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Barbell Hack Squat strength standards

What is a good Barbell Hack Squat?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate Barbell Hack Squat is about 296 lb (1.64x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 404 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 296 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 404 lb Advanced standard
Gym median Separate tab Self-reported, not blended
Check My Level Estimate Your 1RM Methodology
Evidence ledger No blended rankings
Primary source FitnessVolt standards model
Available views Standards
Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels

Competition results, gym submissions, and reader logs stay labeled separately so the ranking source is clear.

Quick Answer Barbell Hack Squat

A solid (Intermediate) Barbell Hack Squat for a 180 lb male is about 296 lb (1.64x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own Barbell Hack Squat into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 404 lb (2.24x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

Barbell Hack Squat demonstration
Estimated Standards

How strong is your Barbell Hack Squat? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles Calves, Quadriceps, Glutes, Hamstrings
Equipment Barbell
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

How Strong Is Your Barbell Hack Squat?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 296 lbs (1.64x bodyweight) on the Barbell Hack Squat ranks Intermediate on the FVCP competition scale, stronger than ~50% of verified competition lifters at this bodyweight. Enter your own numbers above to see where you stand.

That clears the median for this bodyweight and gives you a useful benchmark for the next tier.

Over 40? Our calculator also reports an age-adjusted percentile and an age-30 equivalent using the McCulloch age factor, so masters lifters are compared to lifters their own age. See the age-adjusted (Masters 40+) standards below for the full breakdown.

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
Your FVCP:
Age-adjusted percentile
lb Age-30 equivalent 1RM

FVCP competition ranking, shown separately from gym percentiles and reader logs
th percentile

Illustrative: a normal-distribution model anchored to the real Beginner to Elite percentile thresholds for your bodyweight. The marker shows where your lift falls, not a measured frequency count.

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Share your FVCP with friends
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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

We do not have enough reader-submitted Barbell Hack Squat entries yet to publish a stable crowd benchmark. Until then, this panel shows the Intermediate standards baseline only:

296 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
1.64x x Bodyweight

Baseline figures for a 180 lb male at Intermediate level, from the standards table. This is not reader-submitted data. So far readers have logged a lift here.

Enter your numbers above first. We publish reader benchmarks only after a sample threshold is met.

How Much Should You Barbell Hack Squat?

Use this table to find the standard closest to your bodyweight. The tiers are standards, not claims about reader submissions.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM scales with bodyweight at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 55 103 170 253 348
120 66 118 190 277 376
130 78 134 209 300 403
140 89 149 227 322 429
150 101 163 245 344 453
160 112 178 263 364 477
170 123 192 280 384 500
180 134 205 296 404 522
190 145 219 312 422 543
200 156 232 328 440 563
210 166 245 343 458 583
220 176 257 358 475 603
230 187 269 372 492 621
240 197 281 386 508 639
250 207 293 400 524 657
260 216 305 413 539 674
270 226 316 427 554 691
280 235 327 439 569 707
290 244 338 452 583 723
300 253 349 464 597 739
310 262 359 476 611 754

Is Your Barbell Hack Squat Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good Barbell Hack Squat at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) Barbell Hack Squat is about 296 lb (1.64x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 404 lb (2.24x), and Elite is 522 lb (2.9x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) Barbell Hack Squat is about 105 lb (0.75x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 147 lb (1.05x), and Elite is 194 lb (1.39x).

How Much Should You Be Able to Barbell Hack Squat?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 296 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 134 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 105 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 43 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 245 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 358 lb at an Intermediate level. Find your exact bodyweight in the table above.

By age (men): at an Intermediate level a 30 year old male lifts about 278 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 247 lb. See the By Age tab for every age band.

FitnessVolt standards, with FVCP competition rankings shown separately from gym percentiles

How Does Age Affect Barbell Hack Squat Strength?

How Barbell Hack Squat standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

How a male lifter's expected 1RM changes with age at each level. Exact numbers in the table below.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 94 155 237 335 444
20 107 178 271 383 509
25 110 183 278 393 522
30 110 183 278 393 522
35 110 183 278 393 522
40 110 183 278 393 522
45 104 173 264 373 495
50 98 163 247 350 465
55 91 150 229 324 430
60 83 137 209 296 392
65 75 124 189 267 354
70 67 111 169 240 318
75 60 99 151 214 284
80 54 89 135 192 254
85 48 80 121 172 228
90 43 72 109 155 206

What Do Barbell Hack Squat Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning to hit proper depth on the Barbell Hack Squat, building ankle and hip mobility, and developing the bracing pattern needed to keep your torso upright under load.

Novice

Stronger than 20% of lifters. You can execute the Barbell Hack Squat with consistent depth and bracing. You are adding weight session to session using linear progression and building foundational leg strength.

Intermediate

Stronger than 50% of lifters. Your Barbell Hack Squat technique is solid through heavy loads. You use periodized programming, understand RPE-based autoregulation, and can grind through sticking points without form breakdown.

