A typical intermediate man, meaning stronger than about half of the lifters who log their numbers on Strength Level, benches about 1.25 times his bodyweight, squats 1.75 times and deadlifts twice his bodyweight for one rep. A typical intermediate woman benches about 0.75 times her bodyweight, squats 1.25 times and deadlifts 1.5 times. The full tables below run from beginner to elite for all four main barbell lifts.
Treat these numbers as a ladder to climb, not a grade. They come from people who chose to log their lifts online, and body size, age and training history move them a lot.
What are strength standards? #
Strength standards are tables that estimate how strong a lifter is for a given lift, compared with other lifters of the same sex and similar bodyweight. The most widely used free set today comes from Strength Level, which builds its tables from more than 48 million lifts entered by its users between 2014 and 2026, filtered down to about 10.9 million qualifying results.
Every number is a one-rep max (1RM), the heaviest weight you could lift once with good form, and barbell weights include the bar. Strength Level defines its five levels like this:
| Level | Stronger than | Typical training time |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 5% of lifters | Has practiced the lift for at least a month |
| Novice | 20% of lifters | Has trained it regularly for at least six months |
| Intermediate | 50% of lifters | Has trained regularly for at least two years |
| Advanced | 80% of lifters | Has progressed for more than five years |
| Elite | 95% of lifters | Has spent five-plus years training to compete |
“Lifters” here means the people who use Strength Level, a group that skews toward regular gym-goers. Being “intermediate” on this scale puts you well above the general population.
Strength standards for men #
Numbers are multiples of bodyweight for a one-rep max, from Strength Level’s bench press, squat, deadlift and shoulder press pages.
| Lift | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 0.50x | 1.00x | 1.25x | 1.50x | 2.00x |
| Squat | 0.75x | 1.25x | 1.75x | 2.25x | 2.75x |
| Deadlift | 1.00x | 1.50x | 2.00x | 2.50x | 3.25x |
| Overhead press | 0.35x | 0.55x | 0.80x | 1.05x | 1.35x |
Strength standards for women #
| Lift | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 0.30x | 0.50x | 0.75x | 1.10x | 1.45x |
| Squat | 0.50x | 0.75x | 1.25x | 1.75x | 2.25x |
| Deadlift | 0.75x | 1.00x | 1.50x | 2.00x | 2.50x |
| Overhead press | 0.20x | 0.35x | 0.50x | 0.70x | 0.95x |
The pattern holds for both sexes. The deadlift is the strongest lift, the squat comes next, then the bench, and the overhead press trails far behind. If your deadlift is lower than your squat, or your bench is close to your squat, one of them is lagging and worth extra attention.
What do the numbers look like in kilograms and pounds? #
Multiples are hard to picture, so here are the middle three levels for two example lifters. Weights are rounded.
An 80 kg (176 lb) man:
| Lift | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 80 kg (176 lb) | 100 kg (220 lb) | 120 kg (265 lb) |
| Squat | 100 kg (220 lb) | 140 kg (309 lb) | 180 kg (397 lb) |
| Deadlift | 120 kg (265 lb) | 160 kg (353 lb) | 200 kg (441 lb) |
| Overhead press | 44 kg (97 lb) | 64 kg (141 lb) | 84 kg (185 lb) |
A 65 kg (143 lb) woman:
| Lift | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bench press | 32.5 kg (72 lb) | 49 kg (107 lb) | 71.5 kg (158 lb) |
| Squat | 49 kg (107 lb) | 81 kg (179 lb) | 114 kg (251 lb) |
| Deadlift | 65 kg (143 lb) | 97.5 kg (215 lb) | 130 kg (287 lb) |
| Overhead press | 23 kg (50 lb) | 32.5 kg (72 lb) | 45.5 kg (100 lb) |
Why can bodyweight multiples be misleading? #
A single multiple per level is a simplification, and it has blind spots:
- Heavier lifters lift more but score lower ratios. Strength doesn’t rise in a straight line with bodyweight. A 110 kg lifter who benches 130 kg is very strong, but at 1.18x bodyweight they’d look “below intermediate” on the table. Strength Level also publishes tables by exact bodyweight, which are fairer at the extremes.
