How Much Should I Be Able to Squat?

You’re a seasoned gym-goer or just starting out on your fitness journey, the question of How much should I be able to squat? is likely to have few question in your mind that how much you squat for my weight.

The squat, often hailed as the king of exercises, not only builds strength and muscle but also serves as a litmus test for overall lower body function. But determining what constitutes a good squat can be tricky – it’s not just about lifting heavy weights, but also about proper form and technique.

 So, let’s delve into the world of squats and explore what benchmarks you should aim for to ensure that your squat game is strong both in terms of performance and safety.

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Squatting is hard. Squatting can be scary. And, most importantly, nobody really checks out your leg muscles so who actually cares how strong they are?

Like I said, a travesty…

How Much Should I Be Able to Squat? It Depends

When it comes to the question of how much weight you should be able to squat, there is no one-size-fits-all answer. While some people may aim for a certain number based on their body weight or fitness goals.

 It’s important to remember that everyone’s strength levels and abilities are different. Factors such as muscle mass distribution, body mechanics, and training history all play a role in determining your squat performance.

Rather than fixating on reaching a specific number on the squat rack, it’s crucial to focus on form and technique. Proper squatting form not only reduces the risk of injury but also allows you to progressively increase your strength over time. 

Listening to your body and understanding its limitations is key in designing an effective squatting routine that suits your individual needs and capabilities.

For the squat, these numbers look like this:

The amount you can squat is subjective and depends on various factors unique to you. Instead of comparing yourself to others or setting unrealistic standards, concentrate on improving gradually and consistently while striving for personal progress. 

By valuing consistency over intensity and adopting a growth mindset towards strength training, you can unlock your full potential in the squat rack while staying safe and injury-free.

There are some obvious gaps in these numbers as most people fall outside of these specific weights (both in terms of their bodyweight and their squat max), but with a little rounding, you can find your approximate “strength category”.

To add some additional context, we need to discuss what each of the “Cat” columns mean.

Each “Cat” refers to a different strength “category” with higher numbers representing more advanced strength levels. They are divided as follows:

• Cat I = Beginner (0-6 months of weight training experience)
• Cat II = Novice (6-12 months of weight training experience)
• Cat III = Intermediate (12-24 months of weight training experience)
• Cat IV = Advanced (24-48 months of weight training experience)
• Cat V = Elite (more than 48 months of weight training experience)

Let’s cover some areas that can add some context to the information presented on these documents.

Training Type

Of course, the inevitable question arises as to “what is classified as ‘weight training’ experience?” 

It’s a good one…and it is difficult to fully answer.

Joining a powerlifting club or regularly attending a Starting Strength-affiliated gym is likely to result in “better” “weight training experience” than a Zumba session and a few minutes of yoga each week.

Assume that to hit these numbers, you should be regularly squatting and actively trying to increase your squat PR.

Age

Do we really expect the majority of freshly-minted 18-year-olds retirees to be able to bench the same amounts as people in their 20’s and 30’s?

While there are certainly high schoolers that look (and lift!) like professional athletes and those old, grizzled gym grandpas just oozing with “dad strength” or “old man strength”, the answer is usually “no, we don’t expect this”.

Lon Kilgore (the man who Rippetoe mentioned in his quote) has developed strength standards for most of the core lifts for older athletes. Although Rippetoe claims that the two men simply “pulled them (the strength standards) out of our asses (and each other’s!)” Kilgore’s approach to defining the relationship between age and strength is pretty robust

Taking data from a plethora of elite-level performances across a number of events, Kilgore came up with a few significant conclusions on the relationships between age and athletic performance.

Referencing these statistics, Kilgore developed age-group standards for each of the major power lifts (plus the strict press and power snatch). Here are his findings on the average squat by age:

These standards (and the legit statistics used to come to these conclusions) helps to shed light on what we can expect to squat as we get older.

Front Squat?

Maybe you clicked here because you were interested in front squat strength standards. Thankfully, the nice people at strengthlevel.com have got us covered. 

Assuming you’re in the 18-39 year-old age range and are around the average weight for Regionals “CrossFit training” men and women (200 and 140 pounds, respectfully), your front squat standards are below:

If you’re a bit lighter (170 and 120 pounds, respectfully), these are your front squat standards:

…and if you’re a bit heavier (230 and 160 pounds, respectfully), these are your front squat standards:

So…if by asking “how much should I be able to squat?” you meant “how much should I be able to front squat?”…you’re welcome!

Taking Numbers out of your… ?????

