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Tate Press strength standards

What is a good Tate Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Tate Press is about 49 lb (0.27x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 79 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Tate Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. 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 2 11 28 52 82
120 3 13 31 57 88
130 4 16 34 61 93
140 6 18 37 65 98
150 7 20 40 69 102
160 8 22 43 72 107
170 9 24 46 76 111
180 10 26 49 79 115
190 12 27 51 83 119
200 13 29 54 86 123
210 14 31 56 89 127
220 15 33 59 92 131
230 16 35 61 95 134
240 18 36 63 98 137
250 19 38 66 101 141
260 20 40 68 103 144
270 21 41 70 106 147
280 22 43 72 108 150
290 23 45 74 111 153
300 25 46 76 113 156
310 26 48 78 116 159

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

Tate Press Standards by Age

How the Tate 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 7 19 39 66 97
20 8 22 45 75 111
25 8 23 46 77 114
30 8 23 46 77 114
35 8 23 46 77 114
40 8 23 46 77 114
45 8 22 44 73 108
50 7 20 41 69 102
55 7 19 38 63 94
60 6 17 35 58 86
65 6 16 31 52 78
70 5 14 28 47 70
75 5 12 25 42 62
80 4 11 22 38 56
85 4 10 20 34 50
90 3 9 18 30 45

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

Check Your Tate 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 49 lbs (0.27x bodyweight) on the Tate 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 Tate Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning dumbbell stabilization and control on the Tate Press, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

You can perform the Tate Press with strict form and a smooth tempo. You are adding resistance progressively without sacrificing range of motion or using body English.

Intermediate

Your Tate Press is performed with excellent control and targeted tension. You use RPE to manage isolation work intensity and program it strategically within your training split.

Advanced

You have built significant strength on the Tate Press through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Tate Press strength is at the upper end of what most lifters achieve. You have maximized the target muscle development through years of focused, periodized isolation work.

How to Progress Your Tate Press

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Tate Press 2x per week with slow, controlled reps.
  • Focus on full range of motion and eliminating momentum or swinging.
  • Keep sets at RPE 6-7 to develop proper movement patterns.
  • Build the mind-muscle connection - feel the target muscle working on every rep.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Increase load progressively while keeping strict form on the Tate Press.
  • Program 3-4 sets of 8-15 reps at RPE 7-8.
  • Add a variation (different grip, angle, or equipment) to address development gaps.
  • Place isolation work after your primary compound movements.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Advanced Isolation Techniques
  • Use drop sets, paused reps, and partial reps to break through Tate Press plateaus.
  • Train at RPE 8-9 with advanced intensity techniques on your last 1-2 sets.
  • Manipulate tempo to increase time under tension without compromising form.
  • Manage total volume for the target muscle group across all exercises.
Calculate working set loads →
Advanced → Elite Mastery
  • Maximize Tate Press strength through precise programming and fatigue management.
  • Use periodized blocks to cycle between volume, intensity, and deload phases.
  • Quality of contraction matters more than load at this level.
  • Continuous refinement of technique will yield the remaining gains.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Tate Press

Tate Press demonstration
Equipment Dumbbells, Flat Bench
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Isolation
  1. Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your feet flat on the floor.
  2. Extend your arms straight up, palms facing your feet, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  3. Lower the dumbbells towards your shoulders by bending your elbows outward, keeping your upper arms stationary.
  4. Pause briefly when the dumbbells are near your shoulders.
  5. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position by extending your elbows, ensuring your upper arms remain stationary.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your upper arms stationary to fully isolate the triceps.
  • Avoid flaring your elbows excessively to prevent shoulder strain.
  • Use a controlled motion to maximize muscle engagement and minimize injury risk.
  • Start with a lighter weight to master the form before progressing to heavier dumbbells.

Read the complete Tate Press guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These Tate Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Tate Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Tate 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" Tate 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 Tate 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 Tate Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. Treat the levels as targets.
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.