Advanced

Stronger than 80% of lifters. You have refined your Barbell Hack Squat stance, bar position, and breathing to maximize leverage. You train with block periodization, manage fatigue across training cycles, and likely compete or train at a competitive level.

Elite

Stronger than 95% of lifters. Your Barbell Hack Squat is at a regional or national competitive standard. You have years of structured peaking cycles behind you and have optimized every technical detail from walkout to lockout.

How to Progress Your Barbell Hack Squat

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your Barbell Hack Squat to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the Barbell Hack Squat 2x per week, focusing on hitting consistent depth every rep.
  • Use linear progression: add 5 lbs each session as long as form stays solid.
  • Record sets at RPE 6-7 to build volume without excessive fatigue.
  • Prioritize ankle and hip mobility work before each session.
Track progress with the one rep max calculator →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Switch from linear to weekly periodization (e.g., light/medium/heavy days).
  • Add a Barbell Hack Squat variation (pause squats, tempo squats) for weak-point work.
  • Keep most working sets at RPE 7-8, with occasional top singles at RPE 9.
  • Start tracking your training volume (sets x reps x load) week to week.
Plan your RPE-based sessions →
Intermediate → Advanced Periodized Training Blocks
  • Run 4-6 week training blocks with planned intensity peaks and deloads.
  • Use RPE 8-9 for primary sets, RPE 7 for backoff volume.
  • Address specific sticking points with targeted accessory work.
  • Manage fatigue: total weekly sets of 12-20 for the Barbell Hack Squat movement pattern.
Program your backoff sets →
Advanced → Elite Competition-Level Peaking
  • Run structured peaking cycles (8-12 weeks) leading to maximal attempts.
  • Fine-tune technique details: walkout, descent speed, breath timing.
  • Use the RPE chart to hit precise percentages during peaking blocks.
  • Consider competing to test your Barbell Hack Squat under meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform Barbell Hack Squat

  1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell placed behind your legs.
  2. Bend at the knees and hips to grasp the barbell with an overhand grip.
  3. Keep your back straight and chest up as you lift the barbell by extending your hips and knees.
  4. Stand fully upright, squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
  5. Lower the barbell back to the starting position by bending your knees and hips.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
  7. Inhale as you lower the barbell, exhale as you lift.

Read the complete Barbell Hack Squat guide on FitnessVolt →

Tips for Barbell Hack Squat

  • Maintain a neutral spine throughout the exercise to avoid lower back strain.
  • Ensure the barbell stays close to your legs to reduce pressure on your lower back.
  • Do not lock out your knees at the top of the movement to keep tension on the muscles.
  • Start with a lighter weight to master the form before progressing to heavier loads.

Where Do These Barbell Hack Squat Standards Come From?

FitnessVolt keeps each data population labeled. Competition percentiles use verified raw meet results where available. Gym percentile tabs use self-reported Symmetric Strength data. Reader-submitted benchmarks appear only after enough entries are logged for this lift.

Standards data last refreshed: March 29, 2026

Is Your Barbell Hack Squat Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your Barbell Hack Squat against clearly labeled standards and percentile datasets. Here is the cleanest way to read it:

  1. Start with Standards to find the tier closest to your bodyweight.
  2. Use Gym Percentiles when you want self-reported gym comparisons.
  3. Use Competition for verified meet-result percentiles where the lift supports it.
  4. Use By Age when age-segmented gym data is available.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the one rep max calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can Barbell Hack Squat 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

The important rule: do not mix the tabs. Standards, gym percentiles, competition percentiles, and reader logs answer different questions.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" Barbell Hack Squat depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training background. The Intermediate tier is a useful first serious target, while Advanced and Elite represent much harder standards. Use the table above for the number closest to your bodyweight.
Many lifters can reach the Intermediate tier on the Barbell Hack Squat after steady training, but the timeline depends on starting point, technique, programming, recovery, and bodyweight changes. Treat the tier as a benchmark, not a deadline.
Yes. Competition views use verified meet-result data where available, gym percentile views use self-reported gym cohorts, and reader-submitted benchmarks are shown only after enough entries are logged. The populations are labeled separately.
For weighted lifts, enter a clean raw 1RM or an estimated 1RM from a recent hard set. For rep-based movements, enter controlled full-range reps. Avoid equipped lifts, partial reps, or bounced reps unless you are comparing against the same style every time.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

One Rep Max Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE
Written by Tom Miller, CSCS · Reviewed by Editorial Team
Tom Miller, CSCS, is a Sr. Editor & Content Strategist with 10 years of experience in Powerlifting and Personal Training. As a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, he is dedicated to delivering informative, engaging, and reliable health and fitness content. His work has been featured on websites including the-sun.com, Well+Good, Bleacher Report, Muscle and Fitness, UpJourney, Business Insider, NewsBreak and more.