How much should a 45-year-old man overhead press?
185 lb (84 kg) is a good overhead press for a 45-year-old man: it sits at the 78th percentile of lifters who track their training (Intermediate). The median man overhead presses 150 lb (68 kg); Elite starts around 235 lb (106.5 kg).
A 45-year-old man of average bodyweight (200 lb) who overhead presses 150 lb (68 kg) 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 overhead 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 45-year-old man of average bodyweight (200 lb) might overhead press, ranked two ways. Weights are total bar weight, plates plus bar.
| Weight (lb) | kg | Percentile (lifters who track) | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 75 | 34 | 5th | BEGINNER |
| 95 | 43 | 12th | BEGINNER |
| 115 | 52 | 23rd | NOVICE |
| 125 | 56.5 | 32nd | NOVICE |
| 145 | 66 | 48th | NOVICE |
| 150MEDIAN | 68 | 52nd | INTERMEDIATE |
| 165 | 75 | 63rd | INTERMEDIATE |
| 185 | 84 | 78th | INTERMEDIATE |
| 205 | 93 | 86th | ADVANCED |
| 245 | 111 | 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 overhead press for a 45-year-old man?
Among lifters who track their training, a 45-year-old man at average bodyweight (200 lb) reaches Intermediate (the 50th percentile) at about 150 lb (68 kg), Advanced (the 80th percentile) at about 190 lb (86 kg), and Elite (the 95th percentile) at about 235 lb (106.5 kg).
Is 185 lb a good overhead press for a 45-year-old man?
185 lb (84 kg) puts a 45-year-old man of average bodyweight at the 78th percentile of lifters who track their training, Intermediate 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/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 45-year-old woman overhead press?
Other lifts
- Bench press standards for men, age 45
- Squat standards for men, age 45
- Romanian deadlift standards for men, age 45
- Deadlift standards for men, age 45
- Incline bench press standards for men, age 45
- Close-grip bench press standards for men, age 45
- Front squat standards for men, age 45
- Hip thrust standards for men, age 45
- Barbell row standards for men, age 45
- Bulgarian split squat standards for men, age 45
- Goblet squat standards for men, age 45
- Incline dumbbell press standards for men, age 45
- Dumbbell bench press standards for men, age 45
- Dumbbell shoulder press standards for men, age 45
- Dumbbell row standards for men, age 45
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift standards for men, age 45
- Dumbbell lunge standards for men, age 45
- Hammer curl standards for men, age 45
- Dumbbell curl standards for men, age 45