How much should I overhead press 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: no population data exists for the strict press, so it is derived from the bench press model using the well-supported press-to-bench ratio of 0.64. 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.

Overhead 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, strict standing barbell press from the shoulders to lockout — no leg drive, no layback past vertical.

Bodyweight	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
120 lb	65 lb	75 lb	95 lb	115 lb	125 lb
140 lb	70 lb	85 lb	105 lb	125 lb	140 lb
160 lb	75 lb	95 lb	115 lb	135 lb	155 lb
180 lb	85 lb	100 lb	125 lb	150 lb	165 lb
200 lb	85 lb	105 lb	125 lb	155 lb	170 lb
220 lb	90 lb	110 lb	130 lb	160 lb	175 lb
240 lb	90 lb	110 lb	135 lb	165 lb	180 lb
260 lb	95 lb	115 lb	140 lb	165 lb	185 lb

Overhead 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, strict standing barbell press from the shoulders to lockout — no leg drive, no layback past vertical.

Bodyweight	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
100 lb	30 lb	35 lb	40 lb	50 lb	55 lb
120 lb	35 lb	40 lb	45 lb	55 lb	65 lb
140 lb	35 lb	45 lb	50 lb	60 lb	70 lb
160 lb	40 lb	45 lb	55 lb	65 lb	75 lb
180 lb	40 lb	50 lb	60 lb	70 lb	80 lb
200 lb	40 lb	50 lb	60 lb	70 lb	80 lb
220 lb	45 lb	50 lb	60 lb	75 lb	85 lb

Overhead 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	85 lb	100 lb	125 lb	150 lb	165 lb
30-39	80 lb	100 lb	120 lb	145 lb	160 lb
40-49	75 lb	90 lb	110 lb	135 lb	150 lb
50-59	70 lb	80 lb	100 lb	120 lb	135 lb
60-69	60 lb	70 lb	90 lb	105 lb	120 lb

Women

Age	25th	50th	75th	90th	95th
18-29	40 lb	45 lb	55 lb	65 lb	75 lb
30-39	35 lb	45 lb	55 lb	65 lb	70 lb
40-49	35 lb	40 lb	50 lb	60 lb	65 lb
50-59	30 lb	35 lb	45 lb	55 lb	60 lb
60-69	25 lb	30 lb	40 lb	45 lb	50 lb

What about D1 athletes?

The median NCAA Division I man is at 155 lb and the median D1 woman at 65 lb. That comparison is raw — no age or size adjustment — so it is you against the athletes as they are. The overhead press percentile page has the full D1 table.

Questions

How much should a 179 lb man overhead press?

An average-size man aged 18-29 (179 lb) is at the median of all men his age with 100 lb. 125 lb puts him in the top quarter and 150 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 overhead press?

An average-size woman aged 18-29 (153 lb) is at the median with 45 lb, reaches the 75th percentile at 55 lb and the 90th at 65 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 75 lb while a man more than twice as heavy, at 260 lb, needs only 115 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 overhead press like a D1 athlete?

Our estimated median NCAA Division I man lifts 155 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.