See how your squat, bench press, deadlift, overhead press or barbell row compares with common strength levels. Enter your body weight, sex, age and 1RM (or a rep set) to get your level, bodyweight ratio and the weight needed for the next level.
Last updated:
Units
Sex
years
Your 1RM, or a weight you lifted for several reps
1 = true 1RM; 2-10 reps are converted with Epley
Enter your values to see the result.
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How to use the Strength Standards Calculator
Pick the lift and choose kg or lb.
Enter sex, age and body weight.
Enter the weight lifted and the reps (1 for a true max).
Read your level, bodyweight ratio and the target for the next level.
Compare lifts using the table of standards for all five lifts at your weight.
Strength standards: bodyweight ratios
The levels below are the bodyweight multiples used at the reference body weight (80 kg / 176 lb for men, 60 kg / 132 lb for women). They are practical training guidelines for raw lifts (no supportive suits), not federation records.
Men
Lift
Beginner
Novice
Intermediate
Advanced
Elite
Back squat
0.75×
1.25×
1.5×
2.25×
2.75×
Bench press
0.5×
0.75×
1.25×
1.5×
2×
Deadlift
1×
1.5×
2×
2.5×
3×
Overhead press
0.35×
0.55×
0.8×
1.05×
1.35×
Barbell row
0.5×
0.75×
1×
1.5×
1.75×
Women
Lift
Beginner
Novice
Intermediate
Advanced
Elite
Back squat
0.5×
0.75×
1.25×
1.5×
1.75×
Bench press
0.25×
0.5×
0.75×
1×
1.5×
Deadlift
0.5×
1×
1.25×
1.75×
2.5×
Overhead press
0.2×
0.35×
0.5×
0.75×
1×
Barbell row
0.25×
0.4×
0.65×
0.9×
1.2×
How body weight changes the targets
Thresholds are scaled as ratio × reference weight × (body weight ÷ reference weight)2/3. A heavier lifter therefore needs more weight on the bar for the same level, but a lower bodyweight ratio. Intermediate 1RM targets for men (kg):
Body weight
Squat
Bench
Deadlift
Press
Row
60 kg
99
83
132
53
66
70 kg
110
91
146
59
73
80 kg
120
100
160
64
80
90 kg
130
108
173
69
87
100 kg
139
116
186
74
93
110 kg
148
124
198
79
99
125 kg
162
135
215
86
108
What the levels mean
Beginner: can perform the lift with good form; usually the first weeks of training.
Novice: a few months of regular training; still adding weight most sessions.
Intermediate: one to two years of consistent training; progress comes week to week.
Advanced: several years of structured training; often competitive at a local level.
Elite: top-level strength reached by a small share of dedicated lifters.
Frequently asked questions
What are strength standards?
Strength standards are rough benchmarks that place a one-rep max into levels such as beginner, novice, intermediate, advanced and elite. They are usually expressed as a multiple of body weight, for example a 1.5 × body weight squat.
How are the levels defined here?
Each level has a bodyweight ratio for an 80 kg man or 60 kg woman (for example squat: 0.75, 1.25, 1.5, 2.25 and 2.75 × body weight for men). For other body weights the thresholds are scaled with body weight to the power 2/3, because strength rises more slowly than body mass. They are training guidelines, not official federation standards.
Why not just use the bodyweight ratio?
A plain ratio favours light lifters and makes elite levels unrealistic for heavy ones. Muscle strength grows roughly with cross-sectional area, which scales with body mass to the 2/3 power, so the calculator uses that allometric scaling for the thresholds while still showing your plain ratio.
How does the age adjustment work?
With age adjustment on, lifters aged 40 and over have their lift multiplied by the McCulloch masters coefficient (for example 1.130 at age 50), and lifters aged 14-22 by the Foster junior coefficient (for example 1.06 at 18). Ages 23-39 are not adjusted.
Can I use a set of reps instead of a max?
Yes. Enter the weight and reps (2-10) and the calculator estimates your 1RM with the Epley formula, weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30), before comparing it with the standards.
How long does it take to reach each level?
It varies widely, but as a rough guide many lifters reach novice within a few months of consistent training, intermediate after one to two years and advanced after several years. Elite levels are reached by a small share of dedicated, often competitive, lifters.
Are all the tools on FreeToolCabin tested for quality and accuracy?
Yes! Every tool on our site undergoes automated Q/A testing in real browser environments to ensure high precision, correct output, and zero errors. If you happen to spot a bug or have a suggestion, please contact us at [email protected] and our team will review it right away.