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Vertical Leg Press strength standards

What is a good Vertical Leg Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Vertical Leg Press is about 493 lb (2.74x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 688 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 493 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 688 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 Vertical Leg Press

A solid (Intermediate) Vertical Leg Press for a 180 lb male is about 493 lb (2.74x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Vertical Leg Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 688 lb (3.82x bodyweight).

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

Estimated Standards

How strong is your Vertical Leg Press? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Calves, Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings, Hip Adductors
Equipment Vertical Leg Press Machine
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Vertical Leg Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 493 lbs (2.74x bodyweight) on the Vertical Leg Press 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 Vertical Leg Press entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

493 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
2.74x 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 Vertical Leg Press?

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 81 165 285 437 611
120 99 190 317 477 659
130 117 215 349 515 704
140 135 239 380 552 747
150 153 263 409 588 789
160 171 286 438 622 828
170 189 309 466 656 867
180 206 331 493 688 903
190 223 352 519 719 939
200 240 374 545 749 973
210 257 394 570 778 1007
220 273 415 594 806 1039
230 289 434 618 834 1070
240 305 454 641 861 1100
250 321 473 664 887 1130
260 336 491 686 912 1159
270 351 510 707 937 1186
280 366 528 728 961 1214
290 381 545 749 985 1240
300 395 562 769 1008 1266
310 410 579 789 1031 1292

Is Your Vertical Leg Press Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Vertical Leg Press at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Vertical Leg Press is about 493 lb (2.74x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 688 lb (3.82x), and Elite is 903 lb (5.02x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Vertical Leg Press is about 306 lb (2.19x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 457 lb (3.26x), and Elite is 630 lb (4.5x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Vertical Leg Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 493 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 206 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 306 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 98 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 409 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 594 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 484 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 431 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 Vertical Leg Press Strength?

How Vertical Leg Press 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
15 152 263 412 595 801
20 173 301 472 681 917
25 178 309 484 699 941
30 178 309 484 699 941
35 178 309 484 699 941
40 178 309 484 699 941
45 169 293 459 663 893
50 159 275 431 623 838
55 147 254 399 576 775
60 134 232 364 526 707
65 121 210 329 475 639
70 108 188 295 426 573
75 97 168 264 381 513
80 87 150 236 341 458
85 78 135 212 305 411
90 70 122 191 275 370

What Do Vertical Leg Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning to hit proper depth on the Vertical Leg Press, building ankle and hip mobility, and developing the bracing pattern needed to keep your torso upright under load.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can execute the Vertical Leg Press with consistent depth and bracing. You are adding weight session to session using linear progression and building foundational leg strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Vertical Leg Press technique is solid through heavy loads. You use periodized programming, understand RPE-based autoregulation, and can grind through sticking points without form breakdown.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have refined your Vertical Leg Press stance, bar position, and breathing to maximize leverage. You train with block periodization, manage fatigue across training cycles, and likely compete or train at a competitive level.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Vertical Leg Press is at a regional or national competitive standard. You have years of structured peaking cycles behind you and have optimized every technical detail from walkout to lockout.

How to Progress Your Vertical Leg Press

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Vertical Leg Press 2x per week, focusing on hitting consistent depth every rep.
  • Use linear progression: add 5 lbs each session as long as form stays solid.
  • Record sets at RPE 6-7 to build volume without excessive fatigue.
  • Prioritize ankle and hip mobility work before each session.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Switch from linear to weekly periodization (e.g., light/medium/heavy days).
  • Add a Vertical Leg Press variation (pause squats, tempo squats) for weak-point work.
  • Keep most working sets at RPE 7-8, with occasional top singles at RPE 9.
  • Start tracking your training volume (sets x reps x load) week to week.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week training blocks with planned intensity peaks and deloads.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for primary sets, RPE 7 for backoff volume.
  • Address specific sticking points with targeted accessory work.
  • Manage fatigue: total weekly sets of 12-20 for the Vertical Leg Press movement pattern.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run structured peaking cycles (8-12 weeks) leading to maximal attempts.
  • Fine-tune technique details: walkout, descent speed, breath timing.
  • Use the RPE chart to hit precise percentages during peaking blocks.
  • Consider competing to test your Vertical Leg Press under meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Vertical Leg Press

  1. Lie on your back on the vertical leg press machine, positioning your feet shoulder-width apart on the platform.
  2. Grasp the handles for support and ensure your back and head are firmly against the backrest.
  3. Unlock the safety mechanisms and slowly lower the platform towards your chest by bending your knees.
  4. Stop when your knees are at a 90-degree angle or slightly lower, ensuring your lower back remains in contact with the backrest.
  5. Press the platform back up by extending your legs, but avoid locking your knees at the top of the movement.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, and re-engage the safety mechanisms once finished.

Tips for Vertical Leg Press

  • Keep your lower back pressed against the backrest at all times to avoid injury.
  • Control the movement, especially when lowering the platform to prevent excessive strain on your knees.
  • Avoid locking your knees at the top to maintain tension on the muscles and protect your joints.
  • Start with lighter weights to master the form before progressing to heavier loads.

Where Do These Vertical Leg Press 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 28, 2026

Is Your Vertical Leg Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Vertical Leg Press 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 Vertical Leg Press 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" Vertical Leg 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 Vertical Leg 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.
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.