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dumbbell single leg squat strength standards

What is a good dumbbell single leg squat?

For a 180 lb male, an Intermediate dumbbell single leg squat is about 58 lb (0.32x bodyweight). Advanced starts around 75 lb. Enter your own bodyweight below to get the exact standard and FVCP rank.

Good target 58 lb Intermediate at 180 lb
Next tier 75 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 dumbbell single leg squat

A solid (Intermediate) dumbbell single leg squat for a 180 lb male is about 58 lb (0.32x bodyweight). Use the calculator below to convert your own dumbbell single leg squat into an FVCP percentile for your bodyweight. An Advanced lifter at this weight reaches 75 lb (0.42x bodyweight).

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

dumbbell single leg squat demonstration
Estimated Standards

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

Primary Muscles glutes
Equipment dumbbell
Standards Coverage 21 bodyweights × 5 levels
Difficulty Advanced
Type Compound

Estimated Standards - The level table for this exercise is modeled from FitnessVolt strength ratios for a related base lift, not from direct measurements of this movement. Learn about our methodology

How Strong Is Your dumbbell single leg squat?

Intermediate (competition scale)
Typical FVCP: 50th percentile
A 180 lb male lifting 58 lbs (0.32x bodyweight) on the dumbbell single leg 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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to track your progress over time.

Reader Data Is Still Building

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

58 lb Typical 1RM (Intermediate)
0.32x 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 dumbbell single leg 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 15 23 33 46 60
120 17 26 37 50 65
130 20 29 41 55 70
140 23 32 45 59 75
150 25 35 48 63 79
160 28 38 52 67 84
170 30 41 55 71 88
180 32 44 58 75 92
190 35 47 62 78 96
200 37 50 65 82 100
210 39 52 68 85 103
220 42 55 71 88 107
230 44 57 73 91 111
240 46 60 76 95 114
250 48 62 79 98 117
260 50 65 82 101 121
270 52 67 84 103 124
280 54 69 87 106 127
290 56 71 89 109 130
300 58 74 92 112 133
310 60 76 94 114 136

Is Your dumbbell single leg squat Good?

A quick read on what counts as a good dumbbell single leg squat at each level, for a typical male and female lifter.

Men (180 lb): a good (Intermediate) dumbbell single leg squat is about 58 lb (0.32x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 75 lb (0.42x), and Elite is 92 lb (0.51x).

Women (140 lb): a good (Intermediate) dumbbell single leg squat is about 32 lb (0.23x bodyweight). Advanced lifters hit 44 lb (0.31x), and Elite is 58 lb (0.41x).

How Much Should You Be Able to dumbbell single leg squat?

Men: a 180 lb male should lift about 58 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 32 lb).

Women: a 140 lb female should lift about 32 lb at an Intermediate level (a beginner target is around 14 lb).

By bodyweight (men): A 150 lb lifter lifts about 48 lb, and a 220 lb lifter lifts about 71 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 57 lb, while by age 50 the Intermediate standard is about 51 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 dumbbell single leg squat Strength?

How dumbbell single leg 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 24 35 49 65 82
20 28 40 56 74 94
25 28 41 57 76 97
30 28 41 57 76 97
35 28 41 57 76 97
40 28 41 57 76 97
45 27 39 54 72 92
50 25 37 51 68 86
55 23 34 47 63 80
60 21 31 43 57 73
65 19 28 39 52 66
70 17 25 35 46 59
75 15 22 31 42 53
80 14 20 28 37 47
85 12 18 25 33 42
90 11 16 23 30 38

What Do dumbbell single leg squat Strength Standards Mean?

Beginner

Stronger than 5% of lifters. You are learning to hit proper depth on the dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg squat

Tier-specific training recommendations to move your dumbbell single leg squat to the next level.

Beginner → Novice Building Your Foundation
  • Train the dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg squat under meet conditions.
View RPE-to-percentage chart →

How to Perform dumbbell single leg squat

["Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand.","Extend one leg forward and keep it off the ground throughout the exercise.","Bend your standing leg and lower your body down as if sitting back into a chair.","Keep your chest up and your back straight.","Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heel to return to the starting position.","Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch legs."]

Read the complete dumbbell single leg squat guide on FitnessVolt →

Where Do These dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg squat Good for Your Weight?

Use this page to compare your dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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" dumbbell single leg 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 dumbbell single leg 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.

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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.