What are strength standards?

Strength standards are reference thresholds — Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Elite — that describe how much you can lift relative to your bodyweight, so you can benchmark your progress against typical training milestones.

How are the levels defined?

Each level is a multiple of your bodyweight for a given lift and sex. For example, a male squat of 0.75× bodyweight is Beginner, 1.5× is Intermediate and 2.5× is Elite. Your level is the highest threshold your lift meets or exceeds.

What's a good squat, bench or deadlift?

A common Intermediate goal for men is roughly a 1.5× bodyweight squat, 1.0× bench and 2.0× deadlift; for women, about 1.25× squat, 0.75× bench and 1.5× deadlift. These are general targets, not hard rules.

Do standards differ for men and women?

Yes. Female multiples are roughly 70% of the male multiples at each level because of differences in average muscle mass and bodyweight distribution. This calculator uses separate tables for each sex.

How long does it take to reach intermediate?

With consistent training and good programming, many lifters reach Intermediate within roughly one to two years, though genetics, age, recovery and nutrition all affect the timeline.

Strength Standards Calculator

This strength standards calculator shows how your squat, bench, deadlift or overhead press ranks from Beginner to Elite — as a multiple of your bodyweight, with separate standards for men and women.

Standards · Level

Sex

Units

Lift

Bodyweight (kg)

Weight lifted (kg)

Advancedyour strength level

Level	Required (kg)
Beginner	75
Novice	125
Intermediate	150
Advanced	200
Elite	250

Thresholds are bodyweight multiples and are approximate — they vary by source, age and federation.

How it works

Strength scales with bodyweight, so the most useful way to benchmark a lift is as a multiple of bodyweight rather than an absolute number. Pick your sex, lift and units, then enter your bodyweight and the heaviest weight you can lift for one rep. The calculator multiplies your bodyweight by the threshold for each level and reports the highest level you meet or exceed.

The five levels — Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Elite — describe a rough progression from someone new to barbell training up to competitive lifters. Your result is the strongest level whose required weight is at or below what you lifted.

Worked example

A 100 kg man squats 200 kg. That is 200 ÷ 100 = 2.0× bodyweight. The male squat thresholds are 0.75× (Beginner), 1.25× (Novice), 1.5× (Intermediate), 2.0× (Advanced) and 2.5× (Elite). His 2.0× meets the Advanced threshold but falls short of the 2.5× needed for Elite, so he ranks Advanced.

Interpreting the levels

Each cell below is the bodyweight multiple required for that level. Multiply by your own bodyweight to get the target weight. Female multiples are roughly 70% of the male figures.

Squat

Sex	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
Men	0.75×	1.25×	1.5×	2×	2.5×
Women	0.5×	0.75×	1.25×	1.5×	2×

Bench Press

Sex	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
Men	0.5×	0.75×	1×	1.5×	2×
Women	0.25×	0.5×	0.75×	1×	1.5×

Deadlift

Sex	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
Men	1×	1.5×	2×	2.5×	3×
Women	0.5×	1×	1.5×	2×	2.5×

Overhead Press

Sex	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
Men	0.35×	0.55×	0.8×	1.1×	1.4×
Women	0.2×	0.35×	0.5×	0.75×	1×

Push it further

If you only know a rep max for a heavier-than-one-rep set, use the One-Rep Max Calculator to estimate your true 1RM first, then bring it back here. To benchmark the squat, bench and deadlift together, see the Powerlifting Total Calculator and the Wilks Calculator.

Frequently asked questions

What are strength standards?: Strength standards are reference thresholds — Beginner, Novice, Intermediate, Advanced and Elite — that describe how much you can lift relative to your bodyweight, so you can benchmark your progress against typical training milestones.
How are the levels defined?: Each level is a multiple of your bodyweight for a given lift and sex. For example, a male squat of 0.75× bodyweight is Beginner, 1.5× is Intermediate and 2.5× is Elite. Your level is the highest threshold your lift meets or exceeds.
What's a good squat, bench or deadlift?: A common Intermediate goal for men is roughly a 1.5× bodyweight squat, 1.0× bench and 2.0× deadlift; for women, about 1.25× squat, 0.75× bench and 1.5× deadlift. These are general targets, not hard rules.
Do standards differ for men and women?: Yes. Female multiples are roughly 70% of the male multiples at each level because of differences in average muscle mass and bodyweight distribution. This calculator uses separate tables for each sex.
How long does it take to reach intermediate?: With consistent training and good programming, many lifters reach Intermediate within roughly one to two years, though genetics, age, recovery and nutrition all affect the timeline.

Related calculators

Disclaimer. These strength standards are approximate and vary by source, federation, age and bodyweight class. Use them as a rough benchmark, not a definitive ranking. Not medical advice.