Average Bench Press by Body Weight, Age and Sex

The bench press is the most popular lift in the gym and, not by coincidence, the one people lie about most. Ask around and everyone benches "about 225". In reality, the average gym-goer who has trained consistently for a year or so benches somewhere around their own body weight if they're a man, and around half their body weight if they're a woman.

A raw number on its own doesn't tell you much, though. A 300 lb bench is impressive at 160 lb body weight and ordinary at 300. That's why strength is usually compared as a multiple of body weight. Below you'll find typical bench numbers for each level, from your first week to competition-level.

What the levels mean

• Beginner: new to the lift, still learning to not bounce the bar off your chest.
• Novice: a few months of regular training.
• Intermediate: one to two years of consistent, structured training.
• Advanced: several years of focused strength work. People start asking you for advice.
• Elite: competitive strength athletes. People start asking you to lift their couch.

The numbers below are one-rep maxes, using the body-weight ratios our strength standards calculator uses: 0.5×, 0.75×, 1.25×, 1.75× and 2× body weight for men, and 0.25×, 0.5×, 0.75×, 1× and 1.5× for women. They're rules of thumb for raw (no bench shirt) lifters, not official competition standards.

Average bench press for men

One-rep max in pounds, rounded to the nearest 5 lb.

So a 190 lb man benching 240 lb is a solid intermediate. A 190 lb man benching 135 lb for his first sets is right where a novice should be, and has a lot of fun progress ahead.

Average bench press for women

One-rep max in pounds, rounded to the nearest 5 lb.

Women generally have less upper-body muscle relative to body weight, so the bench press ratios are lower than for the squat and deadlift. Benching your own body weight as a woman is an advanced-level milestone, and benching 1.5× is elite territory.

How age affects your bench

Strength tends to peak somewhere between your mid-20s and mid-30s, then declines slowly. The good news: the decline is much smaller in people who keep training, and most of it can be offset for decades by lifting regularly. Many lifters in their 40s and 50s are hitting personal records, simply because they started late.

• Under 20: strength climbs quickly as you mature. Focus on technique and consistency.
• 20s and 30s: peak years. The tables above are built for this range.
• 40s and up: expect to reach each level a bit later, and give recovery more respect. Your joints will send you the invoice if you don't.

Powerlifting federations recognize this with masters categories from age 40, which compare lifters with others their own age.

How to get your bench up

1. Bench more often. Two or three sessions a week usually beats one heroic Monday session.
2. Add weight slowly. 5 lb more each week adds up to 260 lb a year. You won't keep that pace forever, but small jumps beat big stalls. More on this in our progressive overload guide.
3. Train the helpers. Triceps, shoulders and upper back all limit your bench. Dips, overhead press and rows all pull their weight.
4. Tighten your setup. Shoulder blades squeezed together, feet planted, slight arch. A stable base lets you press more.
5. Eat enough protein. Muscle is built from it. See how much protein you need.

Bench press safety

The bench is the only big lift where the bar can end up on top of you. Use a spotter or safety arms for heavy sets, never use a thumbless grip, and if you train alone, don't use collars, so you can tilt the plates off in an emergency. It's not glamorous, but neither is calling for help from under 225 lb.

Frequently asked questions