About 560 lb (255 kg) for one rep. That is the start of the Intermediate level for a 280 lb man: 2 times bodyweight, where most people land after a year or so of steady training. A beginner deadlifts about 280 lb, and an elite lifter at the same bodyweight deadlifts 840 lb.
Deadlift standards for a 280 lb man
| Level | × bodyweight | 1 rep | kg | 5 reps | 10 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 1× | 280 lb | 127.5 kg | 240 lb | 210 lb |
| Novice | 1.5× | 420 lb | 190 kg | 360 lb | 315 lb |
| Intermediate | 2× | 560 lb | 255 kg | 480 lb | 420 lb |
| Advanced | 2.5× | 700 lb | 317.5 kg | 600 lb | 525 lb |
| Elite | 3× | 840 lb | 380 kg | 720 lb | 630 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 480 lb for 5 clean reps puts you at about 560 lb for one.
Work out your own level from a set
Say you deadlift 470 lb for 6 reps. The Epley formula, 470 × (1 + 6 ÷ 30), puts your max at about 564 lb — Intermediate for a 280 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 280 lb.
How 280 lb compares to nearby bodyweights
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 260 lb | 260 | 390 | 520 | 650 | 780 |
| 270 lb | 270 | 405 | 540 | 675 | 810 |
| 280 lb | 280 | 420 | 560 | 700 | 840 |
| 290 lb | 290 | 435 | 580 | 725 | 870 |
| 300 lb | 300 | 450 | 600 | 750 | 900 |
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 | 140 lb | 14 months | 4 × 45 + 1 × 5 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Novice → Intermediate | 140 lb | 14 months | 5 × 45 + 1 × 25 + 1 × 5 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Intermediate → Advanced | 140 lb | 14 months | 7 × 45 + 1 × 10 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Advanced → Elite | 140 lb | 14 months | 8 × 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 700 lb (Advanced), most of your work sits around 70–85% of it: sets of 5 to 8 at 490–560 lb and heavy triples near 595 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: 280 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: 420 lb
Has trained it regularly for several months and still adds weight most sessions or most weeks.
Intermediate: 560 lb
A year or more of consistent training. Progress has slowed to weekly or monthly jumps, and a plan starts to matter.
Advanced: 700 lb
Several years of focused training. Stronger than almost everyone in a typical gym, and every extra pound takes a block of work.
Elite: 840 lb
Competitive strength: what people who train for meets reach after many years. Few lifters ever get here.
Questions
How much should a 280 lb man deadlift?
A 280 lb man should deadlift about 560 lb (255 kg) for one rep to count as intermediate — 2× bodyweight. A beginner lifts about 280 lb, a novice 420 lb, an advanced lifter 700 lb and an elite one 840 lb.
Is a 405 lb deadlift good for a 280 lb man?
Yes — 405 lb is Beginner for a 280 lb man (1.45× bodyweight). The next level, Novice, starts at 420 lb.
What is an elite deadlift for a 280 lb man?
840 lb (380 kg), which is 3× bodyweight. Advanced starts at 700 lb, so the last step is 140 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. 470 lb for 6 reps works out to a 564 lb max, which is Intermediate at 280 lb.
Keep going
- Deadlift standards for every bodyweight, men and women
- How much should a 280 lb man bench?
- How much should a 280 lb man squat?
- How much should a 280 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 560 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.