Squat Standards
What counts as a good squat? It depends on what you weigh. Here are the numbers.
Squat as a multiple of bodyweight
One-rep-max targets as a ratio of bodyweight (full depth, at or below parallel).
Men
| Level | Squat (× bodyweight) |
|---|---|
| Novice | 1.25× |
| Intermediate | 1.5× |
| Advanced | 2.0× |
| Elite | 2.5× |
Women
| Level | Squat (× bodyweight) |
|---|---|
| Novice | 0.75× |
| Intermediate | 1.0× |
| Advanced | 1.5× |
| Elite | 2.0× |
So an 80 kg man at intermediate squats ~120 kg; advanced is ~160 kg. A 65 kg woman at advanced squats ~100 kg.
Standards are raw (no suit or wraps beyond a belt) and approximate — drawn from large lifting-standards datasets. They scale with bodyweight, so your weight does the math.
Common questions
Is a 2x bodyweight squat good?
Yes — a double-bodyweight squat is advanced for men and elite-level for most women. It typically takes several years of consistent training.
What is a good squat for a beginner?
A novice target is roughly 1.25× bodyweight for men and 0.75× for women, reached in the first several months of consistent training.