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smith reverse grip bent over row strength standards

What is a good smith reverse grip bent over row?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate smith reverse grip bent over row is about 137 lb (0.76x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 176 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 137 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 176 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 smith reverse grip bent over row

A solid (Intermediate) smith reverse grip bent over row for a 180 lb male is about 137 lb (0.76x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own smith reverse grip bent over row into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 176 lb (0.98x bodyweight).

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

smith reverse grip bent over row demonstration
Estimated Standards

How strong is your smith reverse grip bent over row? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles upper-back
Equipment smith-machine
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - The level table for this exercise is modeled from FitnessVolt strength ratios for a related base lift, not from direct measurements of this movement. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your smith reverse grip bent over row?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 137 lbs (0.76x bodyweight) on the smith reverse grip bent over row 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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Share your FVCP with friends
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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted smith reverse grip bent over row entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

137 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.76x 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 smith reverse grip bent over row?

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 33 52 78 107 140
120 39 60 87 118 153
130 45 68 95 129 165
140 51 75 105 139 177
150 58 82 113 149 187
160 63 89 122 158 198
170 69 96 130 167 208
180 75 103 137 176 218
190 81 110 145 185 228
200 86 116 153 193 237
210 92 122 159 202 246
220 97 128 167 210 255
230 102 135 174 217 264
240 107 141 180 224 272
250 112 146 187 232 280
260 118 152 193 239 288
270 122 157 200 246 295
280 127 163 206 253 303
290 132 169 211 260 310
300 136 174 218 266 317
310 141 179 223 272 324

Is Your smith reverse grip bent over row Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good smith reverse grip bent over row at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) smith reverse grip bent over row is about 137 lb (0.76x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 176 lb (0.98x), and Elite is 218 lb (1.21x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) smith reverse grip bent over row is about 67 lb (0.48x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 97 lb (0.69x), and Elite is 130 lb (0.93x).

How Much Should You Be Able to smith reverse grip bent over row?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 137 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 75 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 67 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 25 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 113 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 167 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 135 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 120 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 smith reverse grip bent over row Strength?

How smith reverse grip bent over row 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 55 81 115 154 197
20 63 93 131 176 225
25 64 95 135 180 231
30 64 95 135 180 231
35 64 95 135 180 231
40 64 95 135 180 231
45 61 91 128 171 219
50 57 85 120 161 205
55 53 79 111 149 190
60 48 71 101 136 174
65 43 64 91 123 157
70 39 58 82 110 141
75 35 52 73 99 126
80 31 47 66 88 112
85 28 42 59 79 101
90 25 37 53 71 91

What Do smith reverse grip bent over row Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are building the mind-muscle connection for the smith reverse grip bent over row, learning to initiate the pull with your back rather than your arms, and developing basic grip strength.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can perform the smith reverse grip 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

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your smith reverse grip 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have built substantial back development through the smith reverse grip 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

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your smith reverse grip 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 reverse grip bent over row

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your smith reverse grip bent over row to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the smith reverse grip 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 reverse grip 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 reverse grip 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 reverse grip 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 reverse grip bent over row

["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 underhand grip, hands 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 reverse grip bent over row guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These smith reverse grip bent over row 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 smith reverse grip bent over row Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your smith reverse grip bent over row 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 smith reverse grip bent over row 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" smith reverse grip 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 reverse grip 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.
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.