About 500 lb (227.5 kg) for one rep. That is the start of the Intermediate level for a 250 lb man: 2 times bodyweight, where most people land after a year or so of steady training. A beginner deadlifts about 250 lb, and an elite lifter at the same bodyweight deadlifts 750 lb.
Deadlift standards for a 250 lb man
| Level | × bodyweight | 1 rep | kg | 5 reps | 10 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 1× | 250 lb | 112.5 kg | 215 lb | 190 lb |
| Novice | 1.5× | 375 lb | 170 kg | 320 lb | 280 lb |
| Intermediate | 2× | 500 lb | 227.5 kg | 430 lb | 375 lb |
| Advanced | 2.5× | 625 lb | 282.5 kg | 535 lb | 470 lb |
| Elite | 3× | 750 lb | 340 kg | 645 lb | 565 lb |
The 5- and 10-rep columns are what each one-rep max lets you lift for that many reps, so you can check your level from a normal working set. Hitting 430 lb for 5 clean reps puts you at about 500 lb for one.
Work out your own level from a set
Say you deadlift 420 lb for 6 reps. The Epley formula, 420 × (1 + 6 ÷ 30), puts your max at about 504 lb — Intermediate for a 250 lb man. Put your own set into the one-rep max calculator, or check every lift at once with the strength standards calculator, already set to 250 lb.
How 250 lb compares to nearby bodyweights
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 230 lb | 230 | 345 | 460 | 575 | 690 |
| 240 lb | 240 | 360 | 480 | 600 | 720 |
| 250 lb | 250 | 375 | 500 | 625 | 750 |
| 260 lb | 260 | 390 | 520 | 650 | 780 |
| 270 lb | 270 | 405 | 540 | 675 | 810 |
Every 10 lb of bodyweight moves the intermediate mark by about 20 lb. Standards scale with bodyweight because a heavier lifter usually carries more muscle, but a lighter lifter at the same ratio is just as strong for their size.
What it takes to reach the next level
| From → to | Add | At 10 lb a month | Loaded on the bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner → Novice | 125 lb | 13 months | 3 × 45 + 1 × 25 + 1 × 5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Novice → Intermediate | 125 lb | 13 months | 5 × 45 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Intermediate → Advanced | 125 lb | 13 months | 6 × 45 + 2 × 10 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Advanced → Elite | 125 lb | 13 months | 7 × 45 + 1 × 35 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
The months column assumes you keep adding 10 lb a month, which is a fair pace for a steady lifter past the novice stage; beginners usually move much faster and advanced lifters slower. To train toward 625 lb (Advanced), most of your work sits around 70–85% of it: sets of 5 to 8 at 440–500 lb and heavy triples near 530 lb. Start with the bar over mid-foot, pull the slack out before it leaves the floor, and keep it dragging up your legs.
What the levels mean
Beginner: 250 lb
Can do the lift with good form and has trained it for a few weeks. Most people reach this in their first month.
Novice: 375 lb
Has trained it regularly for several months and still adds weight most sessions or most weeks.
Intermediate: 500 lb
A year or more of consistent training. Progress has slowed to weekly or monthly jumps, and a plan starts to matter.
Advanced: 625 lb
Several years of focused training. Stronger than almost everyone in a typical gym, and every extra pound takes a block of work.
Elite: 750 lb
Competitive strength: what people who train for meets reach after many years. Few lifters ever get here.
Questions
How much should a 250 lb man deadlift?
A 250 lb man should deadlift about 500 lb (227.5 kg) for one rep to count as intermediate — 2× bodyweight. A beginner lifts about 250 lb, a novice 375 lb, an advanced lifter 625 lb and an elite one 750 lb.
Is a 405 lb deadlift good for a 250 lb man?
Yes — 405 lb is Novice for a 250 lb man (1.62× bodyweight). The next level, Intermediate, starts at 500 lb.
What is an elite deadlift for a 250 lb man?
750 lb (340 kg), which is 3× bodyweight. Advanced starts at 625 lb, so the last step is 125 lb on its own.
How do I find my deadlift max without testing a single?
Lift a weight you can move for 3 to 8 clean reps and put it through the Epley formula. 420 lb for 6 reps works out to a 504 lb max, which is Intermediate at 250 lb.
Keep going
- Deadlift standards for every bodyweight, men and women
- How much should a 250 lb man bench?
- How much should a 250 lb man squat?
- How much should a 250 lb man overhead press?
- How to do the deadlift, step by step
- Barbell back workouts
- Pull day workout
- Upper/lower split or push pull legs to build a week around it
- Plates for 500 lb · Warm-up sets calculator
- How competitive powerlifters compare: real meet results by bodyweight
Splyt logs every set, estimates your max from it automatically and shows where each lift sits for your bodyweight: get it free on the App Store.
Standards are one-rep-max-to-bodyweight ratios that published tables (Strength Level, ExRx, Symmetric Strength) cluster around for adults. A guide to where you sit, not a verdict. Kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg, pounds to 5 lb.