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Smith Seated Shoulder Press strength standards

What is a good Smith Seated Shoulder Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Smith Seated Shoulder Press is about 123 lb (0.68x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 161 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Smith Seated Shoulder Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Shoulder Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.85. 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 27 46 71 99 133
120 33 53 78 110 144
130 38 60 87 119 154
140 43 65 94 128 165
150 48 72 102 137 174
160 54 78 109 145 184
170 59 84 116 153 193
180 64 90 123 161 202
190 68 96 129 168 211
200 73 101 136 176 218
210 77 107 143 183 227
220 82 112 149 190 235
230 87 117 155 197 242
240 91 122 161 203 249
250 95 128 167 210 257
260 99 133 172 216 264
270 104 137 178 223 270
280 108 142 183 229 277
290 112 147 188 235 283
300 116 151 193 240 290
310 120 156 198 246 296

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

Smith Seated Shoulder Press Standards by Age

How the Smith Seated Shoulder 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 48 72 103 139 179
20 54 82 117 159 205
25 56 84 121 163 211
30 56 84 121 163 211
35 56 84 121 163 211
40 56 84 121 163 211
45 53 80 115 155 200
50 49 75 107 145 187
55 46 70 99 134 173
60 42 64 91 123 158
65 38 57 82 111 143
70 34 52 74 99 128
75 31 46 65 89 115
80 27 41 59 80 103
85 25 37 53 71 92
90 22 33 48 65 82

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

Check Your Smith Seated Shoulder 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 123 lbs (0.68x bodyweight) on the Smith Seated Shoulder 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 Seated Shoulder Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Intermediate

Your Smith 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

You have optimized your Smith 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

Your Smith 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 Smith Seated Shoulder Press

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

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

How to Perform Smith Seated Shoulder Press

Smith Seated Shoulder Press demonstration
Primary Muscles delts
Equipment smith-machine
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Adjust the seat height so that the handles are at shoulder level.","Sit on the machine with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.","Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and lift them off the supports, extending your arms fully.","Lower the handles down to shoulder level, keeping your elbows slightly bent.","Press the handles up overhead until your arms are fully extended.","Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the handles back down to shoulder level.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Smith Seated Shoulder Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Smith Seated Shoulder Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Smith Seated Shoulder Press table is the Shoulder Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.85 (confidence: low). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Smith Seated Shoulder 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 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 Smith 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.
They are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Smith Seated Shoulder Press table is the Shoulder Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.85 (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.