Free calculator

Strength Level Calculator

Written by the GymStreak coaching teamUpdated 30 September 2026

Lift

Sex

Units

Body weight (kg)

Weight lifted (kg)

Reps

The short answer

Strength levels are usually judged by how much you lift compared with your body weight. This calculator estimates your one-rep max from your set, divides it by your body weight and places you from Beginner to Elite. As a rough guide, a man benching his body weight or a woman benching three-quarters of hers is at an intermediate level.

01 / How it works

How the strength level calculator works

Strength standards only make sense relative to your size, because comparing raw numbers is unfair: a 100 kg bench press means something different for a 60 kg lifter than for a 120 kg one. So the calculator looks at relative strength, your estimated one-rep max divided by your body weight. This is the same idea coaches use when they talk about a "bodyweight bench" or a "double-bodyweight deadlift".

First it estimates your one-rep max from the set you enter using the Epley formula. You can enter a true single (1 rep) or any hard set of up to 10 reps. Then it divides that by your body weight and compares the ratio with the benchmarks for your sex and lift.

The five levels are GymStreak coaching benchmarks, built from the bodyweight multiples coaches commonly use. They are a practical way to set goals, not a ranking against the population: no large, representative study measures how strong "average" gym-goers are.

Separately, the calculator shows where your estimated one-rep max sits among GymStreak lifters of the same sex and bodyweight band, from the sets they logged in the app. That is a real percentile, but of people who log their training in a gym app, not of everyone, so treat it as a comparison rather than a verdict.

02 / Formula

The strength level formulas

Estimated one-rep max (Epley)

1RM = weight × (1 + reps ÷ 30)     (for 1 rep, 1RM = weight)

Source: Epley B. Poundage Chart. Boyd Epley Workout. Lincoln, NE: Body Enterprises; 1985.

Relative strength

Ratio = 1RM ÷ body weight

Use the same unit (kg or lb) for both; the ratio has no unit.

Your level is the highest benchmark your ratio reaches. The "next milestone" is the next benchmark multiplied by your body weight.

03 / Worked example

Worked examples

An 80 kg man who benches 90 kg for 3 reps

He enters body weight 80 kg, lift 90 kg, 3 reps, bench press.

11RM = 90 × (1 + 3 ÷ 30) = 99 kg
2Ratio = 99 ÷ 80 = 1.24× body weight
31.24 is above the Intermediate mark (1.0×) and below Advanced (1.5×)

Level: Intermediate. Next milestone: Advanced at 1.5× body weight, a bench 1RM of 120 kg.

A 60 kg woman who deadlifts 85 kg for 5 reps

She enters body weight 60 kg, lift 85 kg, 5 reps, deadlift.

11RM = 85 × (1 + 5 ÷ 30) ≈ 99.2 kg
2Ratio = 99.2 ÷ 60 ≈ 1.65× body weight
31.65 is above Intermediate (1.25×) and below Advanced (1.75×)

Level: Intermediate. Next milestone: Advanced at 1.75× body weight, a deadlift of 105 kg.

04 / Reference

Strength level charts and tables

Men: strength benchmarks (1RM × body weight)

Lift	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
Bench press	0.5×	0.75×	1.0×	1.5×	2.0×
Back squat	0.75×	1.25×	1.5×	2.0×	2.5×
Deadlift	1.0×	1.5×	2.0×	2.5×	3.0×
Overhead press	0.35×	0.55×	0.75×	1.0×	1.25×

GymStreak coaching benchmarks. For an 80 kg man, Intermediate means about an 80 kg bench, 120 kg squat, 160 kg deadlift and 60 kg overhead press.

Women: strength benchmarks (1RM × body weight)

Lift	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
Bench press	0.25×	0.5×	0.75×	1.0×	1.25×
Back squat	0.5×	0.75×	1.0×	1.5×	1.75×
Deadlift	0.5×	1.0×	1.25×	1.75×	2.25×
Overhead press	0.2×	0.35×	0.5×	0.7×	0.9×

GymStreak coaching benchmarks. For a 60 kg woman, Intermediate means about a 45 kg bench, 60 kg squat, 75 kg deadlift and 30 kg overhead press.

What each level usually looks like

Level	Typical training history	What progress looks like
Beginner	Weeks to a few months	Weight goes up most sessions
Novice	Around the first year	Weight goes up most weeks
Intermediate	One to a few years of consistent training	Progress over a month or a training block
Advanced	Several years of focused training	Small gains over months
Elite	Many years, usually competitive lifters	Very slow, carefully programmed gains

Training history is a loose guide. Age, body size, limb length, sex and how you train all change how fast you progress.

05 / Training

How to use your strength level

Set the next milestone as a target, not a deadline. Use the number the calculator gives and work towards it with a structured programme and progressive overload.
Look for your weakest lift. If your squat is Intermediate but your overhead press is Beginner, give the press more practice for a few months.
Test with a hard set, not a max. Re-check every 6 to 8 weeks with a set of 3 to 5 reps. The one rep max calculator turns that into training percentages.
Technique guides for each lift: barbell bench press, barbell squats, barbell deadlift and standing barbell shoulder press.
Women build strength in the same way as men and respond to the same programming. Read do women build muscle slower than men?

06 / Limitations

Limitations and safety

The benchmarks are coaching guides, not percentiles. They do not adjust for age, and ratios naturally favour lighter lifters: heavier people lift more in total but less per kilogram.

Your level depends on technique and range of motion. A half squat or a bench with the bar bounced off the chest will inflate the number.

Never test a maximum without a warm-up, safety bars or a spotter. You do not need a true one-rep max to use this calculator.

This calculator gives an estimate for general fitness education. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. If you have a health condition, are pregnant, or are new to hard exercise, check with a doctor first.

07 / FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How do I know my strength level?

Enter your body weight and a recent hard set on the bench press, squat, deadlift or overhead press. The calculator estimates your one-rep max, divides it by your body weight and compares the ratio with benchmarks from Beginner to Elite.

What is a good bench press for my weight?

A common benchmark is a bench press of about 1× body weight for men and about 0.75× for women, which this calculator treats as Intermediate. For an 80 kg man that is about 80 kg; for a 60 kg woman about 45 kg.

Are strength standards based on real data?

Many online "standards" come from a website’s own users, which over-represents keen lifters, so they are not a fair picture of the population. The levels here are coaching benchmarks built from common bodyweight multiples and are labelled that way; they are not percentiles. The separate "Compare with GymStreak lifters" result is a percentile among GymStreak app users, estimated from their logged sets, and has the same limit: it describes people who log their training, not everyone.

Is a double-bodyweight deadlift good?

Yes. A deadlift of 2× body weight is Intermediate for men and Advanced for women on these benchmarks, and takes most people a few years of consistent training.

Do I need to test my one-rep max to use this?

No. Enter any hard set of up to 10 reps and the calculator estimates your one-rep max with the Epley formula. Sets of 3 to 5 reps give the most accurate results.

How long does it take to reach an intermediate strength level?

Most people who train two to four times a week with a structured programme reach Intermediate on at least some lifts within one to a few years. It depends on age, body size, consistency, sleep and nutrition.

Sources

Epley B. Poundage Chart. Boyd Epley Workout. Lincoln, NE: Body Enterprises; 1985.
LeSuer DA, McCormick JH, Mayhew JL, Wasserstein RL, Arnold MD. The accuracy of prediction equations for estimating 1-RM performance in the bench press, squat, and deadlift. J Strength Cond Res. 1997;11(4):211-213.
Baechle TR, Earle RW, eds. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd ed. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics / NSCA; 2008.

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