Bench Press (1RM): Males, Age 36-59
The bench press is the primary upper-body push exercise in powerlifting. Norms here are expressed as a one-rep max (1RM), the maximum weight a person can lift for a single repetition, relative to bodyweight (weight lifted ÷ bodyweight). Data are from van den Hoek et al. 2024, a retrospective analysis of 809,986 entries from global drug-tested, unequipped powerlifting competitions. These are norms for competitive powerlifters, not the general population. Untrained individuals will typically score well below these values.
Data source: van den Hoek et al. (Powerlifting) About this study
Percentile Distribution
| Percentile | Value (ratio) | Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 5th | 1.13 | Poor |
| 25th | 1.31 | Below average |
| 50th | 1.51 | Average |
| 75th | 1.72 | Above average |
| 95th | 1.92 | Excellent |
What these numbers mean for males aged 36-59
A score around 1.51 is typical (50th percentile) for males in this age group. Scores above about 1.72 fall near the 75th percentile or higher, indicating above-average performance. Scores below about 1.31 fall near the 25th percentile, about 75% of the reference population scored higher.
Percentiles show how common a value is, not whether it is healthy.