This page is the deadlift chapter of the Hardy Strength Progression Report, built from 5,247 lifters who logged the barbell deadlift in at least 3 workouts. It shows how long the plate milestones really take, how fast the lift goes up in the first year, and what a typical lifter who tracks their training deadlifts.
How many people can deadlift 405?
5,247 lifters who logged the deadlift in at least 3 workouts. Milestones under 0.5% are not shown.
Of the 5,247 Hardy lifters who logged the deadlift in at least 3 workouts, 82% have deadlifted 135 lb / 60 kg for at least one rep, 45% have deadlifted 225 lb / 100 kg, 16% have deadlifted 315 lb / 140 kg and 4% have deadlifted 405 lb / 180 kg. Of those who started below 405 and were still logging a year later, 4% reached it within 12 months. These are people who chose a strength tracking app and kept logging, so they are stronger than the average gym-goer, and the report knows nothing about bodyweight, age or sex. Claims like "only 1% of people can deadlift 405" use the whole population as the denominator; this is the share among people who actually train and track it.
How long it takes to reach each deadlift milestone
Deadlift: share of lifters who had reached each plate milestone, by months of logged training
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb)
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb)
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb)
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb)
Only lifters who started below the milestone and were still logging at that month are counted. A milestone counts when the weight was actually lifted for at least one rep, not estimated.
View the data table
Months since first logged session
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb)
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb)
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb)
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb)
1
18%
8%
2%
1%
2
31%
16%
4%
1%
3
38%
21%
6%
2%
4
42%
25%
9%
2%
5
45%
26%
10%
2%
6
49%
28%
11%
2%
7
50%
30%
12%
3%
8
51%
32%
13%
3%
9
51%
33%
13%
3%
10
53%
34%
14%
3%
11
54%
35%
15%
3%
12
55%
36%
15%
4%
13
57%
37%
15%
4%
14
58%
38%
16%
4%
15
62%
39%
17%
4%
16
64%
39%
17%
4%
17
66%
41%
17%
5%
18
66%
42%
18%
5%
19
69%
42%
18%
5%
20
70%
45%
18%
5%
21
72%
46%
19%
6%
22
73%
48%
20%
5%
23
73%
50%
20%
5%
24
72%
51%
22%
6%
25
75%
52%
22%
6%
26
75%
52%
22%
6%
27
81%
54%
24%
6%
28
84%
54%
25%
6%
29
87%
55%
26%
6%
30
90%
57%
27%
7%
31
57%
29%
7%
32
56%
31%
7%
33
56%
33%
8%
34
58%
33%
10%
35
60%
35%
7%
36
36%
8%
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb): of the 930 lifters who started below it, 55% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 72% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Among the 476 lifters who reached it, the median took 1.6 months and 5 deadlift sessions, most of them having started close to it.
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb): of the 2,550 lifters who started below it, 36% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 51% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting at 1 plate or more, 51% got there within a year; starting below 1 plate, 11% did. Among the 796 lifters who reached it, the median took 2.1 months and 6 deadlift sessions, most of them having started close to it.
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb): of the 3,399 lifters who started below it, 15% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 22% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting at 2 plates or more, 47% got there within a year; starting below 2 plates, 4% did. Among the 397 lifters who reached it, the median took 3.2 months and 8 deadlift sessions, most of them having started close to it.
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb): of the 3,669 lifters who started below it, 4% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 6% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting at 3 plates or more, 35% got there within a year; starting below 3 plates, 1% did. Among the 120 lifters who reached it, the median took 3.2 months and 11 deadlift sessions, most of them having started close to it.
Milestones are counted from the first logged session of that lift. Only lifters who started below the milestone are included; the 12- and 24-month columns only count lifters who were still logging at that point. The median is shown only where at least 50 lifters reached the milestone, and it is a survivor statistic: most who got there started within one plate of it.
Lift
Milestone
Lifters who started below
Reached within 12 months
Reached within 24 months
Median months (of those who reached it)
Deadlift
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb)
930
55%
72%
1.6
Deadlift
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb)
2,550
36%
51%
2.1
Deadlift
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb)
3,399
15%
22%
3.2
Deadlift
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb)
3,669
4%
6%
3.2
Reaching 2 plates depends on where you start
Deadlift: reaching 2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb) by starting strength
Started below 1 plate
Started at 1 plate or more
View the data table
Months since first logged session
Started below 1 plate
Started at 1 plate or more
1
0%
12%
2
1%
25%
3
2%
32%
4
3%
37%
5
4%
39%
6
5%
41%
7
6%
44%
8
8%
45%
9
9%
46%
10
9%
48%
11
10%
48%
12
11%
51%
13
12%
51%
14
12%
53%
15
12%
54%
16
13%
55%
17
13%
56%
18
14%
58%
19
15%
58%
20
18%
62%
21
19%
64%
22
22%
64%
23
23%
67%
24
25%
67%
25
26%
68%
26
26%
68%
27
31%
68%
28
36%
66%
29
36%
68%
30
40%
68%
31
69%
32
71%
33
71%
Reaching 3 plates depends on where you start
Deadlift: reaching 3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb) by starting strength
Started below 2 plates
Started at 2 plates or more
View the data table
Months since first logged session
Started below 2 plates
Started at 2 plates or more
1
0%
8%
2
0%
17%
3
1%
24%
4
1%
31%
5
1%
34%
6
2%
36%
7
3%
39%
8
3%
40%
9
3%
41%
10
4%
43%
11
4%
46%
12
4%
47%
13
5%
48%
14
5%
50%
15
6%
50%
16
6%
49%
17
6%
50%
18
7%
52%
19
6%
52%
20
7%
51%
21
7%
52%
22
8%
53%
23
9%
52%
24
10%
52%
25
10%
54%
26
11%
52%
27
12%
53%
28
13%
52%
29
13%
54%
30
15%
54%
31
16%
59%
32
17%
60%
33
17%
34
15%
35
15%
Reaching 4 plates depends on where you start
Deadlift: reaching 4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb) by starting strength
Started below 3 plates
Started at 3 plates or more
View the data table
Months since first logged session
Started below 3 plates
Started at 3 plates or more
1
0%
9%
2
0%
15%
3
0%
21%
4
0%
23%
5
0%
24%
6
0%
27%
7
0%
29%
8
1%
29%
9
1%
31%
10
1%
33%
11
1%
35%
12
1%
35%
13
1%
36%
14
1%
37%
15
2%
39%
16
2%
38%
17
2%
40%
18
2%
41%
19
2%
39%
20
2%
21
3%
22
3%
23
3%
24
3%
25
3%
26
3%
27
3%
28
3%
29
3%
30
4%
31
3%
32
4%
33
4%
34
5%
35
2%
36
3%
How fast the deadlift goes up
Deadlift: median estimated 1RM gain by starting strength
Started at 0-40 kg
Started at 40-60 kg
Started at 60-100 kg
Started at 100-140 kg
Started at 140-180 kg
Estimated 1RM uses the Epley formula on the best set of each session (10 reps or fewer). Gains are relative to the lifter's first month.
