what % of your bodyweight do you squat?

24

Replies

  • Willbenchforcupcakes
    Willbenchforcupcakes Posts: 4,955 Member
    Started back squatting after my youngest was born, took 5 long months to heal my pelvis enough to even be able to handle the empty bar. In the last two years, have worked up to a max weight for reps just shy of 2x body weight, although most of my working sets are at around 1.1-1.6 of body weight
  • HealthfulLife
    HealthfulLife Posts: 28 Member
    Squatting180# for 3 x 5...comes out to be about 142% of my body weight..
    I normally weigh it around 127#
    Hoping to hit the 200# mark in the next 2 months!

    I have lifted for awhile but really started lifting heavy in the fall and I love it!...Had a setback in January with a fractured tailbone but was able to come back much faster than expected!

    Love to hear about women lifting heavy!
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Just shy of 2x BW on 1rm.

    Hit 325 at 170.... I'm hoping to have 2x BW in a few weeks...
  • AngelsFan91106
    AngelsFan91106 Posts: 111 Member
    Great question. I think I responded to your previous post as well, but answers to this question may be more informative.

    Btw, I think very few people start out squatting 100% of their bodyweight, unless they were athletes previously. Putting the equivalent of your weight on your shoulders is no small feat.

    To answer your questions: I also started squatting at about 50% of my bodyweight. I currently squat 125% of my bodyweight (barbell, for reps, and below parallel). I've been squatting for about 1-1/2 years. I stopped for 3 months in the beginning due to an injury and extensive traveling.

    Love seeing all these women who seriously squat!
  • sarahstrezo
    sarahstrezo Posts: 568 Member
    I just hit 150% for a 1RM this week. It's likely higher, but I don't always have a spotter available to test it.
    My normal work weight is at 133% of bodyweight .

    I started strength training about 18 months ago, but really seriously focused on getting my big lifts up in numbers for about 14 months.
  • JDubIsShrinking
    JDubIsShrinking Posts: 207 Member
    I started Stronglifts mid-January at 65% of my bodyweight. I'm up to 100% bodyweight now.
  • BarbellApprentice
    BarbellApprentice Posts: 486 Member
    175% of BW for a double.
    Have not tried 1RM.
    Been squatting 6 months.
    Recently switched from high to low bar and still getting comfortable.
    Hope to hit 200% BW by end of the year but currently fighting a quad strain.
  • SpecialSundae
    SpecialSundae Posts: 795 Member
    Started barely able to air squat. Working weight currently 120% of bodyweight (but really quiet light as it's in a volume phase) and 1RM around 150% of bodyweight.
  • _crafty_
    _crafty_ Posts: 1,682 Member
    working weight is 100% of my current body weight

    goal is 150% or more.

    no idea what my 1 RM is.
  • techgal128
    techgal128 Posts: 719 Member
    I only squat 19% of my weight because the class I go to has you do a ton of reps. Most people in that class go 10 pounds or lower (I'm at 12.5). I can leg press 110% of my weight though which is about 250 pounds.
  • melmckay99
    melmckay99 Posts: 358
    Recently did 3X5 @ about 90% BW which equates to a 115 lb squat and I currently weigh somewhere between 125-130 lbs.
    I was at 100% maybe even a bit higher a few months ago, mind you I was 10 lbs lighter at the time. I've been going through some stuff, put on a few pounds, messed up my routine. I'm down but not out though. About a month ago I could barely even do 100 lb squat, so at least my strength is coming back relatively fast!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Um, I would like to point out that *technically* we are all squatting *100%* of our bodyweight before we even add that empty bar.

    Just in case this helps any other newbs feel a little better, too.

    :)

    science says no. It's a nice idea but no.

    a body weight squat is different than squatting body weight.

    You are not squatting body weight- since 70% of your body is in your legs- and they are not actually moving the full weight of your body- you are not actually squatting 100% of your body weight. While I agree- if you are heavier- you are squatting more than someone smaller- it's still not body weight.

    And yes it's a nice idea but physics/dynamics disagree with you.
    Jo is so badass that she does a full 360 during each rep... She never ceases to amaze me.

    :)
    indeed.

    Also- I heart you so hard for being a nerd. ;)
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    92% for 10x3 (haven't tested 1rm recently).

    Going for 100% on Tuesday :)

    Oh, and that's from starting with a broom handle because the bar was too heavy for me.
  • caseythirteen
    caseythirteen Posts: 956 Member
    Started in Oct. '12 with about 55%, worked up to about 125% over the next 12 months or so with a few set backs, back injury in Dec. '13 and now at about 95%. Taking it slow coming back because I know that if I try too much too fast it won't be a good result.
  • ruffnstuff
    ruffnstuff Posts: 400 Member
    Squatting180# for 3 x 5...comes out to be about 142% of my body weight..
    I normally weigh it around 127#
    Hoping to hit the 200# mark in the next 2 months!

