What Is Considered a Beginner Intermediate and Advanced Lifter

The Only Definition of Lifter Level That Matters (It's Not Strength)

What is considered a beginner, intermediate, and advanced lifter isn't about hitting a 225-pound bench press; it's defined by how fast you can add weight to the bar and still recover. It’s about your rate of progress. This is the single most important concept you need to grasp to stop wasting time in the gym. Forget the charts you've seen online. Forget what the guy next to you is lifting. The only thing that matters is how your body adapts to stress over time. This framework gives you a clear, objective way to measure your progress and choose the right program.

Here’s the breakdown:

• Beginner: You can add weight to your main lifts (like the squat, bench press, and deadlift) every single workout or, at worst, every week. This is called linear progression. If you can squat 135 lbs for 5 reps this week and 140 lbs for 5 reps next week, you are a beginner. This phase, often called "newbie gains," typically lasts for the first 6 to 12 months of consistent, structured training. Your body is so new to the stimulus that it adapts very quickly.
• Intermediate: You can no longer add weight every week. Your progress slows down. Now, you need to add weight on a weekly or bi-weekly basis. For example, you might aim to add 5 pounds to your squat every 2-3 weeks, not every workout. Your training needs more complexity, like varying the intensity and volume throughout the week. Most people who lift consistently for years fall into this category. It's the longest phase of a lifter's journey.
• Advanced: Progress is brutally slow. You can only add small amounts of weight to your lifts over months or even an entire year. Adding 10 pounds to your one-rep max in a year is a massive victory. Training requires meticulous, long-term planning (periodization) that cycles through different phases. Less than 1% of the lifting population ever reaches this stage. It requires a level of dedication that borders on a professional obsession.

Understanding this is freeing. It stops you from comparing your Day 1 to someone else's Year 10. Your level is a reflection of your body's current state of adaptation, nothing more.

Don't guess your lifting level.

Track your lifts and know exactly where you stand.

Why Strength Standards Are Lying to You

Somewhere online, you’ve seen a chart telling you that you’re “intermediate” if you can bench press 1.5 times your bodyweight. These charts are one of the biggest sources of frustration and injury for lifters. They are, at best, a vague compass and, at worst, a complete lie. Relying on them is a mistake because they ignore the four most important variables in strength: you, you, you, and you.

First, they don't account for bodyweight differences in a meaningful way. A 140-pound person benching 210 lbs (1.5x bodyweight) is a far more impressive feat of relative strength than a 280-pound person benching 225 lbs (less than 1x bodyweight). The charts often treat them as comparable, which is nonsense.

Second, they completely ignore biomechanics and limb length. Someone with short arms and a thick torso is built to bench press. They might hit “advanced” numbers in 18 months. That same person might have long legs, making it incredibly difficult to squat deep, keeping their squat numbers in the “beginner” range for years. Conversely, someone with long arms is built to deadlift but will struggle to build a big bench press. These charts punish you for your own genetics.

Third, they don’t factor in age or injury history. A 45-year-old with a history of shoulder issues will and should progress differently than a healthy 19-year-old. Pushing to meet an arbitrary standard is a fast track to re-injury. The goal is sustainable progress, not hitting a number from a PDF you found on a forum.

This is why focusing on your *rate of progress* is the only method that works. It’s personalized to your body, your history, and your life. It turns the focus from an external, arbitrary number to an internal, personal one: “Am I stronger than I was last month?” That’s the only question that leads to real, long-term gains.

So, the definition is your rate of progress. Simple. But how do you measure that? Can you tell me, with 100% certainty, the exact weight and reps you squatted 3 sessions ago? Or 8 sessions ago? If you can't, you aren't measuring your rate of progress. You're just guessing. And if you're guessing, you have no idea what level you truly are.

Your progress. Proven with data.

Every workout logged. Proof you're getting stronger.

Your Level, Your Training Plan: What to Do Next

Knowing your level is useless without acting on it. Your training program must match your ability to recover and adapt. Using an advanced program as a beginner is like trying to drink from a firehose-you'll get nothing but hurt. Here’s exactly what to do based on your level.

### If You're a Beginner (Weekly Progression)

Your goal is simple: master the form of the main compound lifts and add a small amount of weight every week. That's it. Don't overcomplicate it.

• Program: A 3-day full-body routine is perfect. Focus on 4-5 big movements per session.
• Example Workout A: Squat 3x5, Bench Press 3x5, Barbell Row 3x5.
• Example Workout B: Squat 3x5, Overhead Press 3x5, Deadlift 1x5.
• Progression: Alternate Workout A and B, three times a week (e.g., Mon: A, Wed: B, Fri: A). The next week, start with B. Every time you do a lift, add 5 pounds. If you successfully squatted 135 lbs for 3 sets of 5, next time you squat, you will use 140 lbs. Continue this until you can no longer add 5 pounds for two consecutive workouts. That stall signals your transition to the intermediate phase.

