Everyone will benefit from having a strong and powerful set of quads. In whichever variety you decide to include them, squats are the ultimate compound lift to add to your programme – and we're going to explain why. But before you get under the bar, it's important to load it up with a suitable selection of plates.
Here, we cover the squat strength standards for men so that you can pick a goal weight with confidence. We also explain how to best spot your gym partner so that you can both hit those sought after PBs.
What's a Good Squat Weight?
A good barbell back squat weight will tick all of the following boxes:
- You can reach it with good range of motion, preferably breaking parallel (thighs parallel to the floor or lower).
- You can reach it without causing injury or pain.
- It is suitable for your lifting experience.
- It is suitable for your strength levels.
Factors That Will Influence Your Squat Weight
There are several factors that will impact your squat weights, these are:
- Limb length
- Height
- Body mass
- Age
- Training experience
- Movement efficiency
- Strength levels
- Injury history
In light of these, pick a squat weight and also squat variation that suits you and your body best, so that you can make progress.
What Are the Squat Strength Standards for Men?
According to Strength Level's statistics, the average experienced lifter can back squat 130 kg.
General Squat Guidelines
These are the following general guidelines for men:
- Beginner: 58 kg
- Novice: 93kg
- Intermediate: 120 kg
- Advanced: 147 kg
- Elite: 203 kg
Mark Rippetoe's Squat Strength Standards
Author of Starting Strength, Mark Rippetoe outlines the following performance strength standards for men training the barbell back squat. He categorises them as follows:
1RM in Pounds (lbs):
How Can I Increase My Squat?
To increase your squat, you will need to:
Use Progressive Overload
This includes increasing reps, sets and weight over time, or adjusting other variables to increase stress on the muscles and cause them to adapt and get stronger and bigger.
Have Realistic Goals
The strength standards are just rough performance guidelines rather than the norm, and the factors mentioned above will greatly affect how close you are to those numbers. Use a goal that takes into account all of the factors with a progressive programme to help you get there.
Choose the Right Squat Variation
Not everyone is going to excel when performing standard barbell back squats. Some may prefer low bar instead of high bar, others may prefer front squats, zercher squats or squat alternatives such as goblet squats. The most important factor is that you utilise progressive overload while completing a lift that suits your preferences and individual needs.
Eat Enough
For muscle gain, a small calorie surplus (eating a little more than you burn on a daily basis) is suitable. For your protein goal, research published in the International Journal of Sport Nutrition and Exercise Metabolism recommends that you should aim for a total daily intake of 1.6-2.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body mass. You can follow our muscle gain guide to find out how to adjust your nutrition.
Prioritise Rest
It's important to get enough sleep quantity and quality, so if it is possible, prioritise sleep so that your body can recover adequately. You will also need to programme rest days in your week. Since powerlifting programmes are quite taxing, it might be worth considering a deload week.
Be Patient
Strength gains can't be rushed. Remain consistent with your programme and you'll see the results you want.
When to Increase My Squat Weight?
You can use the RPE scale to gauge your progress in order to know when to increase your squat weight:
Aim to push yourself to a seven or eight out of 10 at the end of your sets using this scale. Ideally, you shouldn't have more than two or three more reps left in the tank. If your perceived exertion drops below seven, then you know that you can increase your squat weight in the next session.
It's important to note that you will unlikely be increasing weights every single week. Muscular adaptation takes time, so stay consistent with a programme that utilises progressive overload and you'll have a good squat weight in no time.
How to Test Your Squat 1RM & Fail Safely
It's imperative that when you are testing your 1 rep max for the squat, that you know how to get out of it safely. It's worth practicing 'how to fail' during your lift, especially if you don't have a spot to supervise. You can do this by making use of safety bars on the squat rack and being confident enough to get out of the lift in an emergency.
To fail a barbell back squat safely without a spot:
- As you reach the point you feel you can't finish the rep, let go of the bar.
- Lift your chest and let the bar roll backwards off your back.
- While the bar rolls back, move forward swiftly out of the way.
- The bar will either hit the safety bars or the lifting platform.
Do not lean forward and let the bar roll forward over your head, as this can cause injury. If in doubt, ask someone to spot you and use good communication prior to the lift and during the rep in order to let them know what is happening.
How to Spot Your Gym Partner for the Squat
If only one person is spotting:
- The spotter will stand behind the lifter and hold their arms out either side of the torso, not making contact.
- The spotter should also perform a squat, simultaneously to the lifter, holding their arms out.
- If the lifter fails the rep, the spotter should reach under the arms of the lifter, hold their chest and power through their legs upwards to help the lifter finish the rep and then re-rack the bar.
If two people are spotting, they should stand either end of the bar with their palms upwards and not touching the bar as they perform a squat, ready to assist the lifter if they need it.
Kate is a fitness writer for Men’s Health UK where she contributes regular workouts, training tips and nutrition guides. She has a post graduate diploma in Sports Performance Nutrition and before joining Men’s Health she was a nutritionist, fitness writer and personal trainer with over 5k hours coaching on the gym floor. Kate has a keen interest in volunteering for animal shelters and when she isn’t lifting weights in her garden, she can be found walking her rescue dog.