Back Squat
Squat Standards: How Much Should You Squat?
For a 190 lb man, a good (intermediate) squat is about 285 lb for one rep, one and a half times bodyweight. Beginner is about 145 lb and elite about 525 lb. For a 150 lb woman the intermediate mark is about 165 lb. Enter your bodyweight below to see your own squat standards and the level your best squat lands in.
Find Your Squat Level
Enter your bodyweight, pick your sex, and put in your best lift. Everything below updates as you type.
What Is the Average Squat?
About one and a half times bodyweight for a man who has trained for a year or two.
There is no official average squat, because nobody tests the whole population. These standards give the typical squat for a lifter with a given amount of training at a given bodyweight. For someone who has trained regularly for a few months to a year, an honest estimated max usually sits between the novice and intermediate marks.
Average squat for men
The intermediate standard for men is one and a half times bodyweight: 225 lb at 150 lb, 285 lb at 190 lb and 375 lb at 250 lb. Between novice (one and a quarter times bodyweight) and that mark, a 190 lb man who trains regularly squats about 240 to 285 lb.
Average squat for women
The intermediate standard for women is about 1.1 times bodyweight: 120 lb at 110 lb, 165 lb at 150 lb and 210 lb at 190 lb. Between novice (three quarters of bodyweight) and intermediate, a 150 lb woman who trains regularly squats about 115 to 165 lb.
How Much Should You Squat for Your Weight?
Five steps, each a multiple of your bodyweight.
For men the five levels work out at about three quarters of bodyweight (beginner), one and a quarter times bodyweight (novice), one and a half times bodyweight (intermediate), two and a quarter times bodyweight (advanced) and two and three quarter times bodyweight (elite). For women the same steps are about 0.5, 0.75, 1.1, 1.6 and 2 times bodyweight.
So what is a good squat? For a man, one and a half times bodyweight to depth is the mark of a lifter who has trained consistently for a year or two. For a woman, about 1.1 times bodyweight is the same milestone.
Is a 315 Squat Good?
The plate milestones, graded against these standards.
- 225 lb (two plates a side): beginner for a 190 lb man, where novice starts at 240 lb, and intermediate for a 150 lb man.
- 315 lb (three plates a side): intermediate for men from 150 to 210 lb bodyweight and novice at 230 lb, where intermediate starts at 345 lb.
- 405 lb (four plates a side): intermediate for a 190 lb man and advanced for a 170 lb man.
So yes: three plates is a good squat for most men, and four plates puts a lighter lifter in the advanced range. Put your own numbers into the calculator above for the exact verdict.
Where These Numbers Come From
Bodyweight ratios, the same ones used across the site.
Every level here is a fixed multiple of bodyweight, rounded to the nearest 5 lb (or 2.5 kg). They are the same squat figures as our strength standards page and the squat calculator, and the front squat and leg press standards are worked out from them.
These standards are bodyweight-ratio approximations aligned with widely used references in the strength and conditioning field, including ExRx.net. Nothing here is measured lab data, and no table anywhere else has been copied. Treat every figure as a target to aim at, not a verdict on you.
Last reviewed: .
Squat Standards for Men
Estimated 1-rep max including the bar, by bodyweight.
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb | 85 lb | 140 lb | 165 lb | 250 lb | 305 lb |
| 130 lb | 100 lb | 165 lb | 195 lb | 295 lb | 360 lb |
| 150 lb | 115 lb | 190 lb | 225 lb | 340 lb | 415 lb |
| 170 lb | 130 lb | 215 lb | 255 lb | 385 lb | 470 lb |
| 190 lb (your bodyweight) | 145 lb | 240 lb | 285 lb | 430 lb | 525 lb |
| 210 lb | 160 lb | 265 lb | 315 lb | 475 lb | 580 lb |
| 230 lb | 175 lb | 290 lb | 345 lb | 520 lb | 635 lb |
| 250 lb | 190 lb | 315 lb | 375 lb | 565 lb | 690 lb |
Squat Standards for Women
Estimated 1-rep max including the bar, by bodyweight.
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 110 lb | 55 lb | 85 lb | 120 lb | 175 lb | 220 lb |
| 130 lb | 65 lb | 100 lb | 145 lb | 210 lb | 260 lb |
| 150 lb | 75 lb | 115 lb | 165 lb | 240 lb | 300 lb |
| 170 lb | 85 lb | 130 lb | 185 lb | 270 lb | 340 lb |
| 190 lb | 95 lb | 145 lb | 210 lb | 305 lb | 380 lb |
| 210 lb | 105 lb | 160 lb | 230 lb | 335 lb | 420 lb |
| 230 lb | 115 lb | 175 lb | 255 lb | 370 lb | 460 lb |
| 250 lb | 125 lb | 190 lb | 275 lb | 400 lb | 500 lb |
A Worked Example
One set of five, turned into a level.
A 190 lb man squats 275 lb for five reps. The squat calculator puts that at an estimated max of about 315 lb. On the men's table, the 190 lb row reads 285 lb for intermediate and 430 lb for advanced, so his squat is intermediate, with a long road of 115 lb to advanced.
In bodyweight terms the step from intermediate to advanced is wider on the squat than on any other main lift (three quarters of bodyweight for men), so expect that climb to take years rather than months.
What These Standards Cannot Tell You
Depth and setup move the number more than anything.
These standards assume a back squat to at least parallel, with the hip crease level with or below the top of the knee, and no knee wraps or squat suit. A half squat lets you move far more weight, so a high squat graded on these tables looks better than it is. Knee sleeves and a belt are fine and change little.
Low-bar and high-bar squats also differ: most lifters handle a little more low bar. Long legs and a short torso make the squat harder. The tables do not adjust for age either. Use the levels to set your next target and to track your own progress, not as a ranking against other people.
More Tools
Estimate your max, then see where it ranks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about squat standards.
How much should I squat?
For men, about one and a quarter times bodyweight after several months of training and one and a half times bodyweight after a year or two. For women, about three quarters of bodyweight and then about 1.1 times bodyweight. Enter your bodyweight above to see the exact figures.
What is the average squat for men?
A man who trains regularly usually has an estimated max between the novice and intermediate marks, which at 190 lb bodyweight is about 240 to 285 lb. The intermediate standard is one and a half times bodyweight: 225 lb at 150 lb and 375 lb at 250 lb.
What is the average squat for women?
A woman who trains regularly usually sits between the novice and intermediate marks, about 115 to 165 lb at 150 lb bodyweight. The intermediate standard for women is about 1.1 times bodyweight.
Is a 315 squat good?
Yes, for most men. Three plates a side is intermediate from 150 to 210 lb bodyweight and novice at 230 lb. It is a fair target after a year or two of steady training.
What is a good squat?
One and a half times bodyweight to depth for a man, and about 1.1 times bodyweight for a woman. That is the intermediate standard, the level of someone who has trained consistently for a year or two.
How deep does a squat have to be to count?
For these tables, at least parallel: the hip crease level with or below the top of the knee. A higher squat lets you lift more, so it would grade higher than it should.
How are these squat standards calculated?
Each level is a fixed multiple of bodyweight (for men 0.75, 1.25, 1.5, 2.25 and 2.75 times bodyweight; for women 0.5, 0.75, 1.1, 1.6 and 2), rounded to the nearest 5 lb. They are the same figures as the strength standards page.