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what % of your bodyweight do you squat?

13

Replies

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    115%.for.10.reps
  • spicegeek
    spicegeek Posts: 325 Member
    I have to get on the scale and check my BW but I think today I squatted 100% of my body weight - 5 reps ( 188 lb ) - full range of motion - not the half squats a lot of people do - I had the worse squat form for EVER - mostly because my long distance running was really tightening me up even with obsessive foam rolling.

    I do not feel I`m even close to my max yet I an still adding 10lb every 2 weeks. I started with the bar - or very little weight on the bar - I forget
  • ythannah
    ythannah Posts: 4,384 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.

    :)

    Much better, otherwise I'd have been forced to reply "10%".

    Part of the problem is that I'm unable to maintain any kind of form using a bar so I'm stuck with goblet squats. I'm limited in how far I could go since I have to lift at home and I don't have a rack. I'm not progressing anywhere near lifting "heavy" anyway... something's not working.

    Oh well. At least I'm moving my *kitten*. :laugh:
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    I just got back from a long shift at work and glad to see my thread is still alive :D
    Thank you to everyone who responded, i'm hitting the hay now but can't wait to read all of your responses tomorrow :)
  • VBnotbitter
    VBnotbitter Posts: 820 Member
    I'm about 40% after lifting for nine months or so with new rules now stronglifts. I had got up to 70% but deloaded a couple of times following training breaks.

    For some reason I'm being a bit of a wuss at increasing my weights and its purely mental not a physical barrier. So thanks for posting this as its good to see where others are at.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
    I started at 50% of my BW last year.. stopped for awhile, now back to doing 50% 5x5. Hoping to up that this weekend :D
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    95%ish for working weight, 120% for 1 RM
  • darkguardian419
    darkguardian419 Posts: 1,302 Member
    300% before I was OOC for 6 months, now I'm at 200-250%
  • spirit095
    spirit095 Posts: 1,017 Member
    I literally just started SL on Wednesday, so I'm only squatting the bar atm. That's around 40% of my bw so I'm going to take it slow and build up. One day I'll get to 100% haha
  • c2111
    c2111 Posts: 693 Member
    50% 5 sets of 10 :)
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    work set weight vary greatly anywhere from 70-90% so I'll just put 1rm numbers.

    1rm of 210kg at 85kg BW = 250%. (462lbs at 187lbs BW)
    Also did 200kg at 80kg a few months before that one. (440lbs at 176lbs)
  • westendcurls
    westendcurls Posts: 252 Member
    I have been doing SL 5x5 for a short bit now. I'm currently at 88% BW
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    143% ..

    175 pound body weight at 250# squat…

    probably could do more on one rep max but have not tried...
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    The last few times I lifted I was at 88% of bw (115/130) for 5 reps. At the end I added 5 pounds so 120/130 (92%) on the last set.

    But I haven't been to the gym in 3+ weeks ... I'm dealing with morning sickness and exhaustion of the 1st trimester of pregnancy. I plan on getting back to the gym as soon as I can (but putting health first!) but I expect to drop the weight down to probably 100 to start and see how that goes. But I will be one of those pregnant women lifting heavy stuff, as long as there is nothing to cause concern (excellent OB who encourages physical activity)
  • LTKeegan
    LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
    My 5rm backsquat is 155# and I weight 135, so 115% :)
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 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!

    thank you for explaining. I don't know why i thought that a lot of people can start out squatting their own body weight or close to it. but for some reason i got that into my head and i was wondering why i had to start out so low. Now i see that this is normal for a newb & i am progressing about the same as everyone else. :)
  • Dalker
    Dalker Posts: 44 Member
    Started with the bar which was 40% and got up to bodyweight after stronglifts. Then I fell off the wagon for a while. Now on 45 kg which is 90%. So close but it's starting to feel hard! I'm doing 5/3/1 now and the total volume of squats is less so I'm probably nowhere near doing 5x5 for bodyweight. It's nice to make progress and I no longer hate the squat the way I started to after stronglifts.
  • Dalker
    Dalker Posts: 44 Member
    It's also really nice to see what other people are squatting in terms of %bodyweight. I'm always beating myself up cause my lifts are tiny but I'm only little (5'0) so I shouldn't expect miracles :)
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
    20%. I guess I could lift heavier but I'd need heavier weights..
  • marvybells
    marvybells Posts: 1,984 Member
    Started with the bar which was 40% and got up to bodyweight after stronglifts. Then I fell off the wagon for a while. Now on 45 kg which is 90%. So close but it's starting to feel hard! I'm doing 5/3/1 now and the total volume of squats is less so I'm probably nowhere near doing 5x5 for bodyweight. It's nice to make progress and I no longer hate the squat the way I started to after stronglifts.