So…yeah. Mark Rippetoe on the viability of his own strength standards!

Factors that Influence Your Squat

One often overlooked factor that can greatly influence your squat performance is ankle flexibility. Limited ankle mobility can restrict the depth of your squat and affect your overall form, leading to compensatory movements and potential injury. Incorporating ankle-strengthening exercises and stretches into your workout routine can help improve this crucial aspect of your squat.

Another important factor to consider is core stability. A strong core provides a solid foundation for the rest of your body during a squat, helping you maintain proper alignment and control throughout the movement. Neglecting to properly engage your core muscles can result in a lack of stability, making it harder to execute a successful squat with optimal technique.

Additionally, mental focus plays a significant role in how well you perform squats. Whether it’s pushing through a challenging set or maintaining concentration on form, having a strong mind-muscle connection can make all the difference in achieving your squatting goals. By staying present and focused during each repetition, you can better engage the right muscles and ensure maximum efficiency in your squats.

If you read enough…”less than scholarly” articles on the subject matter, you’ll generally find a lot of headlines like this:

“Being tall negatively affects ability to max back squat”

Now don’t get me wrong; I have nothing against the kind of practical research that goes into such studies (I have delved into this research quite a bit on this very site!), but they’re not always in line with scholarly articles we can find on the topic.

A recent article found that there was a slight statistically significant correlation between height and squat strength among a group of 35 junior powerlifters and football players. As in, the taller the athletes were, the more they could squat.

To be fair, the study did not isolate each variable relative to others so tall, offensive linemen were likely compared with short, lightweight powerlifters.

In contrast, a number of other factors, to include Body Mass Index (BMI), Hip Circumference, Waist Circumference, Torso Circumference, Forearm Length and (Arm) Reach all had more statistically significant correlations than height did.

In most cases, BMI, waist, hip, and torso circumference will be closely correlated with weight, but it is interesting that factors associated with arm length would be more closely correlated with squat strength than overall height.

As it is, I wouldn’t discount the first article linked above, even if its findings don’t end up gracing the pages of Modern Science. However, if you’re over 6 feet and have poor squat numbers, don’t blame it all on your height!

Limb length

As we saw in the powerlifter/football player article above, limb length is correlated with squat strength. The article went on to show statistically significant relationships between thigh length and squat strength…

…again, in the “longer/taller is better” direction.

…again, without differentiating between athlete body weights.

So we’re back to the “not quite bro science” references to save us!

Most literature on the topic will lead to discussions on femur length and the effects it has on squatting. Due to the anatomically significant position that the femurs take during the squat, their lengths greatly impact the overall torque necessary to complete the lift.

Engineered Athletics ran a simulation calculating work requirement differences for athletes of similar heights and weights, but with different femur lengths. They found that “the long femur does 16% more work than the average athlete, and the short femur athlete does 16% less work,” ultimately concluding that “athletes with short femurs are built better for squatting”.

So…got long femurs? All is not lost! We’ll discover a solution for you in the high-bar vs. low-bar discussion!

High-bar vs. Low-bar Squatting

Not all squat positioning is alike and certain bar positions are more conducive to different body types (and femur lengths!) than others.

According to Dr. Aaron Horschig and the good men at Squat University, the higher positioning of the barbell on the High-bar squat allows the athlete to stay in a more upright position. In most cases, this will be preferable and easier to execute for those with shorter femurs.

The lower positioning of the barbell (3-4 inches lower on the back) on the Low-bar squat causes the athlete to lean forward and take less of an upright position. In most cases, this will be preferable and easier to execute for those with longer femurs.

However, items such as relative quadriceps strength, stance width, ankle mobility, and glute strength all factor into the High-bar vs. Low-bar squat selection.

Depending on the number of these factors that apply directly to you and your body, you might want to consider altering your bar positioning. Making the change might instantly add some pounds to your squat PR.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, as evidenced by this discussion, there are few “hard and fast” rules that dictate squat maxes for each individual. 

“How much should I be able to squat?”

Are you a man? How much do you weigh? How old are you?

“How much should I be able to squat?”

Are you front squatting? High-bar squatting? Long femurs?

You get the idea…

Use the strength standards discussed in this article as rough guidelines of numbers to shoot for, but don’t lose sight of the multitude of factors that can affect your squat level.

Also, don’t forget that the best way to get better at squatting is to actually get out there and do some squats!

Confident in your squat numbers and ready to get on the platform at a competition? Check out our article on powerlifting weight classes to find out which weight is best for you to maximize your chances at winning gold!