Strength standards
This strength standards calculator tells you your level on the squat, bench, deadlift, overhead press or row, based on your lift relative to your bodyweight. Enter what you lifted, your bodyweight and your sex, and it places you on a five-step ladder from beginner to elite along with the exact weight needed to reach the next level, free and instantly.
Your level
Novice
1.25 × bodyweight
- Beginner
- Novice
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Elite
Ratios are population averages, not individual targets — a rule of thumb, not a medical or performance guarantee.
How it works
Each level is a fixed multiple of bodyweight: for example, a squat around 1.25 times bodyweight is roughly intermediate. These ratios come from aggregated lifter and competition data and are population averages, not individually calibrated targets, so they work as a rule of thumb rather than a precise benchmark.
The calculator finds the highest threshold your ratio clears for your chosen lift and sex, and reports the weight you'd need to lift to clear the next one, so you always know the next concrete target rather than an abstract percentage.
Standards differ noticeably by lift: the deadlift has the highest thresholds because it uses the most muscle mass and the shortest range of motion for many lifters, while the overhead press has the lowest because pressing weight overhead is limited by shoulder strength alone.
Frequently asked questions
What is considered a good squat for my bodyweight?
As a rule of thumb, squatting your own bodyweight is beginner level, 1.25 times bodyweight is intermediate, and 2 times bodyweight is advanced for most men. Women's standards sit lower per kilogram of bodyweight. Enter your numbers above for an exact level.
Why do strength standards differ between lifts?
Each lift is limited by different muscle groups and joints. The deadlift and squat use large lower-body muscle mass and reach higher bodyweight ratios, while the overhead press is limited to shoulder and triceps strength alone and sits much lower on the same scale.
Are these standards the same for everyone?
No. They are population averages across many lifters and don't account for age, limb length, training history or injury, so treat them as a general reference point rather than a hard target. Progress relative to your own past numbers matters more than matching a chart.
Related tools
- 1RM calculatorEstimate your one-rep max from any set of reps and weight, with a percentage table and the same banded formula the Overload app uses.
- Plate calculatorWork out exactly which plates to load per side for any barbell weight, free, with the achieved load and shortfall shown instantly.
- Warm-up sets calculatorBuild a free warm-up ladder of sets leading into your working weight, so every jump between the bar and your top set is planned.
- RPE calculatorConvert any set to a percentage of your 1RM or a target load from RPE, free, with a full table of reps against RPE 6 to 10.
Track your PRs per exercise in Overload
Overload logs every set and keeps your personal record for each exercise up to date automatically, so you always know where you stand. Free on iOS and Android.