Skip to content

barbell wide squat Strength Standards

Quick Answer barbell wide squat

A 180 lb male with an Intermediate-level barbell wide squat of 269 lbs ranks at the 50th percentile (FVCP), stronger than ~50% of lifters. An Advanced lifter at this weight lifts 343 lbs (1.91x bodyweight).

FitnessVolt Competition Percentile (FVCP), based on 2.5M+ verified competition results

barbell wide squat demonstration
Competition-Derived

How strong is your barbell wide squat? Compare your 1RM against standards for 21 bodyweight categories, from Beginner to Elite.

Primary Muscles quads
Equipment barbell
Data Points 71 rows
Difficulty Intermediate
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - Estimated from squat standards using a 0.92x ratio.. These values are derived from verified competition data for the base exercise. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your barbell wide squat?

Your FVCP:
FitnessVolt Competition Percentile, based on 2.5M+ verified results
th percentile
Help improve accuracy for everyone
Share your FVCP with friends
Thanks for contributing! lifters have shared their data for this exercise.
to track your progress over time.

How Much Should You barbell wide squat?

1RM weight (lbs) you should be able to lift at each standard, based on your bodyweight.

BW (lbs) Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
110 68 105 154 211 274
120 80 121 172 232 298
130 92 135 190 252 321
140 104 149 206 271 343
150 115 163 223 291 364
160 127 177 238 309 385
170 138 190 254 327 404
180 149 203 269 343 423
190 160 216 283 360 441
200 171 228 297 375 459
210 181 240 311 391 476
220 192 252 325 407 492
230 202 264 338 420 509
240 212 275 351 435 524
250 222 286 363 449 539
260 231 297 375 463 555
270 241 308 387 476 569
280 250 318 399 489 583
290 259 328 410 501 597
300 268 339 422 514 611
310 277 349 432 526 624

How Does Age Affect barbell wide squat Strength?

How barbell wide squat standards change across different age groups. Values represent a 1RM in lbs.

Age Beginner Novice Intermediate Advanced Elite
15 110 161 224 298 378
20 127 185 257 341 433
25 130 190 264 351 444
30 130 190 264 351 444
35 130 190 264 351 444
40 130 190 264 351 444
45 123 179 250 332 421
50 116 168 235 312 396
55 107 156 217 289 366
60 98 143 199 263 334
65 88 129 179 238 302
70 79 116 161 213 270
75 71 103 144 191 242
80 63 92 129 171 216
85 57 83 115 153 194
90 52 75 104 138 175

What Do barbell wide squat Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning to hit proper depth on the barbell wide 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 wide 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 wide 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 wide 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 wide 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 wide squat

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your barbell wide squat to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the barbell wide 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 your E1RM progress →
Novice → Intermediate Structured Progression
  • Switch from linear to weekly periodization (e.g., light/medium/heavy days).
  • Add a barbell wide 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 wide 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 wide squat under meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform barbell wide squat

["Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.","Hold the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps or rear delts.","Engage your core and keep your chest up as you lower your body down into a squat, pushing your hips back and bending your knees.","Lower until your thighs are parallel to the ground, or as low as you can comfortably go.","Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions."]

Read the complete barbell wide squat guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These barbell wide squat Standards Come From?

These barbell wide squat standards are based on 2.5M+ verified competition results from powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide. Every number comes from a sanctioned meet with certified judges - not self-reported gym lifts. Data is sourced from OpenPowerlifting and other verified competition databases, ensuring accuracy you can trust.

Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Reviewed by the Fitness Volt Editorial Team, certified strength training analysts.

Is Your barbell wide squat Good for Your Weight?

Strength standards help you objectively measure your barbell wide squat performance relative to other lifters of the same bodyweight and sex. Here is how to interpret them:

  1. Find your bodyweight in the left column of the table above.
  2. Look across the row to find which strength level your 1RM falls into.
  3. Use the age tab to see how your strength compares within your age group.
  4. Switch between Male and Female standards using the toggle - each has its own dataset.

If you do not know your 1RM, use the E1RM Calculator to estimate it from any rep set. For example, if you can barbell wide squat 185 lbs for 5 reps, the calculator will estimate your max.

These standards are derived from 2.5M+ competition results across powerlifting, weightlifting, and strongman federations worldwide, combined with community training data.

Frequently Asked Questions

A "good" barbell wide squat depends on your bodyweight, sex, and training experience. As a general benchmark, an Intermediate-level lift (stronger than 50% of lifters) is a solid goal for most recreational athletes. Check the table above for your specific bodyweight.
Most lifters can reach Intermediate level on the barbell wide squat within 1-2 years of consistent training with progressive overload and proper nutrition. Genetics, training program quality, and recovery all play a role.
Yes. Our standards are calculated from 2.5M+ verified competition results and community-reported data. They are adjusted for bodyweight and age to give you an accurate comparison.
These standards are based on raw (unequipped) lifts. If you use supportive equipment like a bench shirt or squat suit, your equipped numbers will be higher than these standards reflect.

Related Exercise Standards

Related Calculators

E1RM Calculator Estimate your one-rep max from any rep set Benchmarks Compare against competition data RPE Chart Training load percentages by RPE