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

The deadlift is the lift where most people move the most weight, which makes the raw number easy to brag about and hard to judge. A 315 lb deadlift is a big lift at 150 lb bodyweight and an average one at 240 lb. To know whether your deadlift is good, compare it with your bodyweight.

This guide gives you deadlift targets for your weight at every level, in pounds and kilograms. It also explains what the plate milestones mean at different bodyweights, and how your deadlift feeds into your Liftly back rank.

The quick answer: for men, deadlifting about 1.75× your bodyweight for one rep is a solid intermediate deadlift, and 2.25× is advanced. For women, about 1.25× bodyweight is a solid intermediate deadlift, and 1.6× is advanced. A bodyweight deadlift (men) or about 0.6× (women) is a typical beginner starting point.

Deadlift standards by bodyweight

Standards are written as a ratio: your one-rep max ÷ your bodyweight. A 180 lb lifter who deadlifts 315 lb has a ratio of 1.75×.

These levels are rules of thumb, not science. Different sources draw the lines a little differently, mostly because some are based on competitive powerlifters and others on everyday gym-goers. They're still a useful way to see roughly where you stand:

The deadlift ratios run higher than the squat and bench because you only lift the bar from the floor to your hips, with no deep bottom position to stand up out of, and your whole back and legs work together.

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

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

At 180 lb the numbers line up neatly with the plates: 225 is novice, 315 is intermediate, 405 is advanced and 495 is elite. For 315 and 405 at every bodyweight, plus what they mean for reps, see is a 315 deadlift good.

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

The 135 lb mark (one plate a side) is a popular first goal, and many women pass it within their first months of training.

Deadlift standards in kg

Men, rounded to the nearest 2.5 kg:

Women:

Is a 315 deadlift good? What the plate milestones mean

Deadlifts are counted in plates too: 225 lb is two 45 lb plates a side, 315 lb is three, 405 lb is four and 495 lb is five. Here's each milestone as a ratio of bodyweight:

• 225 lb is a good first big goal for most men, between novice and intermediate at 150 lb.
• 315 lb is a good deadlift for almost any man under about 210 lb: intermediate at 180 lb and close to advanced at 150 lb.
• 405 lb is advanced at 180 lb or less and a strong lift at any bodyweight.
• 495 lb is elite at 180 lb and advanced at 210 lb.

How your deadlift sets your Liftly back rank

Liftly ranks every muscle from Newbie to GOAT using your estimated one-rep max divided by your logged bodyweight. The deadlift is filed under Back in Liftly's exercise library, so it counts toward your back rank, together with rows, pulldowns and pull-ups. These are the scores where each back rank starts (each also has tiers I, II and III):

Those numbers look low next to the deadlift standards above. That's because the back score is a blend of all your back lifts, weighted toward your best three. Most back exercises, like rows and pulldowns, move far less weight than a deadlift. So your deadlift pushes your back rank up, and your other back lifts decide how far.

Here's a worked example for a 180 lb lifter:

With only the deadlift logged, this lifter's back score would be 2.04×, which is Titan III. With all three lifts, the score is 1.39×, which is Elite II. To climb from there, a heavier row or pulldown helps as much as a bigger deadlift. If you train your lower body with Romanian deadlifts or squats, those build your legs rank; the full squat ladder is in how much should I squat for my weight.

How to find your deadlift max without maxing out

A max-effort deadlift single is the most draining lift in the gym, and form tends to break down on the last few pounds. You can estimate your max from a normal working set with the Epley formula:

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

The estimate is most accurate for sets of about 3–10 reps close to failure. High-rep deadlifts are limited by your grip and breathing more than your strength, so they tend to underestimate your max. Liftly runs this formula on every set you log and charts the result, so you can see your deadlift trend without testing a single.

Conventional vs sumo, straps and belts

• Sumo or conventional? Both are legal in powerlifting. Many people can lift a bit more with one than the other, depending on their build. Pick one for your main lift and log it as its own exercise, so your progress chart compares like with like.
• Straps: if your grip gives out before your back and legs do, straps let you train the lift. Standards assume a raw grip, so note it if you use them.
• Belt: a belt helps you brace and usually adds a little to your max. Again, the key is to be consistent so your numbers are comparable week to week.

How to deadlift more

1. Deadlift once or twice a week. The deadlift is tiring, so one heavy session plus one lighter variation (Romanian deadlift, a few lighter sets) works well for most people.
2. Use double progression. Work in a range like 3–6 reps. When you hit the top on every set, add weight. The full method is in how to track progressive overload.
3. Add weight steadily. Early on, 10 lb a week is often fine. Once that stalls, drop to 5 lb jumps.
4. Build your grip and upper back. Rows, pull-ups and heavy holds keep the bar close and your back flat.
5. Reset between reps. Setting the bar down and bracing again on each rep keeps your form clean as you get tired.
6. Log every working set. You can't beat last week's numbers if you don't know them.

FAQ

Is deadlifting your bodyweight good?

It's a good start. For men, a bodyweight deadlift is a typical beginner number, often reached in the first weeks. For women, a bodyweight deadlift is between novice and intermediate.

How much should I deadlift as a beginner?

Start light enough to keep a flat back on every rep. For many men that's 135 lb (60 kg) for sets of 5, and for many women it's the bar or a light trap bar. A 1× bodyweight deadlift (men) or 0.6× (women) is a typical early target, and beginners usually add weight quickly.

How much should I deadlift at 170 lb?

For a 170 lb man, about 210 lb is novice, 300 lb is intermediate and 380 lb is advanced. For a 170 lb woman, about 145 lb is novice and 210 lb is intermediate.

Is a 405 deadlift good?

Yes. Four plates is a strong deadlift at any bodyweight. It's 2.25× at 180 lb (advanced) and 1.93× at 210 lb (well past intermediate).

Why is my deadlift so much higher than my squat?

That's normal. The deadlift starts from a dead stop at the floor and finishes at your hips, with no deep bottom position, and it uses your back and legs together. Most lifters deadlift noticeably more than they squat.