View the data table
Months of logged training
Started at 0-40 kg
Started at 40-60 kg
Started at 60-100 kg
Started at 100-140 kg
Started at 140-180 kg
1 mo
6 kg
6.2 kg
5.8 kg
5.1 kg
2.9 kg
3 mo
11.6 kg
16.2 kg
12.9 kg
9.8 kg
8 kg
6 mo
21.2 kg
17.9 kg
11.7 kg
6.3 kg
12 mo
22.8 kg
12.5 kg
3.3 kg
Deadlift: estimated 1RM change after N months, all starting levels. Interquartile range shows the middle half of lifters.
After
Lifters
Median gain
Middle 50%
Median gain %
No gain or lost strength
1 month
3,054
5.3 kg (12 lb)
0 to 12.1 kg
5%
31%
3 months
1,640
10.9 kg (24 lb)
0.5 to 21.2 kg
11%
24%
6 months
992
14.3 kg (32 lb)
1.2 to 27.4 kg
14%
24%
12 months
563
17.5 kg (39 lb)
0 to 34.5 kg
16%
26%
How much a typical lifter deadlifts
The median best estimated deadlift 1RM among Hardy users is 110.5 kg (244 lb). A quarter of lifters are below 79.4 kg (175 lb), the top 10% are above 171.5 kg (378 lb) and the top 1% above 226.7 kg (500 lb). 45% have lifted 100 kg or more for at least one rep and 16% have lifted 140 kg or more.
Best estimated 1RM per lifter, across everyone who logged the lift in at least 3 sessions. These are app users who track their training, not the general population.
Lift
Lifters
Bottom 10%
25th percentile
Median
75th percentile
Top 10%
Top 1%
Deadlift
5,247
57 kg (126 lb)
79.4 kg (175 lb)
110.5 kg (244 lb)
140.7 kg (310 lb)
171.5 kg (378 lb)
226.7 kg (500 lb)
Want to know where you stand? Estimate your max with the Deadlift 1RM calculator from any recent hard set, and read the methodology for how these numbers were produced.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can deadlift 405?
Among 5,247 Hardy users who logged the deadlift in at least 3 workouts, 4% have deadlifted 405 lb / 180 kg for at least one rep. That is the share among people who train and track their lifting, not the general population, and it ignores bodyweight, age and sex.
How long does it take to deadlift 225 lb (100 kg)?
Of Hardy users who started below 100 kg / 225 lb and kept logging for a year, 36% reached it within 12 months, and 51% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting from 1 plate or more, the one-year odds were 51%. Among lifters who reached it, the median was 2.1 months of logging (middle half: 1 to 5.6 months), but most of them started within a plate of it.
How long does it take to deadlift 315 lb (140 kg)?
Of Hardy users who started below 140 kg / 315 lb and kept logging for a year, 15% reached it within 12 months, and 22% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting from 2 plates or more, the one-year odds were 47%. Among lifters who reached it, the median was 3.2 months of logging (middle half: 1.3 to 7.1 months), but most of them started within a plate of it.
How long does it take to deadlift 405 lb (180 kg)?
Of Hardy users who started below 180 kg / 405 lb and kept logging for a year, 4% reached it within 12 months, and 6% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting from 3 plates or more, the one-year odds were 35%. Among lifters who reached it, the median was 3.2 months of logging (middle half: 1.4 to 8.6 months), but most of them started within a plate of it.
What is a good deadlift for someone who tracks their training?
The median best estimated 1RM among Hardy users is 110.5 kg (244 lb). Being above 140.7 kg (310 lb) puts you in the top quarter and above 171.5 kg (378 lb) in the top 10%. These figures ignore bodyweight and sex, so use them as a rough reference rather than a standard.
Hardy logs every deadlift set and calculates your next working weights, so your own milestone curve builds itself.
Cite this reportHardy (2026). How Many People Can Deadlift 405? Data From 5,247 Lifters Who Log Every Set. Hardy Strength Progression Report. https://hardy.app/strength-report/how-many-people-can-deadlift-405
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