What you'll have by the end of this checklist

A completed first check on at least one lift, a clear read on your percentile and tier, and a habit for re-checking that actually tells you whether you're progressing or just getting heavier. Takes about five minutes to set up, then thirty seconds per check after that.
  • Your current bodyweight, as accurate as you can get it
  • The exact weight you lifted for bench, squat, or deadlift
  • Whether the lift was a true one-rep max or your best working set
  • A few minutes of quiet to read the result instead of just the number
  • Benchmark installed — no account needed, works offline

Run Your First Check

Step 1: Weigh in before you check

Percentile standards are relative to bodyweight, so an out-of-date number will quietly shift your result. Step on a scale the same morning you run your check if you can, and use that figure rather than a number from weeks ago.

Step 2: Enter your lift and tap Check

Open Benchmark, pick bench, squat, or deadlift, and enter the weight. The result comes back instantly because the percentile engine runs entirely on your device — no network call, no waiting. If you want the full walk-through with screenshots, this step-by-step checklist covers the exact taps.

Step 3: Read the tier word, not just the percentile number

The percentile tells you where you rank among 1.8 million judged lifts. The tier word translates that into plain language — something you can say out loud without doing math. Read both before you decide how you feel about the result.

Step 4: Open the distribution curve

Tap through to the curve and find your own point on it. Seeing the shape of the whole population, and exactly where the crowd thins out above you, lands differently than a percentile number on its own.

Check All Three Lifts, Then Track Them

Step 5: Check all three lifts and look at the composite

Bench is free forever. If you lift squat and deadlift too, check those as well and look at the composite score — it's often more revealing than any single lift, especially if one of your three is dragging the others down. This guide has more on getting past a single check.

Step 6: Re-check after every real attempt, not every workout

A percentile check is only meaningful against a genuine best effort, not a random Tuesday top set. Save your checks for true maxes or honest work-set PRs, and skip the days where the number wouldn't reflect your real strength.

Step 7: Watch percentile drift, not just bodyweight

Open your history and look at the drift line, not the raw weight on the bar. If your lift went up but your percentile stayed flat or dropped, you likely gained the weight on the bar by gaining weight on yourself. Drift is the line that separates real strength gain from scaling up.

Step 8: Let Benchmark flag PRs automatically

Every check is saved on your device, and personal records are flagged the moment they happen — you don't have to remember your old numbers or compare manually. Check back on your history every few weeks instead of trying to hold it all in your head.

Common questions

Does my gym max count if there were no judges or a belt?

Yes, with a caveat: the percentile is built from sanctioned, judged lifts, so an unjudged gym max will usually read a little favorably compared to a strict competition attempt. Treat the result as a solid estimate, not a certified total.

Do I need an account to use this?

No. There's no account, no sign-in, and no sync step. You open the app, enter a weight, and get a result, with everything computed and stored on your device.

Is squat and deadlift free like bench press?

Bench press checks are unlimited and free forever, with the full percentile, tier, curve, and history. Squat and deadlift live behind the full app experience.

How often should I actually run a check?

Whenever you hit a genuine new best, not on a fixed schedule. Checking too often on ordinary work sets just adds noise to your drift line.

Where do these percentiles actually come from?

From roughly 1.8 million judged lifts at sanctioned powerlifting meets, cross-checked against published norms. This resource walks through where strength standards come from and which ones are worth trusting.

This article was drafted with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publishing.