Find out if you are stronger than average on these 3 fundamental exercises

Some people on this planet are able to deadlift 4 times their body weight, others barely an empty bar.

In this monumental gap, let’s try to see what is the “norm” in terms of strengthdepending on the bodybuilding experience of each.

Not all equal at birth

It is quite difficult to establish these “standards”, because there are some genetic differences when it comes to strength.

Everyone has their own skeleton!

Not all skeletons are the same and this will involve different levels of leverage between individuals.

Your buddy is going to be favored in the bench press because he has small arms and a big rib cage and you have long arms and a shallow chest.

Conversely, he may be at a disadvantage on a deadlift because his hips will be lower in the starting position, if only to reach the bar.

Another will be advantaged by having small femurs…

But all of this can always be improved with good programming and modification of the technique.

Read also: How to squat when you are tall / adapt your squat to your morphology?

Other Influencing Factors

It’s not just the skeleton that plays, some people will have basic tendons plus fortsbetter neuronal stimulation or a distribution of type 1 type 2 fibers more conducive to strength sports.

And then there’s this guy, naturally muscular without ever having touched a weight in his life…

In short, genetics can influence progression, allowing you to move on to bodybuilding milestones faster and earlier. But don’t blame the latter until you’ve spent a lot of time and effort in training.

Norms of forces according to levels

Understand that the standards established below are there only as an indication, they are based on certain data (1,2,3).

Please note that:

• I stuck to the basic exercises of Squat, deadlift and bench press,
• These standards represent the RM, that is to say the heaviest load that you can lift on a repetition: do not test this latter constantly, especially if you do not have a strength competition objective (the measuring from time to time can however help for its programming),
• Your technique must always be impeccable, do not sacrifice either your form or your amplitude of movement to pass a level: the bar comes in contact with the chest on the “bench” and you descend at least parallel on the squat,
• These indications work on body weight ratios, they are less reliable for people over 130 kg.

That being said, let’s go, find your level below and tell us in comments what are your ratios!

Novices (3-6 months of experience)

Here are the standards for men:

• Squat: between 20 kg (empty bar) and 60 kg,
• Bench: between 20 kg (empty bar) and 40 kg,
• Deadlift: between 20 kg (empty bar) and 60 kg.

For women :

• Squat: between 20 kg (empty bar) and 40 kg,
• Bench: between 0 kg and 20 kg (empty bar),
• Deadlift: between 20 kg (empty bar) and 60 kg.

The key to progression: easily progress to the next level by working your technique and adding gradually a minimum of weight in each workout, staying in a zone of 3 to 6 repetitions (focus force) on your big movements.

Beginners (6 to 24 months)

In admitting that you were serious and consistent over your first two years of weight training, you should be in that zone.

Here are the standards for men:

• Squat 1.25 * body weight (100 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Bench 1 * body weight (80 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Deadlift 1.5 * body weight (120 kg for 80 kg for example),

For women :

• Squat 0.5-1 * body weight (30-60 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Bench 0.5 * body weight (30 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Deadlift 0.5-1 * body weight (30-60 kg for 60 kg for example),

You normally have decent technique (without being perfect) on all the exercises. Your progression follows a linear curve even if sometimes you have empty passages.

You regularly pass PR (records), adding 2.5 kg of this or increasing by one repetition with each training, always in the range 3-6 repetitions (focus force) on your big movements.

If you are in the majority, you will see your progress in strength to slow downyou continue to progress, but it is no longer so obvious… This is the sign that you are advancing towards the intermediate level.

Intermediate (+2 years of practice)

Hello, let me introduce you to the set! For many, he will be your companion for the rest of your “career”.

Here are the standards for men:

• Squat 1.25-1.75 * body weight (100-140 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Bench 1-1.5 * body weight (85-125 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Deadlift 1.5-2.25 * body weight (125-185 kg for 80 kg for example).

For women :

• Squat 1-1.5 * body weight (60-90 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Bench 0.5-0.75 * body weight (30-45 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Deadlift 1.25-1.75 * body weight (75-105 kg for 60 kg for example).

Getting out of this quagmire may require taking a less linear approach to training.

Instead of staying at all costs in the range of 3-6 repetitions at each training session with the desire to always load more, it will probably be necessary to modify and alternate:

• heavy training with intense effort,
• lighter workouts with less effort.

Example: 2 squat sessions in the week, one on Monday with 3-5 repetitions at intense effort, one session on Thursday 6-10 repetitions (hypertrophy focus) with lighter weight and less effort.

This is called the periodization.

Advanced level (2-5 years of practice approximately)

Generally, there are serious practitioners who have been dedicated to their training programs for a few years now.

You’ll have to want it to get out of there!

Here are the standards for men:

• Squat 1.75-2.5 * body weight (145-205 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Bench 1.5-2 * body weight (125-165 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Deadlift 2.25-3 * body weight (185-245 kg for 80 kg for example).

For women :

• Squat 1.5-1.75 * body weight (90-105 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Bench 0.75-1 * body weight (45-60 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Deadlift 1.75-2.25 * body weight (105-135 kg for 60 kg for example).

To progress further, you will have to hang on and being dedicated may not even be possible for everyone!

It will take discipline and probably even coaching, now is the time to ask yourself if you really want itgoing beyond will probably require more sacrifice than gain.

It will undoubtedly take work on your weak points with advanced methods, or “simply” gain muscle mass (calorie surplus + more moderate rep ranges in a hypertrophy focus).

What is certain is that no one arrives at the next level by chance…

Elite (5-10 years of strength training in the legs)

It is possible to get here with hard work and good genetics.

Here are the standards for men:

• Squat 2.5-3 * body weight (205-250 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Bench 2-2.25 * body weight (165-185 kg for 80 kg for example),
• Deadlift 3-3.5 * body weight (245-285 kg for 80 kg for example).

For women :

• Squat 1.75-2.25 * body weight (105-135 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Bench 1-1.25 * body weight (60-75 kg for 60 kg for example),
• Deadlift 2.25-3 * body weight (135-180 kg for 60 kg for example).

These are undoubtedly the highest figures that a practicing natural may aim, barring an anomaly of nature…

War machine

Here are some numbers (far from standard) that a handful of humans can get.

At men’s :

• Squat >3 * body weight,
• Bench >2.5 * body weight,
• Deadlift >3.5 * body weight.

This way doping control please when you achieve this kind of performance, unless your name is Taylor Atwood, considered the strongest natural powerlifter on this planetquite simply.

Judge for yourself, at 74 kg, Taylor lifts:

• 4 times his body weight (303 kg) in squat,
• 2.6 times his body weight (195 kg) in the bench press,
• 4.6 times his body weight (312.5 kg) in deadlift.

In women:

• Squat >2.25 * body weight,
• Bench >1.25 * body weight,
• Deadlift >3 * body weight

Here a good example is Jessica buettner who also has “decent” results (LOL) with a body weight of 76 kg:

• 2.77 times his body weight (210.5 kg!!!!!) in squat,
• 1.4 times his body weight (105 kg) in the bench press,
• 3.25 times his body weight (247.5 kg) in deadlift.

To sum up

“Norms” in men:

“Norms” in women:

Again, this is just a guide, it can help you stay motivated and plan your progress.

That being said, there is nothing wrong with not wanting to progress, simply maintaining muscle mass and performance and aiming for well-being / health essentially.

Don’t compare yourself to others, don’t stare at their performance, compare yourself to the one who was in your mirror yesterday.

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Updated by Quentin on:21/04/2023

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