### If You're an Intermediate (Weekly or Monthly Progression)

Linear progression has stopped working. You need more sophisticated planning to manage fatigue. Your goal is now to make progress on a monthly basis.

• Program: An Upper/Lower split or a Push/Pull/Legs (PPL) split works well. This allows you to hit muscle groups twice a week with varying intensity.
• Example Upper/Lower Week:
• Monday (Heavy Upper): Heavy Bench Press (e.g., 4x5), Rows, Overhead Press, Curls.
• Tuesday (Heavy Lower): Heavy Squats (e.g., 4x5), Romanian Deadlifts, Leg Press.
• Thursday (Volume Upper): Lighter Bench Press (e.g., 3x8-10), Pull-ups, Dumbbell Press.
• Friday (Volume Lower): Lighter Squats or Leg Press (e.g., 3x8-10), Deadlifts (e.g., 3x5), Lunges.
• Progression: You are no longer adding weight every session. Instead, you aim to beat your logbook over a 4-week cycle. For example, you might try for a new 5-rep max on your heavy days once a month. Progress is measured in small increments over a longer period.

### If You're Advanced (Multi-Month Progression)

Welcome to the 1%. Your body is so resilient to stimulus that you need to plan your training in blocks, each with a specific focus. Progress is measured by adding 5-10 pounds to your 1-rep max over an entire year.

• Program: Block Periodization. This involves distinct training blocks.
• Example 16-Week Cycle:
• Weeks 1-6 (Hypertrophy Block): High volume, moderate weight. Rep ranges of 8-15. The goal is to build muscle mass.
• Weeks 7-12 (Strength Block): Lower volume, heavy weight. Rep ranges of 3-5. The goal is to make your new muscle stronger.
• Weeks 13-14 (Peaking Block): Very low volume, maximal weight. Rep ranges of 1-3. The goal is to display your strength.
• Weeks 15-16 (Deload): Active recovery to let your body heal before the next cycle.
• Progression: The goal is to start the next 16-week cycle slightly stronger than the last. This is a long, slow grind that 99% of lifters will never need or want to do.

The Timeline: How Long Until You're Not a Beginner?

Progress in the gym isn't linear, and your motivation will rise and fall. Knowing what to expect can be the difference between quitting and pushing through a plateau.

• The First 6-12 Months (The Beginner Honeymoon): This is the most exciting time. You will get stronger almost every time you walk into the gym. You'll see visible changes in the mirror. A 5-pound jump on your bench press will feel routine. Your job is to be consistent, eat enough protein (about 0.8g per pound of bodyweight), and sleep. Do not waste this phase by program hopping or missing workouts. You will never make progress this fast again.
• Year 1-2 (The Intermediate Wall): Suddenly, progress screeches to a halt. The 5 pounds you used to add weekly now takes a month. This is the point where most people get frustrated. They think they're doing something wrong. They blame their program, their diet, or their genetics. This is normal. It's a sign of success-your body has adapted. This is where you must switch from a beginner program to an intermediate one and learn to embrace slower, more deliberate progress.
• Year 2 and Beyond (The Long Game): You are now an established lifter. Progress is measured in small, hard-fought wins. Adding one rep to your top set of squats is a great workout. Increasing your bench press by 15 pounds in a year is excellent progress. This is where tracking becomes everything. Without a detailed logbook, your progress will be so slow it will feel non-existent. But when you look back over 6 months of data, you'll see the upward trend. This is the grind, and learning to love it is the key to lifting for life.

Frequently Asked Questions

### Strength Standards by Bodyweight

While rate of progress is key, general standards can provide a rough compass. For a 180lb male, a beginner might bench 135 lbs, intermediate 185-225 lbs, and advanced 275+. For a 140lb female, a beginner might bench 75 lbs, intermediate 95-115 lbs, and advanced 135+. These are estimates, not rules.

### Different Levels for Different Lifts

It's common to be an intermediate squatter but a beginner deadlifter, especially if you've neglected a lift. Apply the 'rate of progress' rule to each main lift individually. Your program should reflect this, allowing for faster progression on your weaker lifts while using a slower, intermediate style for your stronger ones.

### The Role of Age and Gender

Age and gender absolutely affect strength potential, but not the definition of progress. A 50-year-old woman and a 20-year-old man are both beginners if they can add weight weekly. The *amount* of weight they add will differ, but the principle of progression remains the same for both.

### Moving From Intermediate to Advanced

The transition from intermediate to advanced is marked by the inability to make progress on a monthly basis. When your lifts stall for 2-3 months despite solid training, nutrition, and recovery, you may need advanced block periodization. For 99% of lifters, this is unnecessary complexity.

### What If I Don't Lift Barbells?

The principle applies to any form of resistance training. For dumbbells, it's adding 2.5-5 lbs. For machines, it's moving up one plate on the stack. For bodyweight exercises, it's adding a rep or moving to a harder variation (e.g., push-up to diamond push-up). Track the progression, whatever it is.