How Much Should I Bench for My Weight? (lb & kg Charts)

"How much do you bench?" is the oldest question in the gym, but the raw number doesn't tell you much. A 225 lb bench is impressive at 150 lb bodyweight and ordinary at 260 lb. To judge your bench fairly, compare it with your own bodyweight.

This guide gives you bench press targets for your weight at every level, in pounds and kilograms. It also shows the bench you need for each Liftly rank, and how to find your max without risking a failed rep.

The quick answer: for men, benching about 1× your bodyweight for one rep is a solid intermediate milestone, and 1.5× is advanced. For women, about 0.65× bodyweight is a solid intermediate bench, and 1× is advanced. Beginners usually start around half of that.

Bench press standards by bodyweight

Strength standards are usually written as a multiple of bodyweight: your one-rep max ÷ your bodyweight. A 180 lb lifter who benches 180 lb has a ratio of 1.0×.

These are widely used rules of thumb rather than science. Different sources draw the lines a little differently. They're still a useful way to see where you stand:

"Roughly when" assumes you train the bench consistently, about twice a week, and keep adding weight or reps over time. Some people get there faster and some slower. Arm length, chest depth and how much muscle you carry all play a part.

Want the same charts for your legs and back? See how much you should squat for your weight and how much you should deadlift for your weight.

What's a good bench for my weight? (men, lb)

Find your bodyweight, then read across. Numbers are one-rep maxes, rounded to the nearest 5 lb.

So a good bench press for a 170 lb man is about 170 lb (intermediate), and a great one is around 255 lb. At 150 lb, the classic 225 lb bench is advanced territory.

What's a good bench for my weight? (women, lb)

An empty Olympic barbell weighs 45 lb (20 kg), so a beginner woman's first goal is often simply to bench the bar for clean reps. From there, small jumps add up quickly.

Bench press standards in kg

Men, rounded to the nearest 2.5 kg:

Women:

The bench you need for each Liftly rank

Liftly ranks every muscle from Newbie to GOAT using the same idea: your estimated one-rep max divided by your bodyweight. If the bench press is your main chest exercise, this is roughly the estimated 1RM you need to reach each chest rank, rounded up to the next 5 lb or 2.5 kg. Each rank also has three tiers (I, II, III); the numbers below are where each rank starts.

A few notes on how this works in the app:

• Your chest rank uses all your chest lifts, not just the bench. Incline press, dumbbell press and dips count too, weighted toward your best ones.
• It's based on estimated 1RM, so any logged set counts. Your rank can climb on a set of 8, no max attempt needed.
• It uses your logged bodyweight. If you gain weight, the same bench is a slightly lower ratio. That keeps the comparison fair as you bulk or cut.

How to find your bench max without maxing out

Testing a true one-rep max is risky without a spotter, and you don't need to do it often. You can estimate your max from a normal working set using the Epley formula:

Estimated 1RM = weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30)

The estimate is most accurate for sets of about 3–10 reps taken close to failure. A set of 20 tells you more about endurance than strength. A tracker that calculates estimated 1RM from every set (Liftly does this automatically) shows you whether your bench is going up week to week, even when you change the weight and reps.

What about age?

There's no reliable "average bench press for a 16-year-old" or any other age. Most numbers you'll find online come from people who already lift and chose to post their results, which skews them high. What matters more than age is training age, meaning how long you've been training consistently.

• Teens: focus on clean technique and steady progress, not max attempts. Strength usually climbs fast in the first couple of years of training. Bodyweight ratios still work, but expect them to shift as you grow.
• Adults in their 20s and 30s: the standards above apply directly.
• 40 and up: progress tends to be slower and recovery matters more, but plenty of lifters keep setting PRs well past 40. Compare yourself with your own log, not with a chart.

How to raise your bench press

1. Bench twice a week. A heavier day (sets of 4–6) and a lighter day (sets of 8–12) is a simple, proven setup.
2. Use double progression. Work in a rep range, and add weight once you hit the top of it on every set. Here's the full method: how to track progressive overload.
3. Add weight in small jumps. Going from 135 to 140 lb is a 3.7% increase. Going from 135 to 155 lb is almost 15% and usually stalls you. Use 2.5 lb plates if your gym has them.
4. Train your triceps, shoulders and upper back. Close-grip bench, dips, rows and the overhead press support the lift and help with lockout and stability. Here's how much you should overhead press for your weight.
5. Log every working set. You can't beat last week's numbers if you don't remember them.

FAQ

Is benching your bodyweight good?

Yes. A bodyweight bench is a solid intermediate milestone for men, and well above average for women. For many men it takes one to two years of consistent training. In Liftly, a 1× bodyweight chest score puts you in the middle of the Lifter rank.

Is 135 lb a good bench?

It depends on your bodyweight. At 135 lb bodyweight, it's a 1× bench and a solid intermediate lift. At 200 lb, it's novice territory. For most new lifters, the first plate (135 lb, or 60 kg) is a great first milestone.

Is 225 lb a good bench?

For most men, yes. Two plates is the classic strength milestone. At 180 lb bodyweight, 225 lb is 1.25×, between intermediate and advanced. In Liftly, that's a Semi-Pro chest at 180 lb, and a Pro chest if you weigh about 158 lb or less. Here's what a 225 bench means at every bodyweight, including 225 for reps and in kg.

How long does it take to bench bodyweight?

For a man starting from scratch and training the bench about twice a week, often one to two years. Lighter lifters, people with an athletic background, and people who follow a structured program and track their sets tend to get there sooner.

Does arm length affect bench press?

Yes. Longer arms mean the bar travels farther, which usually makes the bench harder. That's one reason standards are rough guides. The best comparison is always you versus your own log from last month.