About 85 lb (37.5 kg) for one rep. That is the start of the Intermediate level for a 170 lb woman: 0.5 times bodyweight, where most people land after a year or so of steady training. A beginner overhead presses about 35 lb, and an elite lifter at the same bodyweight overhead presses 170 lb.
Overhead press standards for a 170 lb woman
| Level | × bodyweight | 1 rep | kg | 5 reps | 10 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0.2× | 35 lb | 15 kg | 30 lb | 25 lb |
| Novice | 0.35× | 60 lb | 27.5 kg | 50 lb | 45 lb |
| Intermediate | 0.5× | 85 lb | 37.5 kg | 75 lb | 65 lb |
| Advanced | 0.75× | 130 lb | 60 kg | 110 lb | 100 lb |
| Elite | 1× | 170 lb | 77.5 kg | 145 lb | 130 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 75 lb for 5 clean reps puts you at about 85 lb for one.
Work out your own level from a set
Say you overhead press 70 lb for 6 reps. The Epley formula, 70 × (1 + 6 ÷ 30), puts your max at about 84 lb — Novice for a 170 lb woman. Put your own set into the one-rep max calculator, or check every lift at once with the strength standards calculator, already set to 170 lb.
How 170 lb compares to nearby bodyweights
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 150 lb | 30 | 55 | 75 | 115 | 150 |
| 160 lb | 30 | 55 | 80 | 120 | 160 |
| 170 lb | 35 | 60 | 85 | 130 | 170 |
| 180 lb | 35 | 65 | 90 | 135 | 180 |
| 190 lb | 40 | 65 | 95 | 145 | 190 |
Every 10 lb of bodyweight moves the intermediate mark by about 5 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 2.5 lb a month | Loaded on the bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner → Novice | 25 lb | 10 months | 1 × 5 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Novice → Intermediate | 25 lb | 10 months | 2 × 10 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Intermediate → Advanced | 45 lb | 18 months | 1 × 35 + 1 × 5 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Advanced → Elite | 40 lb | 16 months | 1 × 45 + 1 × 10 + 1 × 5 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
The months column assumes you keep adding 2.5 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 130 lb (Advanced), most of your work sits around 70–85% of it: sets of 5 to 8 at 90–105 lb and heavy triples near 110 lb. Squeeze your glutes so your back stays straight, and move your head through once the bar passes your forehead.
What the levels mean
Beginner: 35 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: 60 lb
Has trained it regularly for several months and still adds weight most sessions or most weeks.
Intermediate: 85 lb
A year or more of consistent training. Progress has slowed to weekly or monthly jumps, and a plan starts to matter.
Advanced: 130 lb
Several years of focused training. Stronger than almost everyone in a typical gym, and every extra pound takes a block of work.
Elite: 170 lb
Competitive strength: what people who train for meets reach after many years. Few lifters ever get here.
Questions
How much should a 170 lb woman overhead press?
A 170 lb woman should overhead press about 85 lb (37.5 kg) for one rep to count as intermediate — 0.5× bodyweight. A beginner lifts about 35 lb, a novice 60 lb, an advanced lifter 130 lb and an elite one 170 lb.
Is a 95 lb overhead press good for a 170 lb woman?
Yes — 95 lb is Intermediate for a 170 lb woman (0.56× bodyweight). The next level, Advanced, starts at 130 lb.
What is an elite overhead press for a 170 lb woman?
170 lb (77.5 kg), which is 1× bodyweight. Advanced starts at 130 lb, so the last step is 40 lb on its own.
How do I find my overhead press max without testing a single?
Lift a weight you can move for 3 to 8 clean reps and put it through the Epley formula. 70 lb for 6 reps works out to a 84 lb max, which is Novice at 170 lb.
Keep going
- Overhead press standards for every bodyweight, men and women
- How much should a 170 lb woman bench?
- How much should a 170 lb woman squat?
- How much should a 170 lb woman deadlift?
- How to do the overhead press, step by step
- Barbell shoulder workouts
- Push day workout
- Upper/lower split or push pull legs to build a week around it
- Plates for 85 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.