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Smith Shoulder Press strength standards

What is a good Smith Shoulder Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Smith Shoulder Press is about 128 lb (0.71x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 166 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Smith Shoulder Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model, scaled from the Shoulder Press table by a fixed ratio of 0.88. 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 28 48 73 103 137
120 34 55 81 114 149
130 40 62 90 123 159
140 45 68 98 132 171
150 50 75 106 142 180
160 55 81 113 150 190
170 61 87 120 158 200
180 66 93 128 166 209
190 70 99 134 174 218
200 76 105 141 182 226
210 80 111 148 189 235
220 85 116 154 197 243
230 90 121 160 204 251
240 94 127 166 210 258
250 99 132 172 217 266
260 103 137 178 224 273
270 107 142 184 231 280
280 112 147 189 237 287
290 116 152 194 243 293
300 120 157 200 248 300
310 124 161 205 254 306

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

Smith Shoulder Press Standards by Age

How the Smith 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 49 75 106 144 186
20 56 85 121 165 212
25 58 87 125 169 218
30 58 87 125 169 218
35 58 87 125 169 218
40 58 87 125 169 218
45 55 83 119 160 207
50 51 77 111 150 194
55 48 72 103 139 180
60 43 66 94 128 164
65 40 59 84 115 148
70 35 54 77 103 133
75 32 48 68 92 119
80 28 42 61 83 106
85 26 38 55 74 95
90 23 34 49 67 85

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

Check Your Smith 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 128 lbs (0.71x bodyweight) on the Smith 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

of 100
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What the Smith Shoulder Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

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

Intermediate

Your Smith 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 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 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 Shoulder Press

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

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

How to Perform Smith Shoulder Press

Smith Shoulder Press demonstration
Primary Muscles delts
Equipment smith-machine
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound
["Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the smith machine with your feet shoulder-width apart.","Grasp the bar with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.","Lift the bar off the rack and position it at shoulder level, with your elbows bent and palms facing forward.","Press the bar upward until your arms are fully extended overhead.","Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the bar back down to shoulder level.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete Smith Shoulder Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Smith Shoulder Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Smith Shoulder Press table is the Shoulder Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.88 (confidence: low). It is a set of targets, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Smith 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 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 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 Shoulder Press table is the Shoulder Press table scaled by a fixed FitnessVolt ratio of 0.88 (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.