Are You Strong? The 4 Lifts Every Gym-Goer Should Be Able to Hit

Walk into any commercial gym, and you will see dozens of people working hard. They are sweating, moving weights, and putting in the time. Yet, despite their effort, the vast majority are missing the one thing that separates exercising from training: a measurable standard.

Industry data shows that while millions of people hold gym memberships, only a fraction attend regularly, and even fewer follow a structured program. Many gym-goers have no idea what “strong” actually means for their body size. They gauge their progress by the pump they feel or the sweat on their shirt, rather than objective metrics.

In SF PERFORM, we do not believe in random exercise. We believe in building a foundation that makes you undeniably capable in the real world. We call this foundational tier the SOLID standard. It is not an elite powerlifting benchmark, but it is a level of relative strength that proves you are training with purpose.

Relative strength—how much you can lift compared to your own body weight—is the great equalizer. It does not matter if you weigh 150 pounds or 220 pounds; relative strength tells the truth about your structural integrity.

Here are the four relative strength standards every consistent gym-goer should be able to hit to be considered SOLID.

The SOLID Strength Standards

These numbers represent a well-rounded, capable athlete. If you weigh 180 pounds as a man, you should be able to squat 180 pounds for five reps and deadlift 225 pounds for five reps. If you weigh 140 pounds as a woman, a 140-pound deadlift for five reps and a 105-pound squat for five reps should be well within your wheelhouse.

A Note on Earning the Barbell:

We do not put a barbell on someone’s back or in their hands until they have proven they own the movement pattern. Before attempting the barbell Back Squat standard, our clients must demonstrate a heavy Goblet Squat (Men: 28kg x 30 unbroken reps; Women: 20kg x 30 unbroken reps). Before the barbell Deadlift, they must own the Double Kettlebell Sumo Deadlift (Men: 2x32kg x 10 reps; Women: 2x24kg x 10 reps). You must earn the right to load the bar.

Where Do You Stand?

Take an honest look at your current numbers. Are you hitting the SOLID standards across the board?

It is incredibly common to find gym-goers who can bench press their body weight but cannot perform a single strict pull-up, or who can leg press the machine’s maximum capacity but struggle to deadlift their own body weight with a barbell. These imbalances are liabilities waiting to turn into injuries.

If you are falling short of these numbers, your gym time is likely lacking the structure required to drive real adaptation. You are not weak; you simply lack a system that guarantees progress.

You are not putting effort inside of the gym simply to be average. Atleast, we hope you are not.

Stop guessing and start training with intent.

If you want to find out exactly where your strength deficits are and how to fix them, reply to this post or send us a message to schedule your SF PERFORM strength assessment today. Let’s build your foundation.