calculating weight of squats

I'm more of a luker than a poster, but I need clarification about something... In the "calling all female lifters" post, there's a squat weight there that is causing raised eyebrows.

My question: Does a person add in any part of their body weight to the bar weight? I ask this because I'm pretty heavy. like seriously. I look like I weigh about 30 -40 lbs less than I actually do... and I lift heavy, too.... so technically, I would be lifting more weight than someone who lifts the same bar weight but weighs 50 lbs less than I do, right?

Replies

  • McCloud33
    McCloud33 Posts: 959 Member
    Generally you do not add any of your body weight when calculating what you squat. It's best not to compare yourself to anyone when lifting, but if you're going to, pick someone who is roughly the same weight. The heavier you are the more you should be able to lift.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    nope you dont add body weight to your squat weight, but to your advantage, the heavier you, the more relative muscle you have and you can usually lift heavier. ( just a general rule ) that's why competitions have body weight classes.
    everyone is different , dont compare yourself to anyone except your yesterday self.

    however, the one thing that should be noted with squatting is depth, in the "Calling all lifters", i would question how many of them are squatting to depth and breaking parallel.

    Regardless, kudos to everyone that puts that bar on their back and in their hands !!!!

    oh and the only time i have an issue with extra weight when lifting is when i do pullups, I tell all the skinny girls around me that i wearing my own built in 30lb weight belt!
  • kelly_e_montana
    kelly_e_montana Posts: 1,999 Member
    nope you dont add body weight to your squat weight, but to your advantage, the heavier you, the more relative muscle you have and you can usually lift heavier. ( just a general rule ) that's why competitions have body weight classes.
    everyone is different , dont compare yourself to anyone except your yesterday self.

    however, the one thing that should be noted with squatting is depth, in the "Calling all lifters", i would question how many of them are squatting to depth and breaking parallel.

    Regardless, kudos to everyone that puts that bar on their back and in their hands !!!!

    oh and the only time i have an issue with extra weight when lifting is when i do pullups, I tell all the skinny girls around me that i wearing my own built in 30lb weight belt!

    ^^^ off topic but thanks so much for this pull up metaphor. it makes me feel much better!
  • SonyaCele wrote: »
    nope you dont add body weight to your squat weight, but to your advantage, the heavier you, the more relative muscle you have and you can usually lift heavier. ( just a general rule ) that's why competitions have body weight classes.
    everyone is different , dont compare yourself to anyone except your yesterday self.

    however, the one thing that should be noted with squatting is depth, in the "Calling all lifters", i would question how many of them are squatting to depth and breaking parallel.

    Regardless, kudos to everyone that puts that bar on their back and in their hands !!!!

    oh and the only time i have an issue with extra weight when lifting is when i do pullups, I tell all the skinny girls around me that i wearing my own built in 30lb weight belt!

    Great advise as to who you compare yourself to!

    Curious do you advocate squatting to parallel or below? I personally believe *kitten* to grass is the way to go!

  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    Nope, the weight you lift is the weight of the bar, the weight of the plates, and if you're using the old-school collars you may consider the weight of those as well because they could easily be 2.5lbs.

    Now, when setting goals an optimal squat 1RM is going to be some percentage above your bodyweight. Roughly 2x bodyweight is for optimal sprinting speed and jumping, but that is a huge goal to shoot for if you're not a professional athlete. A good goal would be to squat your bodyweight for 1-rep and then you can set goals above that once you get there.
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    McCloud33 wrote: »
    Generally you do not add any of your body weight when calculating what you squat. It's best not to compare yourself to anyone when lifting, but if you're going to, pick someone who is roughly the same weight. The heavier you are the more you should be able to lift.

    My friends rubs that in my face all the time. He does not know though that one day I will be stronger than him.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    jimvic37 wrote: »
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    nope you dont add body weight to your squat weight, but to your advantage, the heavier you, the more relative muscle you have and you can usually lift heavier. ( just a general rule ) that's why competitions have body weight classes.
    everyone is different , dont compare yourself to anyone except your yesterday self.

    however, the one thing that should be noted with squatting is depth, in the "Calling all lifters", i would question how many of them are squatting to depth and breaking parallel.

    Regardless, kudos to everyone that puts that bar on their back and in their hands !!!!

    oh and the only time i have an issue with extra weight when lifting is when i do pullups, I tell all the skinny girls around me that i wearing my own built in 30lb weight belt!

    Great advise as to who you compare yourself to!

    Curious do you advocate squatting to parallel or below? I personally believe *kitten* to grass is the way to go!

    I know many of them do- I know I do- I keep video and have posted of all my PRs (and failed attempt's).

    *kitten* to grass is nice- but it doesn't apply to low bar and it also doesn't make it legal or not.

