How much should a 55-year-old man dumbbell shoulder press?
85 lb (38.5 kg) per dumbbell is a good dumbbell shoulder press for a 55-year-old man: it sits at the 81st percentile of lifters who track their training (Advanced). The median man dumbbell shoulder presses 65 lb (29.5 kg) per dumbbell; Elite starts around 110 lb (50 kg) per dumbbell.
A 55-year-old man of average bodyweight (200 lb) who dumbbell shoulder presses 65 lb (29.5 kg) per dumbbell is at the 52nd percentile among lifters who track their training, Intermediate on the Strength Level scale. No credible general-population one-rep-max norms exist for the dumbbell shoulder press, so this page ranks it against lifters only; the strength age on weyt.ai comes from the bench press and squat.
The ladder
Each weight a 55-year-old man of average bodyweight (200 lb) might dumbbell shoulder press, ranked two ways. Weights are for ONE dumbbell, the Strength Level convention.
| Weight (lb) | kg | Percentile (lifters who track) | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | 13.5 | 5th | BEGINNER |
| 40 | 18 | 13th | BEGINNER |
| 50 | 22.5 | 27th | NOVICE |
| 60 | 27 | 44th | NOVICE |
| 65MEDIAN | 29.5 | 52nd | INTERMEDIATE |
| 70 | 32 | 59th | INTERMEDIATE |
| 75 | 34 | 67th | INTERMEDIATE |
| 85 | 38.5 | 81st | ADVANCED |
| 95 | 43 | 88th | ADVANCED |
| 110 | 50 | 96th | ELITE |
This page assumes average bodyweight (200 lb) and a single lift. The calculator uses your bodyweight and your best bench and squat set, in your browser, and gives you the Weyt Age the app would show.
Quick answers
What is a good dumbbell shoulder press for a 55-year-old man?
Among lifters who track their training, a 55-year-old man at average bodyweight (200 lb) reaches Intermediate (the 50th percentile) at about 65 lb (29.5 kg) per dumbbell, Advanced (the 80th percentile) at about 85 lb (38.5 kg) per dumbbell, and Elite (the 95th percentile) at about 110 lb (50 kg) per dumbbell.
Is 85 lb a good dumbbell shoulder press for a 55-year-old man?
85 lb (38.5 kg) per dumbbell puts a 55-year-old man of average bodyweight at the 81st percentile of lifters who track their training, Advanced on the Strength Level scale.
How this is computed
vs general population is not shown: no credible general-population one-rep-max norms exist for this lift, only lifter-population data. vs lifters who track uses Strength Level community standards (one-rep-max thresholds by sex and bodyweight, with their age adjustment), a self-selected crowd of people who log their training, which is why its median sits well above the general population's. Weights are one-rep maxes or estimated one-rep maxes (Epley, from any set of one to ten reps).
Sources: The Cooper Institute, Physical Fitness Assessments and Norms for Adults and Law Enforcement, as reprinted in ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 8th ed., Table 4.9; Strength Level strength standards, strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/dumbbell-shoulder-press/lb. This is the same math the weyt.ai app runs on your logged sets. Not medical advice.
Other ages
How much should a 55-year-old woman dumbbell shoulder press?
Other lifts
- Bench press standards for men, age 55
- Squat standards for men, age 55
- Romanian deadlift standards for men, age 55
- Deadlift standards for men, age 55
- Incline bench press standards for men, age 55
- Close-grip bench press standards for men, age 55
- Front squat standards for men, age 55
- Hip thrust standards for men, age 55
- Overhead press standards for men, age 55
- Barbell row standards for men, age 55
- Bulgarian split squat standards for men, age 55
- Goblet squat standards for men, age 55
- Incline dumbbell press standards for men, age 55
- Dumbbell bench press standards for men, age 55
- Dumbbell row standards for men, age 55
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift standards for men, age 55
- Dumbbell lunge standards for men, age 55
- Hammer curl standards for men, age 55
- Dumbbell curl standards for men, age 55