Strength standards calculator

What the levels mean

Strength standards are a way of answering "is that good?" without comparing yourself to people at a different bodyweight. The lift is expressed as a multiple of what you weigh, then placed into bands that reflect roughly how long a consistent lifter takes to reach them: beginner in the first months, novice around the one-year mark, intermediate after a couple of years of decent training, advanced after several, and elite at a level that would be competitive in powerlifting.

Where the numbers come from

The multipliers are the commonly quoted standards used across strength-training references and coaching programmes, rounded to sensible figures. They are population guides, not laws - a tall lifter with long arms will bench less and deadlift more than these suggest, and someone in their fifties should not expect the same numbers as someone in their twenties. Use them to pick the next target, not to judge yourself.

What most beginners actually lift

For a 80 kg man after three months: a bench around 50–60 kg, a squat around 70–90 kg and a deadlift around 90–110 kg is normal and fine. For a 65 kg woman: bench 25–35 kg, squat 40–60 kg, deadlift 60–80 kg. If you are below those, it is almost always because the programme is not progressive - you need to be adding weight most weeks, which is exactly what a written plan does. Start with the beginner gym plan.

How to move up a band

Train the lift two or three times a week, in the 3–8 rep range for most sets, and add 2.5 kg whenever you complete all your sets. Eat enough protein and sleep. That is it - there is no trick, and anyone who trains that way for a year will pass the novice line on every lift.

FAQs

What is a good bench press for my weight?

A common target for men is one times bodyweight for a single rep after about a year of training; for women around 0.75 times bodyweight. Beginners are typically at half those figures. Use the calculator above for your own bodyweight.

Is a 100 kg bench press good?

For most men it puts you around the intermediate level - roughly the top quarter of people who train regularly. For lighter lifters it is advanced. Very few people who have never followed a programme get there.

How much should I deadlift?

Roughly 1.5 times bodyweight after a year of training and 2 times as an intermediate lifter is a common guide for men. For women, 1 and 1.5 times. The deadlift tends to be everyone's strongest lift.

How long does it take to get to intermediate?

Usually one to two years of training the lifts consistently with a programme that adds weight. Many people train for years without reaching it because they repeat the same weights - progression is the difference.