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Overhead Press Standards

These are the overhead press numbers for each of LiftCamp's 5 levels, from Beginner to Elite, at your bodyweight. Put in a recent set and the calculator places you on the scale and shows how far it is to the next level.

This is the standing barbell press, also called the military press, from your shoulders to locked out overhead. It has the smallest numbers of the main lifts, so small jumps of 2.5 lb a side are normal.

The short version

For a 180 lb (82 kg) man, a Novice overhead press starts at 90 lb (40 kg) and Intermediate at 125 lb (57.5 kg). For a 140 lb (64 kg) woman, Novice starts at 40 lb (20 kg) and Intermediate at 65 lb (30 kg). Anything under Novice is Beginner, where nearly everyone starts.

Find your overhead press level

lb
lb

Standards for

Put in a recent set, your bodyweight and Men or Women to see your level.

Weights in

Overhead Press standards for men

Overhead Press standards for men, in lb
BodyweightBeginnerNoviceIntermediateAdvancedElite
120 lbunder 707095125155
140 lbunder 7575105135175
160 lbunder 8585115150190
180 lbunder 9090125160205
200 lbunder 9595135175220
220 lbunder 100100145185235
240 lbunder 110110150195250
260 lbunder 115115160205265
280 lbunder 120120170215275

Overhead Press standards for women

Overhead Press standards for women, in lb
BodyweightBeginnerNoviceIntermediateAdvancedElite
100 lbunder 3535507090
120 lbunder 40405575100
140 lbunder 40406585115
160 lbunder 45457095125
180 lbunder 505075100135
200 lbunder 555580105145
220 lbunder 555585115155
240 lbunder 606090120160

The weight is the whole bar, plates included. Ages 18 to 39. The calculator adjusts for your age.

What the levels mean

  • Beginner. Under Novice. Where nearly everyone starts.

  • Novice. A few months of steady training, usually 2 or 3 days a week.

  • Intermediate. Usually a year or more of training with a plan.

  • Advanced. Years of focused training.

  • Elite. Competitive lifters. Few people reach it on any lift.

Questions

How much should a beginner overhead press?

For a 180 lb man, anything under 90 lb (40 kg) is Beginner. For a 140 lb woman, it's anything under 40 lb (20 kg). In your first few months, pick a weight you can lift for 10 clean reps and add a little when every set hits its reps.

Why is my overhead press so much lower than my bench?

Pressing overhead uses smaller muscles and a longer path. On this table the overhead press is roughly two thirds of the bench press at each level.

Do I need to test my 1-rep max?

No. Put in any recent set of 1 to 12 reps and the calculator estimates your max with the Epley formula. Sets under 10 reps give the closest estimate.

Where do these numbers come from?

They're LiftCamp's own standards, set as multiples of bodyweight and scaled so heavier lifters need a little less per pound. They match the level the LiftCamp app shows on each lift. Other sites use different tables, so your level may differ by a step between them.

Track your level as you lift

The free LiftCamp app shows your strength level on all 7 of these lifts and how far you are from the next one, updated every time you log a set. Free on iPhone.

Download on the App Store

Free on iPhone. Coming to Android.

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