Strength Standards Checker — Am I Strong?

Am I strong? Enter a lift — squat, bench, deadlift, or overhead press — with your bodyweight and sex, and see where you land: Physically Active, Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, or Elite. Use a tested 1RM or estimate from a hard set, in kilograms or pounds.

Where the standards come from

The thresholds come from Lon Kilgore’s 2023 Strength Standards, a widely-referenced model of expected strength for trained adults by bodyweight and sex. Unlike a flat “multiple of bodyweight” rule, these are bracketed by bodyweight — which matters, because strength doesn’t scale linearly with size. We use the age 20–29 reference and interpolate between Kilgore’s published brackets to rate your exact bodyweight. It’s a general-trainee progression model, not competition data, so the levels describe training stages rather than percentiles.

What the levels mean

Physically Active

You clear the entry bar for the lift — stronger than an untrained starting point, but not yet lifting to a deliberate plan.

Beginner

Your number reflects the fast early gains that show up once you train the lift on purpose and add load often.

Intermediate

A solid, hard-earned lift. You’re past the beginner surge, and getting stronger now takes a real training block.

Advanced

A high number most gym-goers never reach — the payoff of years of focused, consistent work on this lift.

Elite

Among the strongest lifts for your bodyweight and sex. Rare air, usually competition-adjacent territory.

How we rate your lift

We convert your lift to a one-rep max in kilograms — either the 1RM you enter, or an estimate from your hard set using the mean of the Epley and Brzycki formulas — then compare it to the expected 1RM for your exact bodyweight. Because strength doesn’t scale linearly with size, the reference is bracketed by bodyweight rather than a single flat multiple, and we interpolate between the two nearest brackets to land on your bodyweight precisely.

Bodyweights below 57 kg or above 136 kg fall outside the reference range, so we clamp to the nearest bracket and flag the result as a rough guide. The threshold shown in your result is that interpolated value at your bodyweight — the number that actually applies to you.

How each lift is judged

Standards assume raw, full-range lifts. Match these and your rating lines up; equipped or partial-range numbers will read higher than the standards expect.

Back Squat

Barbell back squat, full depth, total bar load, raw (belt only).

Bench Press

Barbell bench press, paused, full range, raw.

Deadlift

Barbell deadlift, conventional or sumo, total bar load, raw.

Overhead Press

Standing strict overhead press — no leg drive.

Questions, answered

How are these strength standards calculated?

They come from Lon Kilgore’s 2023 Strength Standards, which set expected 1RMs for trained adults by bodyweight and sex. We interpolate between the published bodyweight brackets and compare your lift to the level thresholds at your exact bodyweight. It’s a general-trainee reference (age 20–29), not competition data.

Are these for raw or equipped lifting?

Raw — no suit, sleeves, or wraps (a belt is fine) — full range of motion, and total bar load. Enter the strict overhead press with no leg drive. Equipped or partial-range numbers will read higher than the standards expect.

Is the rating age-adjusted?

Not in this version — it uses the age 20–29 reference. If you’re older, expect a slightly harsher rating than an age-adjusted one would give. Age-adjusted standards are a planned addition.

What does each level actually mean?

The levels are stages of training progression, not population percentiles. “Elite” here means among the strongest for your bodyweight and sex — not a world record. See the level definitions above.

I only did a few reps — can I still check?

Yes. Enter the weight and how many reps you managed on a hard set (1–10), and we estimate your 1RM first, then rate it. A tested single is more accurate, but a hard set of 2–6 reps is close.

Can I see the raw standards tables?

Your result shows the exact threshold for your next level at your bodyweight — the number that actually applies to you. The checker interpolates from Lon Kilgore’s 2023 Strength Standards model rather than republishing its tables, and links to the source so you can go there directly.

What bodyweight range does this cover?

The reference runs from about 57 kg to 136 kg (125–300 lb). Inside that band we interpolate to your exact bodyweight; outside it we clamp to the nearest end and flag the rating as approximate.

Strength Standards