    Breaking parallel is a competition legal squat. period.

    which means it is generally the adequate standard for validating a good squat. I cannot squat *kitten* to grass 235. But I can squat that to breaking parallel. If it's legal for a meet- it's good enough for me.
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    edited October 2014
    <delete, messed up quote>
  • Sam_I_Am77
    Sam_I_Am77 Posts: 2,093 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    jimvic37 wrote: »
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    nope you dont add body weight to your squat weight, but to your advantage, the heavier you, the more relative muscle you have and you can usually lift heavier. ( just a general rule ) that's why competitions have body weight classes.
    everyone is different , dont compare yourself to anyone except your yesterday self.

    however, the one thing that should be noted with squatting is depth, in the "Calling all lifters", i would question how many of them are squatting to depth and breaking parallel.

    Regardless, kudos to everyone that puts that bar on their back and in their hands !!!!

    oh and the only time i have an issue with extra weight when lifting is when i do pullups, I tell all the skinny girls around me that i wearing my own built in 30lb weight belt!

    Great advise as to who you compare yourself to!

    Curious do you advocate squatting to parallel or below? I personally believe *kitten* to grass is the way to go!

    I know many of them do- I know I do- I keep video and have posted of all my PRs (and failed attempt's).

    *kitten* to grass is nice- but it doesn't apply to low bar and it also doesn't make it legal or not.

    Breaking parallel is a competition legal squat. period.

    which means it is generally the adequate standard for validating a good squat. I cannot squat *kitten* to grass 235. But I can squat that to breaking parallel. If it's legal for a meet- it's good enough for me.

    Yup, what she said. And at parallel for the non-competitive lifter; it means that you have good quad, hamstring, gluteal, and hip activation.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    jimvic37 wrote: »
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    nope you dont add body weight to your squat weight, but to your advantage, the heavier you, the more relative muscle you have and you can usually lift heavier. ( just a general rule ) that's why competitions have body weight classes.
    everyone is different , dont compare yourself to anyone except your yesterday self.

    however, the one thing that should be noted with squatting is depth, in the "Calling all lifters", i would question how many of them are squatting to depth and breaking parallel.

    Regardless, kudos to everyone that puts that bar on their back and in their hands !!!!

    oh and the only time i have an issue with extra weight when lifting is when i do pullups, I tell all the skinny girls around me that i wearing my own built in 30lb weight belt!

    Great advise as to who you compare yourself to!

    Curious do you advocate squatting to parallel or below? I personally believe *kitten* to grass is the way to go!

    I know many of them do- I know I do- I keep video and have posted of all my PRs (and failed attempt's).

    *kitten* to grass is nice- but it doesn't apply to low bar and it also doesn't make it legal or not.

    Breaking parallel is a competition legal squat. period.

    which means it is generally the adequate standard for validating a good squat. I cannot squat *kitten* to grass 235. But I can squat that to breaking parallel. If it's legal for a meet- it's good enough for me.


    Yes break parallel for a qualifying squat. i dont do ATG unless i have no weight and just loosening up, but i always squat below parallel in training, otherwise it doesn't count.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    it isn't safe for everyone to squat ATG
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    I think you're getting confused by the lb for lb thing?

    For example, if I'm having a slightly tipsy argument with my bf I will say, 'lb for lb I'm stronger'. This is because I can squat just slightly more than my bodyweight and my bf can squat more but his more is a LOT less than his bodyweight.

    At no point would you add any of your bodyweight to the total you squat so the above was the only thing I could think of that might answer your question.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    jimvic37 wrote: »
    SonyaCele wrote: »
    nope you dont add body weight to your squat weight, but to your advantage, the heavier you, the more relative muscle you have and you can usually lift heavier. ( just a general rule ) that's why competitions have body weight classes.
    everyone is different , dont compare yourself to anyone except your yesterday self.

    however, the one thing that should be noted with squatting is depth, in the "Calling all lifters", i would question how many of them are squatting to depth and breaking parallel.

    Regardless, kudos to everyone that puts that bar on their back and in their hands !!!!

    oh and the only time i have an issue with extra weight when lifting is when i do pullups, I tell all the skinny girls around me that i wearing my own built in 30lb weight belt!

    Great advise as to who you compare yourself to!

    Curious do you advocate squatting to parallel or below? I personally believe *kitten* to grass is the way to go!

    I know many of them do- I know I do- I keep video and have posted of all my PRs (and failed attempt's).

    *kitten* to grass is nice- but it doesn't apply to low bar and it also doesn't make it legal or not.

    Breaking parallel is a competition legal squat. period.

    which means it is generally the adequate standard for validating a good squat. I cannot squat *kitten* to grass 235. But I can squat that to breaking parallel. If it's legal for a meet- it's good enough for me.

    Agreed...

    For me anything under BW is ATG...but once I get over my BW my goal is to break parallel and at that point I do low bar (typically 180 and above)