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For an 80 kg man: Beginner = 49 kg, Novice = 73 kg, Intermediate = 103 kg, Advanced = 135 kg, Elite = 170 kg. For a 65 kg woman: Beginner = 19 kg, Novice = 31 kg, Intermediate = 46 kg, Advanced = 63 kg, Elite = 83 kg. Keep reading for full tables by bodyweight.
What Is a Good Bench Press?
There is no single answer — it depends on your bodyweight and how long you've been training. A 60 kg person benching 80 kg is impressive. A 100 kg person benching 80 kg is just getting started.
The five standard levels used in the lifting world:
- Beginner — Less than 6 months of consistent training
- Novice — 6 months to 1 year of regular training
- Intermediate — 1–3 years of structured training (top 30–40% of gym-goers)
- Advanced — 3–5+ years of serious training (top 10%)
- Elite — Competitive-level, top 1–5% of all lifters
All standards below are based on your one-rep max (1RM). If you train with reps, use our One-Rep Max Calculator to estimate your 1RM first.
Find Your Bench Press Level Instantly
Enter your bench press and bodyweight — get your strength level, percentile, and training recommendations in seconds.
Use the Bench Press Calculator →Bench Press Standards for Men
These numbers are your 1RM targets. If you're training with sets and reps, convert first with the 1RM calculator.
Men — Bench Press Standards (kg)
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg | 37 kg | 55 kg | 80 kg | 107 kg | 135 kg |
| 65 kg | 40 kg | 60 kg | 86 kg | 115 kg | 145 kg |
| 70 kg | 43 kg | 64 kg | 91 kg | 121 kg | 154 kg |
| 75 kg | 46 kg | 68 kg | 97 kg | 128 kg | 162 kg |
| 80 kg | 49 kg | 73 kg | 103 kg | 135 kg | 170 kg |
| 85 kg | 51 kg | 77 kg | 108 kg | 142 kg | 178 kg |
| 90 kg | 54 kg | 81 kg | 113 kg | 148 kg | 185 kg |
| 100 kg | 59 kg | 88 kg | 122 kg | 159 kg | 199 kg |
| 110 kg | 63 kg | 94 kg | 130 kg | 169 kg | 211 kg |
Men — Bench Press Standards (lbs)
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 132 lb | 82 lb | 121 lb | 176 lb | 236 lb | 298 lb |
| 148 lb | 88 lb | 132 lb | 190 lb | 253 lb | 319 lb |
| 165 lb | 95 lb | 141 lb | 201 lb | 267 lb | 340 lb |
| 181 lb | 108 lb | 161 lb | 227 lb | 298 lb | 375 lb |
| 198 lb | 119 lb | 178 lb | 248 lb | 323 lb | 405 lb |
| 220 lb | 130 lb | 194 lb | 269 lb | 351 lb | 439 lb |
| 242 lb | 139 lb | 207 lb | 287 lb | 373 lb | 465 lb |
Bench Press Standards for Women
Women have different strength distributions due to physiology — separate standards ensure a fair comparison. A woman benching 0.75× her bodyweight is at the same relative level as a man benching his bodyweight.
Women — Bench Press Standards (kg)
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50 kg | 15 kg | 24 kg | 36 kg | 50 kg | 65 kg |
| 55 kg | 17 kg | 27 kg | 40 kg | 55 kg | 72 kg |
| 60 kg | 18 kg | 29 kg | 44 kg | 60 kg | 78 kg |
| 65 kg | 19 kg | 31 kg | 46 kg | 63 kg | 83 kg |
| 70 kg | 21 kg | 33 kg | 49 kg | 68 kg | 88 kg |
| 75 kg | 22 kg | 35 kg | 52 kg | 72 kg | 93 kg |
| 80 kg | 24 kg | 38 kg | 56 kg | 76 kg | 99 kg |
Women — Bench Press Standards (lbs)
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb | 33 lb | 53 lb | 79 lb | 110 lb | 143 lb |
| 123 lb | 37 lb | 60 lb | 88 lb | 121 lb | 158 lb |
| 132 lb | 40 lb | 64 lb | 97 lb | 132 lb | 172 lb |
| 148 lb | 43 lb | 68 lb | 102 lb | 139 lb | 183 lb |
| 165 lb | 46 lb | 73 lb | 108 lb | 150 lb | 194 lb |
| 176 lb | 53 lb | 84 lb | 123 lb | 168 lb | 218 lb |
Key Bench Press Milestones by Bodyweight
For an 80 kg / 176 lb man, here are the meaningful milestones:
Bench Press Bodyweight Ratios
The simplest way to gauge your bench — divide your 1RM by your bodyweight:
| Level | Men (BW ratio) | Women (BW ratio) | Example — 80 kg man |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0.5× BW | 0.30× BW | 40 kg |
| Novice | 0.75× BW | 0.50× BW | 60 kg |
| Intermediate | 1.25× BW | 0.75× BW | 100 kg |
| Advanced | 1.75× BW | 1.00× BW | 140 kg |
| Elite | 2.25× BW | 1.50× BW | 180 kg |
Example: You weigh 75 kg and bench 110 kg. 110 ÷ 75 = 1.47. That puts you solidly at Intermediate, approaching Advanced — better than 70% of trained lifters.
