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Wide Grip Bench Press strength standards

What is a good Wide Grip Bench Press?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Wide Grip Bench Press is about 219 lb (1.22x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 282 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 219 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 282 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 Wide Grip Bench Press

A solid (Intermediate) Wide Grip Bench Press for a 180 lb male is about 219 lb (1.22x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Wide Grip Bench Press into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 282 lb (1.57x bodyweight).

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

Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles Shoulders (Deltoids), Triceps, Chest
Equipment Barbell, Flat bench
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

How Strong Is Your Wide Grip Bench Press?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 219 lbs (1.22x bodyweight) on the Wide Grip Bench 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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Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Wide Grip Bench Press entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

219 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.22x 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 Wide Grip Bench 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 53 84 125 174 228
120 63 96 140 191 248
130 72 108 154 208 266
140 82 120 168 224 285
150 91 131 181 239 302
160 101 143 194 254 319
170 110 153 207 269 335
180 119 164 219 282 350
190 128 174 231 296 365
200 136 184 243 309 380
210 145 194 254 322 394
220 153 204 265 334 408
230 161 213 276 346 421
240 169 223 286 358 434
250 177 232 297 370 447
260 185 241 307 381 459
270 193 249 317 392 471
280 200 258 326 402 483
290 208 266 335 413 494
300 215 274 345 423 505
310 222 282 354 433 516

Is Your Wide Grip Bench Press Good?

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

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Wide Grip Bench Press is about 219 lb (1.22x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 282 lb (1.57x), and Elite is 350 lb (1.94x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Wide Grip Bench Press is about 110 lb (0.79x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 161 lb (1.15x), and Elite is 218 lb (1.56x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Wide Grip Bench Press?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 219 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 119 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 110 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 39 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 181 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 265 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 211 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 188 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 Wide Grip Bench Press Strength?

How Wide Grip Bench 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 85 127 180 242 310
20 97 145 206 277 354
25 100 149 211 284 364
30 100 149 211 284 364
35 100 149 211 284 364
40 100 149 211 284 364
45 95 141 200 269 345
50 89 133 188 253 324
55 82 123 174 234 299
60 75 112 159 213 273
65 68 101 143 193 247
70 61 91 129 173 222
75 54 81 115 155 198
80 49 73 103 138 177
85 44 65 92 124 159
90 39 59 83 112 143

What Do Wide Grip Bench Press Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning the bar path and loading on the Wide Grip Bench Press, building the shoulder stability and pressing coordination needed to handle heavier loads safely.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can press with a consistent path and controlled tempo on the Wide Grip Bench Press. You are progressing linearly and building the chest, shoulder, and tricep base needed for intermediate strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Wide Grip Bench 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

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have optimized your Wide Grip Bench 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

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Wide Grip Bench 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 Wide Grip Bench Press

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Wide Grip Bench Press to the next level.

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

How to Perform Wide Grip Bench Press

  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor.
  2. Grip the barbell with a wide grip, hands placed wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Unrack the barbell and hold it above your chest with arms fully extended.
  4. Lower the barbell slowly to your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
  5. Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  7. Breathe in while lowering the barbell and exhale as you push it back up.

Tips for Wide Grip Bench Press

  • Ensure a firm grip on the barbell to maintain control.
  • Keep your back flat against the bench throughout the movement.
  • Avoid locking your elbows at the top to keep tension on the chest muscles.
  • Use a spotter if lifting heavy weights to ensure safety.

Where Do These Wide Grip Bench 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 Wide Grip Bench Press Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Wide Grip Bench 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 Wide Grip Bench 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" Wide Grip Bench 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 Wide Grip Bench 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.