225 lb squat — what bodyweight makes it impressive?

Read down the bodyweight column: the lighter you are, the higher the percentile a fixed 225 lb squat represents, because Strength scales sub-linearly with bodyweight — heavier lifters lift more in absolute terms but less per kilo of bodyweight (Vanderburgh & Batterham 1999, PMID 10613442). The same bar is a top-tier lift at one bodyweight and a working set at another.

What population does this comparison represent?

OpenPowerlifting raw meet results, separated by sex and bodyweight class. It describes recorded competition entries rather than population prevalence, and n is a meet-result count rather than a unique-person count.

How rare is a 225 lb squat?

Among 87,749 raw male OpenPowerlifting meet-result entries, roughly 91% record 225 lb or more after bodyweight-class weighting. Among 48,720 female entries, roughly 64% do. The denominator is competition entries, not the general population — prevalence among all gym-goers is lower than either figure.

Is squatting 225 lb impressive?

It depends on bodyweight. In raw male meet results 225 lb reads around the 68th percentile in the 53 kg class and the 6th in the 140 kg+ class. The tables above give every class in between, for men and women.

How many plates is 225 lb?

On a standard 45 lb barbell, 225 lb is two 45 lb plates per side — "two plates" in gym shorthand. The total includes the bar: 2 × 45 lb × 2 + 45 lb = 225 lb.

What percentage of meet results record 225 lb?

Weighted across 87,749 raw male meet results, roughly 91% record 225 lb or more. Weighted across 48,720 raw female meet results, roughly 64% record 225 lb or more. The share is computed from per-bodyweight-class percentiles weighted by each class's meet-result count in the OpenPowerlifting raw dataset. n counts entries, not unique people, and the result is not a population survey estimate.

Is a 225 lb squat good?

Weighted across 87,749 OpenPowerlifting raw male meet results, roughly 91% record 225 lb (102 kg) or more. This is not a population-prevalence estimate: the denominator is competition entries, n is not a unique-person count, and repeat competitors may contribute more than one result. Bodyweight changes the percentile sharply, so the tables below keep each men's and women's class separate, flag loads beyond the cube's highest breakpoint, and show kilograms beside pounds. Use your class as the answer, then open the percentile calculator for age, equipment, and exact-bodyweight controls.

Updated 2026-08-06 · OpenPowerlifting meet-result data

In OpenPowerlifting, roughly 91% of 87,749 raw male meet results record 225 lb or more after bodyweight-class percentiles are weighted by entry count.

225 lb squat for men percentile by bodyweight

OpenPowerlifting raw meet-result percentile by bodyweight class:

Bodyweight	Percentile	Reads as
53 kg 117 lb	68th	stronger than 68% of raw meet results
59 kg 130 lb	25th	stronger than 25% of raw meet results
66 kg 146 lb	13th	stronger than 13% of raw meet results
74 kg 163 lb	9th	stronger than 9% of raw meet results
83 kg 183 lb	7th	stronger than 7% of raw meet results
93 kg 205 lb	7th	stronger than 7% of raw meet results
105 kg 231 lb	7th	stronger than 7% of raw meet results
120 kg 265 lb	6th	stronger than 6% of raw meet results
140 kg+ 309 lb	6th	stronger than 6% of raw meet results

225 lb squat for women percentile by bodyweight

OpenPowerlifting raw meet-result percentile by bodyweight class:

Bodyweight	Percentile	Reads as
43 kg 95 lb	95th	top 5% of raw meet results
47 kg 104 lb	74th	stronger than 74% of raw meet results
52 kg 115 lb	63rd	stronger than 63% of raw meet results
57 kg 126 lb	46th	stronger than 46% of raw meet results
63 kg 139 lb	40th	stronger than 40% of raw meet results
69 kg 152 lb	31st	stronger than 31% of raw meet results
76 kg 168 lb	27th	stronger than 27% of raw meet results
84 kg 185 lb	27th	stronger than 27% of raw meet results
120 kg+ 265 lb	23rd	stronger than 23% of raw meet results

Where 225 lb stands in the field crossover read

For men, a 225 lb squat is at or below the field median from 59 kg up.

For women, a 225 lb squat is a top-10% lift up to the 43 kg class, at or below the field median from 57 kg up.

Weighted across 87,749 raw male meet results, roughly 91% record 225 lb or more. Weighted across 48,720 raw female meet results, roughly 64% record 225 lb or more.

These are competition-depth back squats: the IPF Technical Rules require the hip crease to drop below the top of the knee. A high squat will read 5–10% above your meet squat, so judge yourself against the standard at legal depth. Vanderburgh & Batterham 1999 explains why the kilos rise with bodyweight while strength-per-kilo falls (PMID 10613442) — read the percentile, not just the absolute number.

FAQ

Is a 225 lb squat good?: It depends on bodyweight. A 225 lb squat ranks much higher in lighter classes than heavier classes. The tables on this page give the percentile at every qualifying bodyweight class in OpenPowerlifting raw meet results.
225 lb squat — what bodyweight makes it impressive?: Read down the bodyweight column: the lighter you are, the higher the percentile a fixed 225 lb squat represents, because Strength scales sub-linearly with bodyweight — heavier lifters lift more in absolute terms but less per kilo of bodyweight (Vanderburgh & Batterham 1999, PMID 10613442). The same bar is a top-tier lift at one bodyweight and a working set at another.
What population does this comparison represent?: OpenPowerlifting raw meet results, separated by sex and bodyweight class. It describes recorded competition entries rather than population prevalence, and n is a meet-result count rather than a unique-person count.
How rare is a 225 lb squat?: Among 87,749 raw male OpenPowerlifting meet-result entries, roughly 91% record 225 lb or more after bodyweight-class weighting. Among 48,720 female entries, roughly 64% do. The denominator is competition entries, not the general population — prevalence among all gym-goers is lower than either figure.
Is squatting 225 lb impressive?: It depends on bodyweight. In raw male meet results 225 lb reads around the 68th percentile in the 53 kg class and the 6th in the 140 kg+ class. The tables above give every class in between, for men and women.
How many plates is 225 lb?: On a standard 45 lb barbell, 225 lb is two 45 lb plates per side — "two plates" in gym shorthand. The total includes the bar: 2 × 45 lb × 2 + 45 lb = 225 lb.
What percentage of meet results record 225 lb?: Weighted across 87,749 raw male meet results, roughly 91% record 225 lb or more. Weighted across 48,720 raw female meet results, roughly 64% record 225 lb or more. The share is computed from per-bodyweight-class percentiles weighted by each class's meet-result count in the OpenPowerlifting raw dataset. n counts entries, not unique people, and the result is not a population survey estimate.

Figures: OpenPowerlifting (public competition meet data (CC0), dataset date 2026-05-10). Cell n is a meet-result count, not a unique-person count. Full method at /method. Check your own lift on the percentile calculator.