About 435 lb (197.5 kg) for one rep. That is the start of the Intermediate level for a 290 lb man: 1.5 times bodyweight, where most people land after a year or so of steady training. A beginner squats about 220 lb, and an elite lifter at the same bodyweight squats 800 lb.
Squat standards for a 290 lb man
| Level | × bodyweight | 1 rep | kg | 5 reps | 10 reps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 0.75× | 220 lb | 100 kg | 190 lb | 165 lb |
| Novice | 1.25× | 365 lb | 165 kg | 315 lb | 275 lb |
| Intermediate | 1.5× | 435 lb | 197.5 kg | 375 lb | 325 lb |
| Advanced | 2.25× | 655 lb | 297.5 kg | 560 lb | 490 lb |
| Elite | 2.75× | 800 lb | 362.5 kg | 685 lb | 600 lb |
The 5- and 10-rep columns are what each one-rep max lets you lift for that many reps, so you can check your level from a normal working set. Hitting 375 lb for 5 clean reps puts you at about 435 lb for one.
Work out your own level from a set
Say you squat 365 lb for 6 reps. The Epley formula, 365 × (1 + 6 ÷ 30), puts your max at about 438 lb — Intermediate for a 290 lb man. Put your own set into the one-rep max calculator, or check every lift at once with the strength standards calculator, already set to 290 lb.
How 290 lb compares to nearby bodyweights
| Bodyweight | Beginner | Novice | Intermediate | Advanced | Elite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 270 lb | 205 | 340 | 405 | 610 | 745 |
| 280 lb | 210 | 350 | 420 | 630 | 770 |
| 290 lb | 220 | 365 | 435 | 655 | 800 |
| 300 lb | 225 | 375 | 450 | 675 | 825 |
Every 10 lb of bodyweight moves the intermediate mark by about 15 lb. Standards scale with bodyweight because a heavier lifter usually carries more muscle, but a lighter lifter at the same ratio is just as strong for their size.
What it takes to reach the next level
| From → to | Add | At 10 lb a month | Loaded on the bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner → Novice | 145 lb | 15 months | 3 × 45 + 1 × 25 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Novice → Intermediate | 70 lb | 7 months | 4 × 45 + 1 × 10 + 1 × 5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Intermediate → Advanced | 220 lb | 22 months | 6 × 45 + 1 × 35 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
| Advanced → Elite | 145 lb | 15 months | 8 × 45 + 1 × 10 + 1 × 5 + 1 × 2.5 lb on each side of a 45 lb bar |
The months column assumes you keep adding 10 lb a month, which is a fair pace for a steady lifter past the novice stage; beginners usually move much faster and advanced lifters slower. To train toward 655 lb (Advanced), most of your work sits around 70–85% of it: sets of 5 to 8 at 460–525 lb and heavy triples near 555 lb. Brace before you descend, sit to at least parallel, and drive your back up as fast as your hips.
What the levels mean
Beginner: 220 lb
Can do the lift with good form and has trained it for a few weeks. Most people reach this in their first month.
Novice: 365 lb
Has trained it regularly for several months and still adds weight most sessions or most weeks.
Intermediate: 435 lb
A year or more of consistent training. Progress has slowed to weekly or monthly jumps, and a plan starts to matter.
Advanced: 655 lb
Several years of focused training. Stronger than almost everyone in a typical gym, and every extra pound takes a block of work.
Elite: 800 lb
Competitive strength: what people who train for meets reach after many years. Few lifters ever get here.
Questions
How much should a 290 lb man squat?
A 290 lb man should squat about 435 lb (197.5 kg) for one rep to count as intermediate — 1.5× bodyweight. A beginner lifts about 220 lb, a novice 365 lb, an advanced lifter 655 lb and an elite one 800 lb.
Is a 315 lb squat good for a 290 lb man?
Yes — 315 lb is Beginner for a 290 lb man (1.09× bodyweight). The next level, Novice, starts at 365 lb.
What is an elite squat for a 290 lb man?
800 lb (362.5 kg), which is 2.75× bodyweight. Advanced starts at 655 lb, so the last step is 145 lb on its own.
How do I find my squat max without testing a single?
Lift a weight you can move for 3 to 8 clean reps and put it through the Epley formula. 365 lb for 6 reps works out to a 438 lb max, which is Intermediate at 290 lb.
Keep going
- Squat standards for every bodyweight, men and women
- How much should a 290 lb man bench?
- How much should a 290 lb man deadlift?
- How much should a 290 lb man overhead press?
- How to do the squat, step by step
- Barbell leg workouts
- Leg day workout
- Upper/lower split or push pull legs to build a week around it
- Plates for 435 lb · Warm-up sets calculator
- How competitive powerlifters compare: real meet results by bodyweight
Splyt logs every set, estimates your max from it automatically and shows where each lift sits for your bodyweight: get it free on the App Store.
Standards are one-rep-max-to-bodyweight ratios that published tables (Strength Level, ExRx, Symmetric Strength) cluster around for adults. A guide to where you sit, not a verdict. Kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg, pounds to 5 lb.