How much should I bench for my bodyweight?

Every number below is a one-rep max solved from the same model the calculator uses, so the site's bodyweight adjustment is already in it. Modeled — estimated from indirect evidence; treat every number here as an informed estimate, not a measurement. Modeled as a blend of untrained, recreationally trained and serious lifters, anchored to free-weight bench studies of untrained adults and strength-standards data. These modeled estimates have no validated error margin. The methodology spells out exactly how it was built.

The comparison group is all adults of that sex and age, most of whom have never attempted a one-rep max. That is why the 50th-percentile column looks low: it is the median of everybody, not the median of people who lift.

Bench press standards by bodyweight — men, ages 18-29

What men of each bodyweight need to lift to beat that share of all men aged 18-29. Estimated one-rep max, barbell touches the chest, no bounce, hips stay on the bench, full lockout.

Bodyweight	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
120 lb	100 lb	120 lb	145 lb	175 lb	195 lb
140 lb	110 lb	135 lb	160 lb	195 lb	215 lb
160 lb	120 lb	145 lb	175 lb	210 lb	235 lb
180 lb	130 lb	155 lb	190 lb	230 lb	255 lb
200 lb	135 lb	165 lb	200 lb	235 lb	265 lb
220 lb	140 lb	170 lb	205 lb	245 lb	275 lb
240 lb	145 lb	175 lb	210 lb	250 lb	280 lb
260 lb	150 lb	180 lb	215 lb	260 lb	290 lb

Bench press standards by bodyweight — women, ages 18-29

What women of each bodyweight need to lift to beat that share of all women aged 18-29. Estimated one-rep max, barbell touches the chest, no bounce, hips stay on the bench, full lockout.

Bodyweight	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
100 lb	45 lb	55 lb	65 lb	75 lb	85 lb
120 lb	50 lb	60 lb	75 lb	85 lb	100 lb
140 lb	55 lb	65 lb	80 lb	95 lb	110 lb
160 lb	60 lb	75 lb	85 lb	105 lb	115 lb
180 lb	65 lb	75 lb	90 lb	110 lb	120 lb
200 lb	65 lb	80 lb	95 lb	110 lb	125 lb
220 lb	70 lb	80 lb	95 lb	115 lb	130 lb

Bench press standards by age

At the US median bodyweight for each sex (179 lb for men, 153 lb for women). Maximal strength is modeled as falling to about 91% of young-adult values in the 40s and 72% in the 60s, so the whole table shifts down with age — the calculator interpolates smoothly, so a birthday never moves your percentile.

Men

Age	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
18-29	130 lb	155 lb	190 lb	230 lb	255 lb
30-39	125 lb	150 lb	185 lb	220 lb	250 lb
40-49	120 lb	145 lb	175 lb	210 lb	230 lb
50-59	110 lb	130 lb	155 lb	185 lb	210 lb
60-69	95 lb	115 lb	135 lb	165 lb	185 lb

Women

Age	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
18-29	60 lb	70 lb	85 lb	100 lb	115 lb
30-39	60 lb	70 lb	85 lb	100 lb	110 lb
40-49	55 lb	65 lb	75 lb	90 lb	105 lb
50-59	50 lb	55 lb	70 lb	80 lb	90 lb
60-69	40 lb	50 lb	60 lb	70 lb	80 lb

What about D1 athletes?

The median NCAA Division I man is at 240 lb and the median D1 woman at 100 lb. That comparison is raw — no age or size adjustment — so it is you against the athletes as they are. The bench press percentile page has the full D1 table.

Questions

How much should a 179 lb man bench?

An average-size man aged 18-29 (179 lb) is at the median of all men his age with 155 lb. 190 lb puts him in the top quarter and 230 lb in the top tenth. Remember most adults never touch a barbell, so these thresholds sit low compared with gym-floor expectations.

How much should a 153 lb woman bench?

An average-size woman aged 18-29 (153 lb) is at the median with 70 lb, reaches the 75th percentile at 85 lb and the 90th at 100 lb.

Does bodyweight really change the standard?

Yes, but less than a bodyweight-multiple rule of thumb implies. Strength rises with body mass at roughly the two-thirds power, so a man of 120 lb is at the median with 120 lb while a man more than twice as heavy, at 260 lb, needs only 180 lb — a much smaller gap than bodyweight-multiple language suggests. Above the median bodyweight the credit is halved, because in the general population most extra mass is not muscle.

What would it take to bench like a D1 athlete?

Our estimated median NCAA Division I man lifts 240 lb, which is the 92nd percentile among all men aged 18-29. The D1 comparison is raw — no age or size adjustment.

This is one lift of fifteen tests. Get your overall athleticism rank across strength, power, agility and endurance, or read the methodology behind every number here.