How Much Can the Average Man Lift? What Tests Show

Nobody has barbell-tested a representative sample of men, so there’s no true average. The best measured figures: physically active young men who had never strength-trained benched 131 lb (59 kg) and squatted 149 lb (68 kg) in a lab, and Cooper Clinic men benched about 0.9× their bodyweight on a machine. Men who log lifts on Strength Level average a 212 lb bench, 289 lb squat, and 340 lb deadlift.

How much can the average man lift?

It depends on which men you measure. Untrained young men benched about 130 lb and squatted about 150 lb; clinic-tested middle-aged men benched about 160 lb on a machine; men who log lifts averaged a 212 lb bench, 289 lb squat, and 340 lb deadlift.

The first row reflects physically active students with no strength-training history (Fernandez Ortega et al., 2022). The second covers men tested at the Cooper Clinic, while the third reflects men who log their lifts. Each row is more selected and trained than the one above it; none represents all men. For context and more comparisons, see the strength standards hub.

“The average man” depends on who is measured

The first two rows report tested one-rep maximums, or 1RMs; Strength Level includes 1RMs estimated from sets of repetitions. Machines and barbells make these figures hard to compare directly.

How strong is the average man, really?

The only nationally representative US strength data measure grip, not lifts: men’s combined grip strength peaks at 216 lb at ages 30–39. And only about a third of men train their muscles twice a week, so the average man is mostly untrained.

NHANES produced the first nationally representative US estimates of combined handgrip strength; the peak for men was 216.4 lb at ages 30–39, followed by a decline (Perna et al., 2016). Grip is useful population-wide data, but it cannot tell you what men can bench, squat, or deadlift.

• The average US man weighed 199.0 lb in 2021–2023 (CDC FastStats).
• In 2020, 35.2% of men met the muscle-strengthening guideline: 44.5% of men ages 18–44 and 22.0% of men 65 and older (CDC MMWR).
• Strength Level says its users may be stronger on average than the general population (Strength Level FAQ). Its averages describe people who log lifts, not all men.

How much can a 200 lb man lift?

After about six months of regular training, a 200-lb man typically reaches Strength Level’s novice marks: roughly 189 lb bench, 255 lb squat, and 297 lb deadlift. After two years, intermediate marks are about 243, 329, and 382 lb, totaling 977 lb.

• Bench press: 189 lb at novice level and 243 lb at intermediate level (Strength Level). For age and bodyweight context, see the average bench press for men by age and bodyweight.
• Squat: 255 lb novice and 329 lb intermediate (Strength Level).
• Deadlift: 297 lb novice and 382 lb intermediate (Strength Level).
• Pull-ups and total: seven reps and an 804 lb total at novice level; 12 reps and a 977 lb total at intermediate level (pull-up standards, powerlifting standards). Learn what percent of men can do a pull-up.

These are benchmarks from people who log lifts. A 300 lb bench is about advanced for a 200-lb man; a 300 lb squat falls between novice and intermediate, while a 300 lb deadlift is about novice.

How fast can an average man get stronger?

Progress is fastest at the start. Strength Level defines novice as about six months of regular training and intermediate as about two years; competitive powerlifters in the least-strong group gained strength at roughly twice the daily rate of the strongest group.

• In one analysis, the least-strong male powerlifters gained 0.211 kg per day, compared with 0.102 kg per day among the strongest (Latella et al., 2020). “Twice as fast” is a rounded comparison of those rates.
• That early stretch is often called newbie gains. Your first year is a good time to train consistently with a plan that gives you a reason to add weight.

Can an older man still get strong?

Yes. Strength standards decline with age, but gradually: Strength Level’s intermediate bench is 212 lb for ages 25–40 and 158 lb at age 60. Training still matters: even among men over 80, the top tenth of competitive lifters bench 1.31× their bodyweight.

• Strength Level’s intermediate bench mark is 188 lb at age 50, between the 25–40 and 60-year-old figures (Strength Level).
• For men over 80 in the 90th percentile, reported standards are 1.72× bodyweight for squat, 1.31× for bench, and 2.30× for deadlift (van den Hoek et al., 2024).

Grip strength peaks in men’s 30s in the population-wide estimates, then declines. Use the age row as context, and judge your progress against your own training history.

What if you've gone past average and stalled?

After the early gains, progress depends on a plan that moves the weight up, enough practice with challenging loads, sets taken close to failure, and recovery that isn’t undermined by stress, short sleep, or dieting. A stall usually means one of those pieces needs attention.

Progress naturally slows as you get stronger. If the same weight and reps have not changed for 6–8 weeks, look for what is missing; research found greater 1RM gains with heavy loads above 60% of 1RM than with light loads (Schoenfeld et al., 2017). For practical next steps, see how to get stronger after year one.

You may have read about one cause, but your stall can have more than one. Find out what's actually stalling you and use that to choose your next adjustment.

FAQ

How much can a 200 lb man lift?

On Strength Level’s standards, after about six months of regular training, a 200-lb man’s benchmarks are roughly 189 lb bench, 255 lb squat, and 297 lb deadlift. After two years, they are about 243, 329, and 382 lb. In one lab study, untrained young men benched an average of 131 lb (Fernandez Ortega et al., 2022).

Is 300 lbs a lot to lift?

It depends on the lift. For a 200-lb man, a 300-lb bench is about Strength Level’s advanced level, a 300-lb squat sits between novice and intermediate, and a 300-lb deadlift is about novice. Strength Level ties novice to roughly six months of regular training.

Is lifting 200 pounds good?

For a 200-lb man, a 200-lb bench sits between Strength Level’s novice and intermediate marks. A 200-lb squat is about beginner level, and a 200-lb deadlift is below beginner. The lift matters more than the number.

Is it true that only 1% of the world can bench 225?

No representative sample of men has been bench-tested, so there is no survey supporting that claim. Existing data show 225 lb is mid-pack for Cooper Clinic men in their 20s at average bodyweight and rare among older men. See the full breakdown.