Overhead Press Standards
The overhead press moves the least weight of the four main barbell lifts, which makes people dismiss it, and that is a mistake. It has no leg drive to hide behind and a long, unforgiving range, so it is the most honest test of pure pressing strength you have.
A half-bodyweight press is a beginner mark, a 0.8 times bodyweight press is a strong intermediate number, and a bodyweight press over your head is advanced and rare. The standard below is for a strict standing press with no leg drive.
Enter what you lifted, for how many reps, and your bodyweight to see where you land.
Overhead Press standards by bodyweight ratio
Each level as a multiple of your bodyweight. Multiply by your own bodyweight for your target, or use the calculator above to do it for you.
| Level | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| BeginnerA few months of practice | 0.35x | 0.22x |
| NoviceAround six months in | 0.55x | 0.34x |
| IntermediateOne to two years of consistent training | 0.80x | 0.50x |
| AdvancedSeveral years, competitive-adjacent | 1.05x | 0.65x |
| EliteCompetitive powerlifter territory | 1.30x | 0.81x |
Test it honestly
- Press strict: no dip of the knees, no layback into a decline bench with your spine. If your legs help, it is a push press, a different lift.
- Lock out fully overhead with the bar over the mid-foot, arms straight, head through.
- Test a heavy set of 1 to 5 reps. The press is small-muscle and technical, so warm up the shoulders thoroughly first.
The overhead press is the slowest of the big lifts to add weight to, and that is normal, not a plateau. Judge it over months, not sessions, and let it drag your bench toward a healthier ratio.
Common questions
What is a good overhead press?
For a male lifter, a strict press of 0.8 times bodyweight is a genuine intermediate mark and a full bodyweight press is advanced. For a female lifter those tiers land near 0.5 and 0.65 times bodyweight. The overhead press carries the lowest ratios of the four main lifts, so do not compare its number to your bench.
Why is my overhead press so much weaker than my bench?
That is expected. The strict overhead press has no leg drive and a smaller base of muscle, so a press around half to two-thirds of your bench is normal. A press far below that ratio usually means it is simply undertrained.
Is the overhead press worth training?
Yes. It builds pressing strength and shoulder health that the bench does not, and it exposes weaknesses the bench lets you hide. A strong overhead press tends to carry a strong, balanced bench along with it.
Log your ohp in Vora
Vora tracks your estimated one-rep max on the overhead press every session, catches every PR, and applies progressive overload automatically. Free on iPhone and Android.
