Strength "Standards"?

deluxmary2000
deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I hit a couple PRs in my big lifts, and was looking for a new milestone to work towards (I do better when I have a specific goal in mind). Anyway, I stumbled across the “Weightlifting Performance Standards”, and man… now I’m depressed. Despite training for months and making great progress, I’m still in the “UNTRAINED” (not even novice) category in every single thing except power cleans.
Oh well – I guess now I have something to gun for. I’m pretty close to “novice” in quite a few (except bench... wtf), so that’s my new goal.
Just venting I suppose... has anyone seen these before? What are your thoughts?
http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

Replies

  • robininfl
    robininfl Posts: 1,137 Member
    You are progressing? That's all that matters. If you are still getting better, that means what you are doing is working.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    Never heard of it before. But taking a look, I am untrained too.

    Whatever. Like the poster above said, progressing is all that matters!
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    I only compete with myself. As long as I am progressing and adding weight, I am happy!
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    edited June 2016
    And yes, I have seen these standards and I don't really give them much stock. For an example, it puts me in the advanced category for deadlift. I've been lifting for two years. I don't go around calling myself an advanced lifter, because I'm not. I have TWO YEARS of experience. That's nothing.
  • Packerjohn
    Packerjohn Posts: 4,855 Member
    arditarose wrote: »
    And yes, I have seen these standards and I don't really give them much stock. For an example, it puts me in the advanced category for deadlift. I've been lifting for two years. I don't go around calling myself an advanced lifter, because I'm not. I have TWO YEARS of experience. That's nothing.

    Reading a book by Dan john. He's taking about 7-8 years of training to start being considered experienced
  • catsdogsh
    catsdogsh Posts: 130 Member
    All that matters is personal progression, not the charts.
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    "I hit a couple PRs in my big lifts," is the only thing that matters. It's not like you're getting a prize for hitting someone else's "Weightlifting Performance Standards". Congrats on the improvement. keep it going.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    edited June 2016
    Months?!!!

    This time around, I've been training for 7 years, and I still feel completely new at times. Measure your success by being better than you were and accept that this is a life-long endeavor.
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    Lol, yeah I get it, everyone. And you're all 100% correct. It just stung a little to be labeled as "untrained" in every category when I was formerly feeling like a badazz ;)
  • pondee629
    pondee629 Posts: 2,469 Member
    deluxmary2000 wrote: »
    Lol, yeah I get it, everyone. And you're all 100% correct. It just stung a little to be labeled as "untrained" in every category when I was formerly feeling like a badazz ;)

    You're "badder" than when you started.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited June 2016
    I think I will keep going by the charts... lol.. Not been lifting for two complete years.. but if the charts says my lifts are petty much up there, maybe it will send me a prize in the mail.

    Sent this to my husband and he just emailed me and says he "sucks"..

    I think this thing is not worth the time and effort someone put into it!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    deluxmary2000 wrote: »
    I hit a couple PRs in my big lifts, and was looking for a new milestone to work towards (I do better when I have a specific goal in mind). Anyway, I stumbled across the “Weightlifting Performance Standards”, and man… now I’m depressed. Despite training for months and making great progress, I’m still in the “UNTRAINED” (not even novice) category in every single thing except power cleans.
    Oh well – I guess now I have something to gun for. I’m pretty close to “novice” in quite a few (except bench... wtf), so that’s my new goal.
    Just venting I suppose... has anyone seen these before? What are your thoughts?
    http://www.exrx.net/Testing/WeightLifting/StrengthStandards.html

    if you are lifting more than you were last month/week etc why be down.

    As long as the weight it going up you have done well.

    If you want something to gun for...gun for PR's...new PR's or what is considered "hard"

    For example triple digit OHP or benching your bodyweight or squatting 1.5x bodyweight or 2x BW for deads...

  • codename_steve
    codename_steve Posts: 255 Member
    Are you sure you're looking at it as a 1 rep max? and not what you lift during your workout?

    I know in my workouts I squat 100 pounds at 10 reps x 3 sets. According to the below calculator, that puts my max somewhere around 133, which the standards says is Intermediate (but it's probably higher since I do 3 sets).

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/other7.htm
  • pdxhak
    pdxhak Posts: 383 Member
    It can be a slow progression in the beginning but then you will start to make big jumps in the amount of weight you lift. As others have stated, measure against yourself :) The differential between where you started and where you are at shows good progress!
  • julie_broadhead
    julie_broadhead Posts: 178 Member
    Were you looking at the men's or the women's numbers? If you scroll down the women's numbers are the pink chart. I think the charts are interesting but I don't put too much stock in them. Like others have stated, if you are adding weight and making new PR's your doing awesome!

    I think the charts can be a good way to set some goals, but don't allow a number on a page to make you feel depressed about your performance.
  • pdxhak
    pdxhak Posts: 383 Member
    When I started lifting the standard so to speak was being able to bench your own body weight. So if you weighed 185 lbs you should be able to do 6-8 reps at that weight. No idea if people still think that way.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    pdxhak wrote: »
    When I started lifting the standard so to speak was being able to bench your own body weight. So if you weighed 185 lbs you should be able to do 6-8 reps at that weight. No idea if people still think that way.

    as a man sure...but as a woman doing it once is a good goal imo...and work up from there.
  • mecoconleche
    mecoconleche Posts: 86 Member
    It's all about relative strength isn't it? I'm trying to bench at least 170, but I can only do 110 lol
  • deluxmary2000
    deluxmary2000 Posts: 981 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    pdxhak wrote: »
    When I started lifting the standard so to speak was being able to bench your own body weight. So if you weighed 185 lbs you should be able to do 6-8 reps at that weight. No idea if people still think that way.

    as a man sure...but as a woman doing it once is a good goal imo...and work up from there.

    Yeah... You all suck. Lol. I'm definitely looking at the chart for women, and bench in particular is awful for me. My 1RM for bench is only about 0.5 bodyweight. :(
  • OrdinaryDude300
    OrdinaryDude300 Posts: 51 Member
    Seems that the squat numbers are a bit low for women that I see in the gym squatting on a regular basis . My gf been squatting for year and change and she hits about advanced numbers now. In bench she is still upper untrained to low novice. For men it may be accurate. I have been off and on in squat and I am upper untrained to low novice. My bench is near advanced but I had used home gym bench machine for years.
  • jmaidan
    jmaidan Posts: 93 Member
    I don't think there can really be a standard. Everyone is unique.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    OP, Bret Contreras has a list of standards/averages based on women who he has trained. I'd suggest reading the entire article, not just the chart. It's more of a "compared to the general population of women, where do you stand strength-wise" and may help you keep your numbers in perspective.

    https://bretcontreras.com/female-strength-levels/

Categories