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Viking Press strength standards

What is a good Viking Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Viking Press is about 204 lb (1.13x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 302 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

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Viking Press Standards by Bodyweight

Estimates from the FitnessVolt standards model. Updated March 28, 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 15 48 100 172 258
120 22 59 116 192 283
130 29 70 131 212 307
140 36 81 146 231 330
150 44 92 161 250 352
160 52 103 176 268 373
170 60 114 190 285 394
180 68 125 204 302 414
190 76 136 218 319 434
200 84 147 231 335 452
210 92 157 244 351 471
220 100 167 257 366 488
230 107 178 270 381 506
240 115 188 282 396 523
250 123 198 294 410 539
260 131 207 306 424 555
270 138 217 318 438 571
280 146 226 329 451 586
290 153 236 340 464 601
300 161 245 351 477 615
310 168 254 362 490 630

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

Viking Press Standards by Age

How the Viking 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 61 121 204 310 431
20 70 138 234 355 494
25 72 142 240 364 506
30 72 142 240 364 506
35 72 142 240 364 506
40 72 142 240 364 506
45 68 134 228 345 480
50 64 126 214 324 451
55 59 117 198 300 417
60 54 106 180 274 381
65 49 96 163 247 344
70 44 86 146 222 309
75 39 77 131 198 276
80 35 69 117 177 247
85 31 62 105 159 221
90 28 56 94 143 199

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

Check Your Viking 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 204 lbs (1.13x bodyweight) on the Viking 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 Viking Press Strength Levels Mean

Beginner

You are learning the movement path and resistance curve on the Viking Press, building the controlled movement pattern and mind-muscle connection needed to train the target muscle effectively.

Novice

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

Intermediate

Your Viking 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 Viking Press through disciplined, progressive training. You employ advanced techniques like drop sets, pauses, and tempo work to continue driving adaptation.

Elite

Your Viking 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 Viking Press

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

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Viking 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 Viking 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 Viking 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 Viking 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 Viking Press

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Core, Upper Chest
Equipment Viking Press Machine or Landmine Attachment
  1. Start by positioning yourself between the handles of a Viking Press machine or bar.
  2. Grasp the handles with a firm, overhand grip, ensuring your hands are shoulder-width apart.
  3. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, with a slight bend in your knees for stability.
  4. Engage your core and keep your back straight; your chest should be up and shoulders back.
  5. Press the handles upward and slightly forward until your arms are fully extended overhead.
  6. Pause briefly at the top, ensuring your arms are straight but not locked out.
  7. Lower the handles back down to shoulder level in a controlled manner.
  8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form throughout.

Tips

  • Focus on maintaining a tight core to stabilize your spine and prevent lower back strain.
  • Keep your elbows slightly in front of your body during the press to reduce shoulder joint stress.
  • Avoid locking out your elbows at the top to keep tension on the muscles.
  • Use a controlled motion when lowering the handles to prevent jerking movements.
  • Start with a lighter weight to master the form before progressing to heavier weights.

Where Do These Viking Press Standards Come From?

The levels on this page are estimates from the FitnessVolt strength standards model. The Viking Press table is an editorial FitnessVolt table, not a measured population. There is no competition or gym dataset for the Viking Press itself. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 28, 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" Viking 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 Viking 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 Viking 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.