Is Benching Your Bodyweight Good?
Yes — for men, benching your bodyweight is a real milestone. Most people who go to the gym never get there. It puts you at Novice–Intermediate level, better than the majority of regular gym-goers.
For women, the equivalent benchmark is benching 0.75× your bodyweight. A 65 kg woman benching 49 kg is at the same relative strength level as an 80 kg man benching 80 kg.
Beyond bodyweight, the next major landmarks for men are 1.5× (solid Intermediate) and 2× bodyweight (Elite territory — fewer than 5% of lifters ever get here).
How to Improve Your Bench Press
The 6 Most Effective Ways to Add Weight to Your Bench
- Progressive overload: Add 2.5 kg per session (beginners) or 2.5 kg per week (intermediate). If you're not tracking this, you're guessing.
- Frequency: Bench twice per week minimum. You can't get good at a skill you only practice once a week.
- Pause reps: 1–2 second pause at the bottom builds strength off the chest where most people fail. 2–3 sets of pause reps weekly makes a noticeable difference.
- Close-grip bench: Shifts emphasis to triceps, which are often the weak link above the chest. Add 2–3 sets weekly.
- Row to bench ratio: Match your bench volume with equal or greater pulling volume. Weak lats and rhomboids limit how much you can push.
- Eat and sleep: Bench press stalls without adequate calories and 7–9 hours sleep. You can't build muscle in a significant deficit.
Why Is My Bench Weak Compared to Squat and Deadlift?
This is completely normal. The bench press involves fewer total muscles than squat or deadlift and demands more precise technique. Most people's bench is roughly 60–70% of their squat and 55–65% of their deadlift.
If your bench is significantly below these ratios, the most likely culprits are: weak triceps (fails near lockout), weak chest (fails off the chest), poor lat engagement (bar path drifts), or simply not benching often enough.
The fix: add close-grip bench, dumbbell press, and tricep dips as accessories. Bench twice a week. Focus on technique — specifically keeping your shoulder blades retracted and driving your feet into the floor.
Check Your Exact Bench Press Level
Enter your bench press, bodyweight, and reps — get your strength level, percentile ranking, and training weights instantly.
Calculate My Bench Level →Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your bodyweight and experience. For an 80 kg man: Beginner = 49 kg, Novice = 73 kg, Intermediate = 103 kg, Advanced = 135 kg, Elite = 170 kg. Use the tables above to find your exact bodyweight. If you lift in lbs, scroll to the lbs version of the table.
Yes — for men, benching your bodyweight for one rep puts you at Novice–Intermediate level. Most people who go to the gym never reach this. For women, the equivalent benchmark is 0.75× bodyweight. Reaching your bodyweight is a worthy 6–18 month goal for most beginners depending on their starting point.
For most men in the 75–85 kg range, benching 100 kg takes 12–24 months of consistent training from zero. Beginners on a good linear progression program (StrongLifts 5×5, Starting Strength) can reach 100 kg in 12–18 months. Heavier men (90+ kg) may get there faster; lighter men (65–70 kg) may take longer since the standards scale with bodyweight.
The most common reasons: not benching frequently enough (once a week is rarely enough), weak triceps (fails at lockout), weak lats (bar path issues), poor technique (not keeping shoulder blades retracted), or not eating and sleeping enough. Fix: bench twice a week, add close-grip bench and rows, and track your food intake.
For a 70 kg man: Beginner = 43 kg, Novice = 64 kg, Intermediate = 91 kg, Advanced = 121 kg, Elite = 154 kg. Benching your bodyweight (70 kg) puts you at Novice level. Reaching 91 kg means you're Intermediate — stronger than 60–70% of trained gym-goers.
For a 65 kg woman: Beginner = 19 kg, Novice = 31 kg, Intermediate = 46 kg, Advanced = 63 kg, Elite = 83 kg. Benching 0.75× your bodyweight (49 kg at 65 kg bodyweight) is the equivalent of a man benching his bodyweight — a solid, meaningful achievement that takes real training to reach.