    I have lifted for awhile but really started lifting heavy in the fall and I love it!...Had a setback in January with a fractured tailbone but was able to come back much faster than expected!

    Love to hear about women lifting heavy!

    I'm going to assume that's you in your profile pic. Damn, girl...those abs!! Is that from lifting? Cuz I'd love to someday have half that goin' on. Started SL this morning! Still have much weight to lose, but I'm getting there and love lifting.
  • Danny_Boy13
    Danny_Boy13 Posts: 2,094 Member
    Currently my 1RM is @ 208%. I squatted 365 @ 175lbs.
  • kethry70
    kethry70 Posts: 404 Member
    I did the first day of NROLFW earlier this week and started with 35lbs which is about 20% - but I want to make sure I nail form AND I was unsure what I could do. For grins and giggles, I squatted my 9y.o. 30 times a couple days later- I can safely say that that was not good for form but that 65 lbs was not terribly hard so now I know I need to buy more weights NOW instead of in a week or 2 LOL
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    10% :ohwell: I squat with a 20lb dumbell
  • DeadliftAddict
    DeadliftAddict Posts: 746 Member
    Um, I would like to point out that *technically* we are all squatting *100%* of our bodyweight before we even add that empty bar.

    Just in case this helps any other newbs feel a little better, too.

    :)


    Not true. I don't thing anything below the knee can be counted as weight. Besides that, I'm pretty sure the OP means what is on the bar.
  • FFfitgirl
    FFfitgirl Posts: 369 Member
    60% I think.
    I weigh around 200 and back squat is 125
  • MomOfRose
    MomOfRose Posts: 89 Member
    I'm at 59% BW (100/168), but I've had to deload once because I have garbage for knees and I didn't want to blow them (walking downstairs hurt like a MOFO!) I'm almost done with week 8 of SL.
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    Right now I would estimate I am at about 215 for a 1 rm because I have been doing 195 for 5 reps. I weigh 170ish so that's about 124% of my bw. I started at about 135# 6 months ago. I use Wender 5/3/1 and do CrossFit.

    I had been lifting for 10 years though, just not with barbells. I never tried to lift for strength, just for bodybuilding, in the past. So while I was lifting heavy, I probably never went over 75-80% of my capacity.
  • jlclabo
    jlclabo Posts: 588 Member
    im using 150% my body weight for working sets on very heavy days. on normal squat days its 125% body weight. my most recent 1RM is about 170% body weight, but that was about 3 months ago, so im figuring it may be a little higher now, in the 173% range. id love to hit 200% but at a caloric deficit, thats probably not going to happen any time soon.
  • Linli_Anne
    Linli_Anne Posts: 1,360 Member
    At the peak of doing Stronglifts I was at about 80% of my BW and had to max there because of the lack of proper equipment to safely progress.

    I'm currently squatting 36.5% of my bodyweight, doing 3x8 as I progress through my marathon training which is my main priority right now.
  • walkwithme1
    walkwithme1 Posts: 492 Member
    When I started in November I was at 30% of my bw. I'm now at 94% of my bw for 1rep max. Pretty happy with these results! Had to take a break from lifting the past 4 weeks hoping to get to 100% of bw for a 1rep max by June.
  • MauxFaux
    MauxFaux Posts: 24
    I just hit 100% a couple of weeks ago. I've been seriously dedicated to getting stronger for the past 6 months.
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    Week 3 of Stronglifts 5x5 and squatting 63%...annoyingly I need to buy more weights and a bigger bar now to progress! hopefully will buy these things this weekend as I'm still squatting quite happily at this weight.
  • charleigh78
    charleigh78 Posts: 247 Member

    My wife did similar...except she through in some New Rules too...

    I love 5/3/1...best intermediate/advanced program every IMHO.


    Would you suggest 5/3/1 after NROL4W? Just thinking ahead :)
  • charleigh78
    charleigh78 Posts: 247 Member
    I am very new. I started NROL4W just over a month ago.
    I started with just a bar (~45lb-my guess). (25%)
    This week I am up to the bar + 60 = 105 pounds (58%)

    I know I could go heavier if I was 1)more confident/experienced and 2) not doing 3 sets of 10 :)
  • gloriaeffe
    gloriaeffe Posts: 75 Member
    100% of my BW for 8-12RM.
    I can go a bit higher but found I start getting injured (lower back and quadratus lumborum mainly to a weak hip) - I need to strengthen that hip and correct my form before I can go up safely.

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