Is deadlifting 2x bodyweight good?

For many lifters, yes. A 2x bodyweight deadlift is often a strong relative-strength benchmark, but it should still be interpreted alongside absolute load, body size, and training history.

What is the average deadlift?

There is no single average deadlift that fits everyone. Competition data, gym-population data, and community-submitted data all describe different groups, so this page uses practical benchmark bands rather than one universal average.

Are male and female deadlift standards different?

Yes. Sex-based standards are usually presented separately because strength distributions differ in large datasets. That does not make one result more or less impressive in a coaching sense; it keeps the comparison more honest.

How much should I deadlift for my bodyweight?

Use bodyweight tables as a practical reference, not as a strict rule. A strong deadlift relative to bodyweight is useful context, but absolute load, age, training history, and leverages still matter.

Does sumo deadlift count the same as conventional?

This tool gives a general deadlift standards context for either stance. In practice, stance choice can change how a number feels and how it compares to your own history, so keep stance consistent when tracking progress.

How long does it take to move up a deadlift category?

That depends on training age, recovery, and how large the gap is. Smaller jumps can happen in a few months, while moving from intermediate to advanced usually takes longer and requires tighter programming.

Can I use a rep set instead of a true max?

Yes. Rep-set mode gives a practical 1RM estimate so you can still use the standards page, but estimate quality drops when reps get higher.

Written by Manish Kumar, NASM-CPTUpdated July 2026

Standards + ratio + next milestoneBodyweight and age aware

Deadlift Standards Calculator

Q: What is a good deadlift?

A good deadlift depends on bodyweight, sex, age, and training background. For most recreational lifters, reaching a solid novice or intermediate standard is already meaningful progress.

See how strong your deadlift is right now, where it sits by bodyweight and age, and what a realistic next standard looks like.

Standards setup

Enter your deadlift and bodyweight, then compare it against age-aware practical standards.

Unit

Sex

Deadlift (kg)Current max-style benchmark.Bodyweight (kg)Used for both standards lookup and ratio context.

AgeUsed to map your age band.Deadlift styleUsed for interpretation only.

Entry mode

Experience levelChanges coaching tone, not category math.Round targets (kg)Nearest practical loading increment for milestone output.

Standards are guidance, not judgments. This tool uses a practical benchmark framework with age adjustment and a secondary ratio lens.

Standards result

Enter your details and press Calculate

See your current category, ratio context, bodyweight table position, age-adjusted standards, and next milestone.

Main metric

Category + ratio + next milestone

Tables

By bodyweight and by age

Interpretation

Practical coaching context

Save/export

Copy, CSV, share, and account sync

Core concept

What are deadlift standards?

Deadlift standards are benchmark bands that help you compare your current pull against a practical reference, not a universal truth about your worth as a lifter.

This page uses a hybrid model: a bodyweight- and age-aware standards table drives the main category, while your deadlift-to-bodyweight ratio adds useful secondary context. That keeps the output practical without pretending one number fits every lifter [1][2].

In other words, the goal is not to tell you that your deadlift is "good" or "bad" in isolation. The goal is to show where you stand now, what the next milestone is, and how to interpret that result honestly.

How to use this deadlift standards calculator

Enter your current pull

Use your current max or switch to rep-set mode if your best recent data is a multi-rep deadlift set.

Match your profile

Choose sex and age so the standards table reflects a more practical comparison for your current profile.

Use the next milestone

Treat the next category target as a medium-term benchmark, not a next-session demand.

Formula flow used in this tool

Bodyweight ratiodeadlift / bodyweight

Rep-set estimate modeestimated 1RM = weight x (1 + reps / 30)

Main classificationsex + bodyweight row + age-band adjustment

Next milestonenext category threshold - current comparable deadlift

The rep-set mode is there so you can still use the standards page when you do not have a recent max single. It is a practical estimate, not a perfect prediction, and confidence falls off when reps get higher, especially above eight.

Benchmarks

Deadlift standards chart: quick reference

These public tables are here for lifters who just want to browse standards. You do not need to enter anything to get a useful quick answer.

No calculator input neededPrime-age reference view

Deadlift standards chart: quick reference

Use this at-a-glance chart if you just want a quick answer for common bodyweight ranges. These rows show practical standards for prime-age lifters aged 18-39 and are meant to be a fast reference, not an exact personalized ranking.

Bodyweight	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
60 kg	70 kg	100 kg	130 kg	160 kg	190 kg
70 kg	90 kg	125 kg	160 kg	195 kg	230 kg
80 kg	105 kg	145 kg	185 kg	225 kg	265 kg
90 kg	120 kg	160 kg	205 kg	250 kg	295 kg
100 kg	135 kg	180 kg	225 kg	275 kg	325 kg
110 kg	150 kg	195 kg	245 kg	300 kg	355 kg
125 kg	170 kg	220 kg	270 kg	330 kg	390 kg

Scroll sideways to compare all five standards bands, including Elite.

Full reference tables

Switch between bodyweight and age views to browse the full deadlift standards framework without entering a single number. The age view uses preset bodyweights so you can scan how expectations shift across life stages.