    so did you start to stall out on squats with stronglifts, is that why you switched programs?

    I have some fractional plates so when 5lbs starts being too much i'm going to increase by 2.5 lbs and see how i do. If i keep stalling anyway then i will likely switch to 5/3/1
  • Dalker
    Dalker Posts: 44 Member
    Started with the bar which was 40% and got up to bodyweight after stronglifts. Then I fell off the wagon for a while. Now on 45 kg which is 90%. So close but it's starting to feel hard! I'm doing 5/3/1 now and the total volume of squats is less so I'm probably nowhere near doing 5x5 for bodyweight. It's nice to make progress and I no longer hate the squat the way I started to after stronglifts.

    so did you start to stall out on squats with stronglifts, is that why you switched programs?

    I have some fractional plates so when 5lbs starts being too much i'm going to increase by 2.5 lbs and see how i do. If i keep stalling anyway then i will likely switch to 5/3/1




    I stopped stronglifts after I started to stall out. I could have probably kept going a little longer but I was starting to get bored of the routine and this was affecting my commitment. I took a break shortly after as I got injured and then just never quite managed to make it back. I think it would have benefited me to return to stronglifts as it does seem to give you a faster progress but I really like 5/3/1 and I figure I'm in it for the long haul.

    Stronglifts is great though and I'd use the fractional plates, they help
  • SelkathNuggets
    SelkathNuggets Posts: 37 Member
    40%. I'm still relatively new to squats, and while I bet I could do a lot more I prefer to incrementally increase it so I don't get injured.
  • Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel
    Slinky_BraveHeartBunsOfSteel Posts: 11,016 Member
    61% if my calculations are correct! I'm 143lbs and squat 88lbs (20kg bar+20kgs) :)
  • thinklivebefree
    thinklivebefree Posts: 328 Member
    225%
  • zozo_r
    zozo_r Posts: 1
    i started out at like 30kg so 55lbs roughy i weighed 140 , i squat 80kg (175lbs) for reps now and i weigh 135
  • RECowgill
    RECowgill Posts: 881 Member
    Squat is my weakest, but not because I'm not applying myself. I started at maybe 30% of my bodyweight and currently do about 110% as a 1RM (250lbs). I squat with injuries- a herniated disc and shin problems, so I can't go as heavy as I want, yet.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 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 :)

    Only if you are stalling. 5/3/1 is a very slow progressing program. I would stay on 5x5 or Starting Strength as long as possible. Then try a weekly program. Stay with that as long as possible, then go to 5/3/1. In 5x5 and SS, you add weight 3x/week. Texas method is a nice weekly variation where you increase weight once a week. 5/3/1 is once a month. I guess it isn't bad to go once a month, but if you are capable of 3x / week (new and/or young) then you should stick with that as long as possible. I think a lot of folks switch to 5/3/1 before they max out on the more frequent programs. I'm old, so 5/3/1 was a fairly quick switch for me.

    A great book on programming is Mark Rippetoe's Practical programing for strength. Great read.

    Tom

    Oh, if guys are allowed, I'm at 160% for 1RM. 134% for a 5RM.
  • ModernNerd
    ModernNerd Posts: 336 Member
    Started with the bar, 43% of my weight, and just recently reached 104% :bigsmile:
  • EpsilonGamma
    EpsilonGamma Posts: 96
    If I am doing 3x5 then I do 1.52x bodyweight.
  • xZITAx
    xZITAx Posts: 32 Member
    I can squat my 65kg body weight.... 6-8 reps then I reduce it in drop sets!! Quite proud of that I am! ????
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