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How Strength Standards Can Sharpen Your Goals and Guide Progress
- Emma
- Apr 1
- 5 min read
Table of Contents
Summary
Whether you're chasing your first bodyweight squat or refining your elite-level deadlift, strength standards offer a powerful way to measure progress and shape smarter training goals. These benchmarks aren’t about comparison—they’re about context.
Strength standards show you where you stand and where you can go next.
In this guide, we’ll break down what these standards actually mean, how to apply them to your training, and how they can help you build consistency, improve programming, and track real-world progress. If you’ve ever asked, “Am I actually getting stronger?”—this article will give you the tools to answer that with confidence.
What Are Strength Standards?
Strength standards are evidence-based benchmarks that estimate how much weight a lifter should be able to move based on their body weight, gender, and training experience. They’re commonly used to assess performance in compound lifts like:
Squat
Deadlift
Bench Press
Overhead Press
Unlike one-rep maxes,
which reflect your current peak effort, strength standards offer a broader context. They're derived from large datasets of athletes and recreational lifters, giving you a reliable baseline to compare your strength level against your peers.
What strength standards are NOT:
They aren’t about ego lifting
They aren’t rigid “pass or fail” tests
They don’t account for technique or injury limitations
Instead, think of them as performance milestones. They help you evaluate if your training is moving in the right direction and if your numbers make sense relative to your goals, experience, and body weight.
Categories: Beginner to Elite
Most strength standards are organized into five key levels—each representing a general stage in a lifter’s development. These tiers offer context, not judgment. They’re a helpful way to see how far you’ve come and where to go next.
The Typical Categories:
Untrained:
You’ve either never lifted before or just started. This baseline assumes no formal technique or experience.
Novice:
You’ve been lifting for several months. You’ve built basic strength, but you’re still adapting to proper form and programming.
Intermediate:
After 1–2 consistent years of training, you’ve developed solid technique, muscle coordination, and can lift significantly more than bodyweight on major lifts.
Advanced:
Usually takes 3–5 years of strategic programming. Your lifts are far above average, and you’re approaching regional or amateur competition strength levels.
Elite:
This level represents the top 1–2% of lifters—those competing at a high level or with exceptional genetic potential and discipline.
Why These Categories Matter:
They help you set appropriate expectations
They keep you from comparing your lifts to elite lifters on social media
They let you know when it’s time to adjust your programming intensity
Important: These categories vary slightly based on body weight and gender, so it’s always best to look at a chart that aligns with your demographics for accuracy.
Applying Standards to Goal Setting
Knowing your current strength category is only step one. The real power lies in using that information to set specific, achievable goals and build structured progression into your training.
Here’s how to use your category effectively:
Identify Your Current Level Accurately
Use a recent one-rep max (1RM) or estimated max from a 3–5 rep set and compare it to a standardized chart for your weight class and gender. This will reveal your true starting point.
Set Short-Term Goals Based on the Next Category
If you’re currently Novice, aim for the Intermediate numbers. For example, if your current deadlift is 225 lbs at 165 lbs body weight, a realistic next goal might be 275 lbs—right in the Intermediate range.
Break Goals Into Cycles
Create 8–12 week training blocks with targeted lift increases (e.g., +5 lbs/week for squat). This keeps you focused and prevents plateaus.
Use Standards to Track Progress, Not Pressure
Remember—standards are guidelines, not ultimatums. Progress isn’t always linear. Use them to recalibrate when needed, not as a source of guilt.
Re-Test Every 3–6 Months
Periodically compare your lifts to the standards chart to see where you land. This builds confidence and reinforces that your work is paying off.
Sample Goal Transition:
Strength Standards by Lift
Each compound lift has its own progression pattern and benchmarks. Below is a general breakdown of common strength standards based on body weight and training level. These aren’t set in stone but are useful indicators of how your lifts stack up.
1. Back Squat (Male, 198 lbs bodyweight)
Untrained: 125 lbs
Novice: 185 lbs
Intermediate: 225–275 lbs
Advanced: 365 lbs
Elite: 455+ lbs
2. Bench Press (Male, 198 lbs bodyweight)
Untrained: 90 lbs
Novice: 135 lbs
Intermediate: 165–185 lbs
Advanced: 245 lbs
Elite: 320+ lbs
3. Deadlift (Male, 198 lbs bodyweight)
Untrained: 135 lbs
Novice: 225 lbs
Intermediate: 275–315 lbs
Advanced: 405 lbs
Elite: 495+ lbs
What About Women?
While the same categories apply, the weight benchmarks adjust for average body composition differences. For example, a female lifter at 165 lbs might see these Intermediate standards:
Squat:
155–185 lbs
Bench Press:
95–115 lbs
Deadlift:
185–215 lbs
Note: These standards shift slightly depending on which chart you reference (e.g., StrengthLevel vs. ExRx), but the ranges remain consistent enough to serve as reliable guides.
Training Smarter With Standards
Now that you know where your lifts stand and what the next tier looks like, it's time to make those numbers work for you. Strength standards aren’t just motivational—they’re strategic.
Here’s how to train smarter using strength benchmarks:
1. Fine-Tune Your Programming
Knowing your current category allows you to:
Match volume and intensity to your level (e.g., higher reps at Novice, lower reps with more load at Advanced)
Avoid burnout from overtraining or stagnation from undertraining
2. Spot Weak Points Early
If your squat is Intermediate but your deadlift is lagging behind at Novice level, it may signal:
Muscle imbalances
Weak glutes or posterior chain
Technique limitations
Use this insight to adjust accessory lifts or mobility work.
3. Build Progressive Overload with Purpose
Instead of random weight jumps:
Use your target standard as a 12–16 week goal
Break it into weekly micro-progressions (e.g., +2.5 to 5 lbs per week)
Deload every 4–6 weeks to reset fatigue
4. Reinforce Confidence and Consistency
Nothing reinforces discipline like evidence. When you know you’re closing the gap toward the next level:
You stay more consistent with form work and accessory lifts
You reduce the temptation to ego lift for Instagram validation
You see progress as data, not just emotion
Lifting Smarter, Not Just Heavier: Final Takeaways
You don’t need elite numbers to train like an elite athlete—you need clarity, consistency, and smart benchmarks. Strength standards give you a framework for growth, not just a finish line.
Here’s what to walk away with:
Strength standards are context, not judgment
They help you gauge your progress without comparing yourself unrealistically to influencers or pros.
Each lift has its own rhythm
Squat, bench, and deadlift may develop at different paces. Use standards to highlight imbalances and guide corrective programming.
Use standards to reverse-engineer your goals
Don’t just lift and hope—map out exactly how to get to the next tier.
Your graph tells the real story
Progress is rarely linear, but it should trend upward over time. Track it. Trust it.
Train with purpose, not ego
Knowing the standards gives you a target—but how you get there is what builds real strength.
Lift with structure, measure with intention, and let standards guide your evolution—not define your worth.
Related Posts & Tools
8 Proven Strategies to Improve Your Lifting Performance Safely and Effectively
A tactical breakdown of what actually improves your lifts—form, programming, recovery, and consistency.
Instantly find your current strength category based on your body weight and lifts. Perfect for goal setting and tracking progress.
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