Benchmark does one thing: it tells you if a number is good. But the app is only as useful as the habits you build around it. This is the setup, start to finish, that turns a single curious check into a running record of where you actually stand and whether you're getting stronger or just getting heavier.
What you'll have when you're done
In about ten minutes, you'll have checked all three lifts, set your bodyweight and sex so the curve is right for you, and logged your first checks so Benchmark has a starting point to measure drift against. After that, each new check takes seconds.
- Your current best bench press, squat, and deadlift numbers (estimates are fine to start)
- Your bodyweight, roughly current
- Benchmark installed - no account or sign-up needed
- A few minutes of quiet to actually read the result screen instead of skimming it
Enter Your First Lift
Step 1: Check your bench press first
Bench is free forever in Benchmark, so it's the natural place to start. Open the app, enter your best recent bench number, tap Check, and you'll see a percentile, a tier word, and the distribution curve you're placed on. If you've never compared your bench to anything before, this is the fastest way to find out if it's actually good.
Don't overthink the number you enter here. A recent working set or a confident estimate is enough to get a real percentile. You can always update it once you've tested a true max.
Make the Numbers Mean Something
Step 2: Read the result screen properly
The percentile is the headline, but look past it. The tier word tells you where that percentile sits in plain language, and the distribution curve shows you exactly who you're being measured against - sanctioned, judged competition lifts, not internet guesses. Tap into the methodology screen once so you know what's behind the number.
Step 3: Set your bodyweight and sex correctly
This is the step people skip, and it quietly wrecks the whole result. Strength standards shift hard across bodyweight and sex, so an inaccurate entry here can push your percentile ten or twenty points in either direction. Update it now, and update it again whenever your weight moves meaningfully. If you want to understand why this matters so much, this breakdown of where strength standards actually come from is worth the five minutes.
A percentile computed against the wrong bodyweight isn't wrong by a little. It's a different curve entirely.
Build the Full Picture
Step 4: Add your squat and deadlift
Once bench is set up, enter your squat and deadlift the same way. Benchmark will show you a composite across all three lifts, which matters because one strong lift can hide two average ones, and that composite is the more honest read on your overall strength. If squat is the one you're unsure about, here's how to check if your squat is actually good before you enter it.
Step 5: Check in after every heavy session, not just PRs
The temptation is to only open Benchmark when you've hit a new best. Resist that. Check in after ordinary heavy sessions too, even when the number hasn't moved. A flat line is information - it tells you plateau, not just progress, and Benchmark can only show you that if there's a line to look at.
Track Progress Honestly
Step 6: Watch percentile drift, not just the weight on the bar
This is the feature that makes Benchmark more than a one-time curiosity. Percentile drift tracks whether your placement on the curve is moving up over time, independent of whether your bodyweight is also moving up. Added ten pounds to your deadlift but also added fifteen to your bodyweight? Drift will tell you honestly whether that's progress or just mass.
Step 7: Review your flagged PRs
Every check is saved automatically, and Benchmark flags personal records as they happen. Scroll back through them occasionally. Seeing the actual sequence of checks, not just the current number, is what makes the percentile trend feel real instead of abstract.
Common questions
Do I need an account to set this up?
No. Benchmark has no account and no sign-up. Everything, including the percentile calculation, runs locally on your device.
Does it work without internet?
Yes. The percentile curves are precomputed and stored on your phone, so checks work in airplane mode and there's no network call in the core loop.
How often should I actually check a lift?
Whenever you hit a meaningful working weight, roughly once a week or after key sessions. Checking too rarely leaves gaps in your drift line; checking after every single set doesn't add much signal.
Is bench really free forever, or is there a catch?
Bench press gets the full result screen - percentile, tier, curve, and history - with no cap, no trial, and no expiry. If bench is the only lift you care about, you never pay anything.
What if my squat or deadlift percentile looks wrong?
Double-check your bodyweight and sex settings first, since those drive the curve. If it still looks off, the methodology screen inside the app explains exactly how the percentile is calculated.
This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publishing.