- Lighter lifters get flattered. The same effect runs the other way for people under about 60 kg.
- Age matters. Strength typically peaks somewhere in early to middle adulthood and declines later. A 55-year-old at the novice line may be doing better than a 25-year-old at intermediate.
- Technique and rules differ. A half-depth squat or a bench press bounced off the chest inflates the number. Standards assume full range of motion.
- The sample self-selects. People who enjoy logging lifts online are more likely to be keen, and people who had a great day are more likely to enter it.
This is why our beginner fitness milestones guide calls bodyweight targets community rules of thumb rather than science. They’re useful for direction and poor for judging yourself.
How do you find your one-rep max without testing it? #
You don’t need to max out to use these tables. Take a recent hard set of 3 to 8 reps and estimate your 1RM with the Epley formula:
Estimated 1RM = weight x (1 + reps / 30)
Example: 80 kg for 5 reps works out to 80 x 1.167, or about 93 kg. The estimate is most reliable at lower rep counts and gets looser above about 10 reps. Our guide on how to track gym progress shows how to log sets so these estimates stay honest.
If you do test a true single, use a rack with safety arms set at the right height, or a spotter who knows the lift, and never max the bench alone.
How long does it take to reach each level? #
Strength Level’s own descriptions give a fair guide: novice after about six months of regular training, intermediate after about two years, advanced after five or more. That lines up with how lifting progress usually goes. Early gains come fast because you’re learning the movements, then progress slows from weekly jumps to monthly ones.
Some people move faster, especially younger lifters and anyone with a sporting background. Many never reach advanced, and that’s fine. Consistent training at the novice or intermediate line already covers the strength most people want for health, sport and daily life.
If you’ve been stuck at the same numbers for a couple of months, see how to break a strength plateau. If you’ve got a few months of lifting behind you and want a structured push toward the next level, the 12-week strength training program is built around these four lifts.
Treat the levels like a monster ladder #
The most useful way to read a strength table is as a series of fights you haven’t won yet. Pick the next level for one lift, write the target weight down, and plan an 8 to 12 week block to get there. Test with a heavy triple and the Epley estimate, not a risky max, and move to the next target when you clear it.
One Gym Man is built on the same idea, though it doesn’t grade you against these standards. You log bench press, squat, deadlift, overhead press and barbell row with weight, reps and sets, and your lifts grow a Strength stat. That stat decides your odds against 30 monsters across 10 threat tiers, from Wolf up to God, and every monster card shows whether the fight is easy, close or out of reach. The only way to clear a higher tier is to lift more, which is exactly what a strength standard measures.
Frequently asked questions #
What is a good bench press for my weight? #
By Strength Level’s data, a bodyweight bench press for one rep puts a man at the novice line and a 1.25x bench at intermediate. For women, a half-bodyweight bench is novice and three-quarters of bodyweight is intermediate. Anything you can lift with full range and control is a good starting point to build from.
How much should a beginner be able to lift? #
On the tables above, a beginner man with a month of practice might bench half his bodyweight and deadlift his bodyweight, and a beginner woman might bench about 30% of her bodyweight. Many people start below that, which is normal. Progress in the first six months is usually quick.
Is a two times bodyweight deadlift good? #
Yes. For men it’s the intermediate line on Strength Level, stronger than about half of the lifters in its data, and for women it’s the advanced line. It usually takes a couple of years of steady training to get there.
Are online strength standards accurate? #
They’re reasonable guides, not precise measurements. The data is user-submitted, skews toward keen lifters and doesn’t check technique, and a single ratio favors lighter lifters. Use them to set your next target, and compare yourself mainly with your own numbers from three months ago.