Strength Standards Lookup
Approximate novice/intermediate/elite 1-rep-max for big lifts by bodyweight.
Overview
Strength standards translate your body weight, sex, and lift performance into a qualitative band — untrained, novice, intermediate, advanced, or elite. They give lifters a sanity check on whether a 100 kg bench press is impressive for them specifically, since the same load means very different things to a 60 kg and a 100 kg athlete.
The standards are most useful as a self-assessment tool and as a way to spot weaknesses in a programme. A lifter whose squat sits at "intermediate" while their bench press is still "novice" probably needs to spend more time on horizontal pressing. Beyond serious competitive lifting they are not a goal in themselves — relative balance and longevity matter more than chasing the next tier.
How it works
The lookup is a table of 1-rep-max thresholds indexed by bodyweight (in steps of roughly 5–10 kg or pounds), separated by sex, and tabulated for the major barbell lifts: bench press, squat, deadlift, overhead press, power clean. Tables come from large datasets aggregated by the strength-training community, including Greg Nuckols' published charts and the original Lon Kilgore standards used in early CrossFit programming.
Bodyweight-relative ratios sit underneath the table. As a rough rule of thumb for men, a 1× bodyweight bench, 1.5× squat, 2× deadlift, and 0.75× overhead press marks the boundary between novice and intermediate; advanced and elite are typically 1.5–2× higher than novice. Women's ratios run slightly lower for upper-body lifts and roughly equivalent for lower body lifts.
Examples
- An 80 kg man benching 80 kg lands in the novice range; 110 kg crosses into intermediate; 150 kg is advanced.
- A 60 kg woman deadlifting 100 kg sits at intermediate; 140 kg is advanced; 170 kg approaches elite.
- A 70 kg man squatting 140 kg (2× bodyweight) is comfortably intermediate-to-advanced.
- A 90 kg lifter pressing 55 kg overhead is around the novice band; 70 kg moves toward intermediate.
FAQ
Are these standards for raw or geared lifting?
Raw — no supportive shirt or briefs. Equipped totals run 10–30% higher.
Do they apply to teens and older lifters?
The default tables fit adults aged 18–55. Younger and older lifters can use the same shape but with adjusted expectations.
Why is my deadlift much higher than my bench?
Mechanical advantage and muscle mass involved. Deadlifts pull from the floor with hips and back; bench presses isolate a smaller chest and triceps group.
Should I train to reach the next tier?
Tier-chasing can derail balanced programming. Use the bands for context, then let your goals (health, sport, aesthetics) drive the plan.