Bodyweight	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
50 kg	55 kg	80 kg	100 kg	125 kg	150 kg
60 kg	70 kg	100 kg	130 kg	160 kg	190 kg
70 kg	90 kg	125 kg	160 kg	195 kg	230 kg
80 kg	105 kg	145 kg	185 kg	225 kg	265 kg
90 kg	120 kg	160 kg	205 kg	250 kg	295 kg
100 kg	135 kg	180 kg	225 kg	275 kg	325 kg
110 kg	150 kg	195 kg	245 kg	300 kg	355 kg
125 kg	170 kg	220 kg	270 kg	330 kg	390 kg
140 kg	185 kg	240 kg	295 kg	360 kg	425 kg

Scroll sideways to compare all five standards bands, including Elite.

These are practical reference bands. Use the calculator for your exact interpolated profile.

Deadlift standards by bodyweight

Bodyweight tables are useful because they keep the comparison closer to like-for-like. A 220 kg deadlift means something different at 74 kg bodyweight than it does at 120 kg, even though both are strong pulls.

That is why this page highlights your current profile row instead of only showing one generic category label.

If you are a beginner and do not know your max yet, start with the quick charts above, then use the calculator once you have a tested single or a lower-rep working set to compare.

Deadlift standards by age

Age banding makes the benchmark more practical. It does not predict your ceiling, but it does help keep the comparison from using the same exact target for a teenager, a 30-year-old lifter, and a 65-year-old lifter [1].

The public age tables use preset bodyweights so you can browse quickly. The calculator uses your exact entered bodyweight and interpolates between rows for a tighter profile match.

Deadlift bodyweight ratio explained

Ratio is helpful because it tells you how strong the deadlift is relative to your current body size. A 2x bodyweight deadlift is a strong benchmark for many lifters, but it still should not replace absolute-load context or profile-aware standards.

That is why this page uses ratio as a second lens, not the main category engine. Relative strength and absolute strength can tell slightly different stories, especially at lighter and heavier bodyweights.

Interpretation

What is a good deadlift?

A good deadlift is one that is strong for your current profile and still leaves you a realistic next step.

Beginner vs novice vs intermediate vs advanced vs elite deadlift

Beginner: early skill-building stage. The main wins are technique consistency, confidence, and steady exposure.

Novice: the lift is becoming stable enough that progressive overload works well if recovery stays in line.

Intermediate: progress usually slows down and starts depending more on structure, fatigue management, and better execution.

Advanced: the deadlift is already strong. Smaller improvements matter and usually come from better planning, not random effort.

Elite: top-end category within this practical framework. The useful comparison becomes your own history, not just the category label.

How much should I be able to deadlift?

The honest answer is: enough to move into the next sensible category without forcing the timeline. Standards are most useful when they help you set realistic 3- to 6-month goals rather than push you toward rushed testing.

What affects deadlift standards?

• Bodyweight and total mass change what loads are realistic to express.
• Sex and age change the comparison context in large normative datasets [1].
• Limb lengths, leverages, and anthropometrics affect how efficiently you pull [2].
• Training age and program quality change how quickly you can move up a benchmark band.
• Style and setup change how the same number feels in practice.

Conventional vs sumo deadlift and standards interpretation

This page treats conventional and sumo as one deadlift family for category math, but not as identical experiences. In real training, stance choice can change your leverage, weak points, and how quickly your number moves.

Use the standards page for broad context, then use your own stance-specific history for precise progress tracking.

How to improve your deadlift to reach the next level

1. Build around one main deadlift exposure you can recover from consistently.
2. Add enough posterior-chain work to support your pull without burying recovery.
3. Use the Deadlift Warm-Up Calculator before heavy sessions so the benchmark is not held back by poor preparation.
4. Keep form quality honest with the Deadlift Form Analyzer.
5. Track workload with the Deadlift Volume Calculator so you know whether your training dose actually supports the next milestone.

FAQ

Common deadlift standards questions

Short answers to the questions lifters usually ask before they trust a standards page.

Related tools

Sources used for context, structure calibration, and conservative coaching language.

[1] Normative data for the squat, bench press and deadlift exercises in powerlifting: Data from 809,986 competition entries
Pritchard HJ, et al. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. 2024.
Used as large modern competition context for bodyweight-, age-, and sex-aware strength benchmarking. This is not treated as a direct average for the general population.
[2] Anthropometrical Determinants of Deadlift Variant Performance
Cholewa JM, Atalag O, Zinchenko A, Johnson K, Henselmans M. Journal of Sports Science & Medicine. 2019.
Supports the idea that anthropometrics and stance can affect deadlift performance and interpretation.
[3] A Comparison Between the Squat and the Deadlift for Lower Body Strength and Power Training
Nigro F, Bartolomei S. Journal of Human Kinetics. 2020.
Used for conservative coaching language around deadlift specificity and practical programming context.
[4] StrengthLevel Deadlift Standards
StrengthLevel public standards page.
Used for benchmark-page structure inspiration and public reference context only, not as scientific proof.
[5] StrengthLog Deadlift Strength Standards
StrengthLog public standards page.
Used as additional public benchmark context to calibrate communication and category pacing.