Bench Press (1RM)
Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means
A bench press score is the heaviest successful competition lift divided by the lifter's bodyweight. A score of 1.5 means the recorded lift was one and a half times bodyweight. Van den Hoek et al. 2024 analysed 809,986 entries from drug-tested, unequipped powerlifting competitions held from 1968 through 2022. One athlete can contribute more than one competition entry. The age tables pool federations and bodyweight classes. Displayed quartiles are estimated from adjacent published deciles; the methodology gives the mapping and age-cell counts. The study did not sample the general population.
How to Perform This Test (Protocol)
- Equipment
-
- Competition bench and barbell
- Plates and collars
- Referees or officials applying the federation's rules
- Protocol Steps
-
- Lie on the bench with the head, shoulders, and buttocks in contact with it and the feet supported on the floor or blocks.
- Take a grip no wider than 81 cm and establish a stable start position with the elbows locked.
- Lower the bar to the chest or abdominal area until the underside of each elbow is level with or below the top of the corresponding shoulder joint, then hold it motionless.
- Press the bar to a stable finish with both elbows locked and wait for the rack command.
- Scoring
The dataset uses the heaviest successful bench press at each competition divided by bodyweight at that competition. Failed attempts do not set the score.
- Notes
The article synthesises common rules across 15 federations; exact commands and judging criteria varied. These records were drug-tested and unequipped. A touch-and-go gym lift or a lift performed under different depth or equipment rules is not directly comparable.
Data source: van den Hoek et al. (Powerlifting) About this study
Reference population: 809,986 competition entries from drug-tested, unequipped powerlifting meets worldwide (571,650 male entries and 238,336 female entries)
Bench Press (1RM) Norms Chart by Age and Sex
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 12-17 | Male | 0.85 | 1.04 | 1.24 | 1.45 | 1.63 |
| Female | 0.56 | 0.67 | 0.81 | 0.98 | 1.14 | |
| 18-35 | Male | 1.19 | 1.36 | 1.56 | 1.76 | 1.96 |
| Female | 0.67 | 0.81 | 0.96 | 1.15 | 1.35 | |
| 36-59 | Male | 1.13 | 1.31 | 1.51 | 1.72 | 1.92 |
| Female | 0.62 | 0.74 | 0.90 | 1.09 | 1.28 | |
| 60-79 | Male | 0.88 | 1.05 | 1.23 | 1.43 | 1.60 |
| Female | 0.49 | 0.59 | 0.72 | 0.89 | 1.04 | |
| 80+ | Male | 0.61 | 0.77 | 0.93 | 1.16 | 1.31 |
| Female | 0.41 | 0.45 | 0.55 | 0.71 | 0.92 | |
What to expect by age group
Among competition entries aged 18 to 35, the estimated middle 50% is 1.36 to 1.76x bodyweight for men and 0.81 to 1.15x for women. The median is 1.56x for men and 0.96x for women. These are powerlifting competition references, not general-population norms.
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 12-17 | 1.04 to 1.45 | 0.67 to 0.98 |
| 18-35 | 1.36 to 1.76 | 0.81 to 1.15 |
| 36-59 | 1.31 to 1.72 | 0.74 to 1.09 |
| 60-79 | 1.05 to 1.43 | 0.59 to 0.89 |
| 80+ | 0.77 to 1.16 | 0.45 to 0.71 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do these numbers mean?
These values show relative strength: weight lifted divided by bodyweight. A bench press of 1.5 means the lifter pressed 1.5 times their own bodyweight.
Are these norms for everyone?
No. They describe entries from drug-tested, unequipped powerlifting competitions. The study did not sample the general population or recreational gym members.
Why are P25, P75, P5, and P95 approximate?
The paper reports P10 through P90 in 10-point steps. Displayed P5 uses source P10 as a lower-tail proxy, and displayed P95 uses source P90 as an upper-tail proxy. P25 is the midpoint of source P20 and P30; P75 is the midpoint of source P70 and P80. These are labelled estimates because the paper does not report quartiles.
What bench press protocol is used?
The full competition-style protocol is detailed in the 'How to Perform This Test (Protocol)' section above. Federation rules varied across the pooled records, so the source presents common criteria rather than one universal procedure.