What is a good bench press?

It depends on bodyweight and sex — that's the whole point of a standards table. As a single anchor: a typical 83 kg (183 lb) man benches 125 kg (275 lb) as a raw competitor, while the median 83 kg gym-goer benches 98 kg (215 lb). Find your exact row above.

What's the difference between the two tables?

The recreational tables (StrengthLevel) answer "is my lift normal for someone who goes to the gym." The competitive tables (OpenPowerlifting) answer "where would I place at a powerlifting meet." The same lift usually ranks higher against gym-goers than against competitors — though the gap narrows, and at the elite tail can flip, because the gym-log data is self-reported and skews strong.

Are these standards in kg or lb?

Both — every cell shows kg with the lb equivalent. The underlying data is metric (the IPF and OpenPowerlifting record in kg); lb is rounded to the nearest 5 the way gym loads are actually plated.

Where does the data come from?

Competitive figures are real OpenPowerlifting meet results (CC0, snapshot 2026-05-16). Recreational figures are StrengthLevel's self-reported gym logs. Nothing is modelled or invented — every number is a percentile from the underlying sample. Method at /method.

Bench press strength standards

What's an average, good, or elite bench press? The full standard by bodyweight and sex — from real gym-goer and competition data, in kg and lb. A typical 83 kg man benches around 98 kg (215 lb).

Updated 2026-06-16 · OpenPowerlifting + StrengthLevel data

Bench press standards by bodyweight — men recreational gym-goers

Beginner to elite by bodyweight, from StrengthLevel's 153 million+ self-reported gym-log lifts. Click a bodyweight for the full breakdown plus the competitive percentile.

Bodyweight	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
53 kg	2455 lb	3885 lb	57125 lb	79175 lb	103225 lb
59 kg	2965 lb	45100 lb	64140 lb	87190 lb	113250 lb
66 kg	3985 lb	57125 lb	79175 lb	104230 lb	132290 lb
74 kg	4495 lb	62135 lb	85185 lb	112245 lb	141310 lb
83 kg	53115 lb	74165 lb	98215 lb	127280 lb	157345 lb
93 kg	62135 lb	84185 lb	111245 lb	141310 lb	172380 lb
105 kg	75165 lb	99220 lb	128280 lb	160355 lb	194430 lb
120 kg	88195 lb	113250 lb	143315 lb	177390 lb	213470 lb
140 kg+	103225 lb	130285 lb	163360 lb	199440 lb	236520 lb

Bench press standards by bodyweight — women recreational gym-goers

Bodyweight	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
43 kg	820 lb	1840 lb	3270 lb	50110 lb	70155 lb
47 kg	1020 lb	2145 lb	3680 lb	55120 lb	76170 lb
52 kg	1225 lb	2455 lb	4090 lb	59130 lb	82180 lb
57 kg	1535 lb	2760 lb	4395 lb	64140 lb	87190 lb
63 kg	1735 lb	2965 lb	47105 lb	68150 lb	92205 lb
69 kg	1940 lb	3270 lb	50110 lb	72160 lb	96210 lb
76 kg	2250 lb	3780 lb	56125 lb	79175 lb	105230 lb
84 kg	2455 lb	3985 lb	59130 lb	82180 lb	109240 lb
120 kg+	3780 lb	56125 lb	79175 lb	106235 lb	135300 lb

Competitive bench press percentiles — men OpenPowerlifting raw

Where a raw competitor lands at a sanctioned meet, by bodyweight class. The middle column is the median competitor; the right columns are the national- and world-level tails.

Bodyweight	Median	Top 25%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
53 kg	50110 lb	67.8150 lb	87.5195 lb	97.5215 lb	116.7255 lb
59 kg	82.5180 lb	102.5225 lb	117.5260 lb	127.5280 lb	145320 lb
66 kg	100220 lb	117.5260 lb	132.5290 lb	142.5315 lb	160355 lb
74 kg	110245 lb	127.5280 lb	145320 lb	155340 lb	175385 lb
83 kg	125275 lb	140310 lb	157.5345 lb	167.5370 lb	187.5415 lb
93 kg	132.5290 lb	152.5335 lb	170375 lb	181.3400 lb	205450 lb
105 kg	142.5315 lb	162.5360 lb	182.5400 lb	192.5425 lb	215475 lb
120 kg	152.5335 lb	175385 lb	197.5435 lb	210465 lb	230505 lb
140 kg+	162.5360 lb	190420 lb	215.5475 lb	230.9510 lb	257.5570 lb

Competitive bench press percentiles — women OpenPowerlifting raw

Bodyweight	Median	Top 25%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
43 kg	3065 lb	39.385 lb	50110 lb	55120 lb	65.9145 lb
47 kg	45100 lb	57.5125 lb	70155 lb	75165 lb	92.2205 lb
52 kg	50110 lb	62.5140 lb	75165 lb	82.5180 lb	95210 lb
57 kg	57.5125 lb	70155 lb	80175 lb	87.5195 lb	105230 lb
63 kg	60130 lb	72.5160 lb	85185 lb	92.5205 lb	110245 lb
69 kg	65145 lb	77.5170 lb	90200 lb	98.9220 lb	119.1265 lb
76 kg	67.5150 lb	80175 lb	95210 lb	105230 lb	120265 lb
84 kg	67.5150 lb	82.5180 lb	97.5215 lb	107.5235 lb	127.5280 lb
120 kg+	70155 lb	85185 lb	102.5225 lb	112.5250 lb	137.5305 lb

Competition bench is paused on the chest; a touch-and-go rep inflates the number by 3–6% from the chest-bounce. The standards below are raw (no bench shirt). Because Strength scales sub-linearly with bodyweight — heavier lifters lift more in absolute terms but less per kilo of bodyweight (Vanderburgh & Batterham 1999 (PMID 10613442)), the most honest read of "is this good" is your percentile at your bodyweight, not the raw kilos.

FAQ

What is a good bench press?: It depends on bodyweight and sex — that's the whole point of a standards table. As a single anchor: a typical 83 kg (183 lb) man benches 125 kg (275 lb) as a raw competitor, while the median 83 kg gym-goer benches 98 kg (215 lb). Find your exact row above.
What's the difference between the two tables?: The recreational tables (StrengthLevel) answer "is my lift normal for someone who goes to the gym." The competitive tables (OpenPowerlifting) answer "where would I place at a powerlifting meet." The same lift usually ranks higher against gym-goers than against competitors — though the gap narrows, and at the elite tail can flip, because the gym-log data is self-reported and skews strong.
Are these standards in kg or lb?: Both — every cell shows kg with the lb equivalent. The underlying data is metric (the IPF and OpenPowerlifting record in kg); lb is rounded to the nearest 5 the way gym loads are actually plated.
Where does the data come from?: Competitive figures are real OpenPowerlifting meet results (CC0, snapshot 2026-05-16). Recreational figures are StrengthLevel's self-reported gym logs. Nothing is modelled or invented — every number is a percentile from the underlying sample. Method at /method.

Competitive figures: OpenPowerlifting (public competition meet data (CC0), snapshot 2026-05-16, CC0). Recreational figures: StrengthLevel (153 million+ self-reported gym-log lifts; self-reported). Full method at /method. Check your own lift on the percentile calculator.