent Over Row 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 Bent Over Row table is the Bench Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.68 (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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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.