Comparing front to back, not side to side
Strength balance is usually checked left against right. But the imbalance where a bench press keeps climbing while the row stays put never shows up in a left-right comparison at all. This calculator looks at the front-to-back axis instead: the bench press against the barbell row on the horizontal axis, and the overhead press against a vertical pull on the vertical axis, reporting the ratio and the gap on each.
The ratio divides the push load by the pull load and is shown to two decimals. Which side is heavier is decided from that same displayed ratio, and the gap in pounds appears in the same sentence so the three lines never point in different directions. Filling only one axis calculates that axis alone. For the vertical pull, use the lat pulldown load or the total load of a weighted pull-up, body weight included.
The frequently quoted range of about 1 to 1 is a widely repeated figure rather than an official standard: no federation rule or institutional guideline establishes it, and it moves with the exercise pairing, the grip and the range of motion. This tool therefore reports only the ratio and the gap, with no grade and no injury risk figure. If your shoulder or lower back hurts, get that looked at rather than adding load to even out a ratio.
FAQ
A left-right tool splits the same movement between sides. This one compares front to back instead: the loads you push against the loads you pull.
No. About 1 to 1 is a widely repeated figure rather than an official standard. It changes with the exercise pairing, the grip and the range of motion, so do not treat it as a fixed target.
Body weight plus the added weight, as one total. Entering only the added plate makes the pull side look far smaller than it is and distorts the ratio.