Is a 225 lb squat good?
Weighted across 87,749 OpenPowerlifting raw male meet results, roughly 91% record 225 lb (102 kg) or more. Bodyweight changes the answer more than anything else, so the tables below give the percentile for every men's and women's class, in kg and lb.
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.
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.
225 lb squat for men
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 |
| 120 kg+ 265 lb+ | 6th | stronger than 6% of raw meet results |
225 lb squat for women
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 |
| 84 kg+ 185 lb+ | 23rd | stronger than 23% of raw meet results |
Where 225 lb stands in the field
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. Compare against these standards using the same depth; there is no universal conversion from a high squat to a competition-depth squat. 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?
- A 225 lb squat ranks much higher in lighter classes than heavier classes — bodyweight decides. 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?
- In raw male meet results 225 lb reads around the 68th percentile in the 53 kg class and the 6th in the 120 kg+ class — bodyweight decides how impressive it is. 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.