What is a good bench press?

It depends on bodyweight and sex. As one competition anchor, the median recorded result for 83 kg (183 lb) men is 125 kg (275 lb); the top 10% reach 157.5 kg (345 lb). Find your class above.

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?

Every figure is a percentile computed from OpenPowerlifting raw meet results (CC0, dataset date 2026-05-10). Cell n means recorded meet results, not unique people. Method at /method.

Bench press strength standards

What's an average, good, or exceptional bench press in raw competition results? These tables show the median through top 1% by bodyweight and sex from OpenPowerlifting meet-result data, in kg and lb. The median recorded result for 83 kg men is 125 kg (275 lb).

Updated 2026-07-26 · OpenPowerlifting meet-result data

Raw meet-result bench press percentiles — men OpenPowerlifting

Where a recorded raw meet result lands by bodyweight class. The middle column is the median meet result; the columns to its right show progressively higher recorded percentiles.

Bodyweight	Median	Top 25%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
53 kg	50110 lb	68150 lb	87.5195 lb	98215 lb	117.5260 lb
59 kg	83.9185 lb	102.5225 lb	120265 lb	127.5280 lb	147.5325 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	188.4415 lb
93 kg	132.5290 lb	152.5335 lb	170375 lb	182.5400 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	232.5515 lb
140 kg+	160355 lb	190420 lb	215475 lb	230505 lb	257.5570 lb

Raw meet-result bench press percentiles — women OpenPowerlifting

Bodyweight	Median	Top 25%	Top 10%	Top 5%	Top 1%
43 kg	3065 lb	4090 lb	50110 lb	55120 lb	65.8145 lb
47 kg	45100 lb	57.5125 lb	70155 lb	75165 lb	92.5205 lb
52 kg	50110 lb	62.5140 lb	75165 lb	82.5180 lb	95210 lb
57 kg	57.5125 lb	70155 lb	81180 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	98.1215 lb	120265 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	110.5245 lb	137.5305 lb

Want these tables on your own site? Embed the free standards widget — the same OpenPowerlifting data, auto-updating, with attribution built in.

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. As one competition anchor, the median recorded result for 83 kg (183 lb) men is 125 kg (275 lb); the top 10% reach 157.5 kg (345 lb). Find your class above.
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?: Every figure is a percentile computed from OpenPowerlifting raw meet results (CC0, dataset date 2026-05-10). Cell n means recorded meet results, not unique people. Method at /method.

Figures: OpenPowerlifting (public competition meet data (CC0), dataset date 2026-05-10). Cell n is a meet-result count, not a unique-person count. Full method at /method. Check your own lift on the percentile calculator.