This page is the squat chapter of the Hardy Strength Progression Report, built from 5,931 lifters who logged the barbell squat in at least 3 workouts. It shows how long the plate milestones really take, how fast the lift goes up in the first year, and what a typical lifter who tracks their training squats.
How many people can squat 315?
5,931 lifters who logged the squat in at least 3 workouts. Milestones under 0.5% are not shown.
Of the 5,931 Hardy lifters who logged the squat in at least 3 workouts, 74% have squatted 135 lb / 60 kg for at least one rep, 30% have squatted 225 lb / 100 kg, 7% have squatted 315 lb / 140 kg and 1% have squatted 405 lb / 180 kg. Of those who started below 315 and were still logging a year later, 7% reached it within 12 months. These are people who chose a strength tracking app and kept logging, so they are stronger than the average gym-goer, and the report knows nothing about bodyweight, age or sex. Claims like "only 1% of people can squat 315" use the whole population as the denominator; this is the share among people who actually train and track it.
How long it takes to reach each squat milestone
Squat: share of lifters who had reached each plate milestone, by months of logged training
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb)
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb)
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb)
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb)
Only lifters who started below the milestone and were still logging at that month are counted. A milestone counts when the weight was actually lifted for at least one rep, not estimated.
View the data table
Months since first logged session
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb)
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb)
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb)
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb)
1
14%
5%
1%
0%
2
25%
9%
2%
0%
3
32%
14%
3%
0%
4
36%
16%
4%
0%
5
40%
18%
4%
1%
6
42%
19%
5%
1%
7
44%
21%
5%
1%
8
45%
21%
5%
1%
9
47%
23%
6%
1%
10
49%
23%
6%
1%
11
50%
25%
6%
1%
12
52%
26%
7%
2%
13
53%
27%
7%
2%
14
53%
28%
7%
2%
15
55%
29%
8%
2%
16
56%
30%
8%
2%
17
57%
31%
8%
2%
18
57%
31%
9%
2%
19
58%
32%
9%
2%
20
57%
32%
9%
2%
21
60%
33%
10%
2%
22
61%
33%
10%
2%
23
61%
35%
11%
2%
24
62%
35%
11%
2%
25
62%
36%
11%
2%
26
65%
37%
12%
2%
27
67%
39%
12%
2%
28
66%
38%
13%
2%
29
68%
38%
13%
2%
30
74%
39%
15%
2%
31
72%
40%
16%
2%
32
70%
40%
17%
1%
33
67%
42%
17%
2%
34
71%
41%
17%
1%
35
45%
19%
2%
36
42%
26%
3%
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb): of the 1,639 lifters who started below it, 52% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 62% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Among the 720 lifters who reached it, the median took 1.8 months and 6 squat sessions, most of them having started close to it.
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb): of the 3,675 lifters who started below it, 26% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 35% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting at 1 plate or more, 41% got there within a year; starting below 1 plate, 6% did. Among the 757 lifters who reached it, the median took 2.5 months and 8 squat sessions, most of them having started close to it.
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb): of the 4,304 lifters who started below it, 7% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 11% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting at 2 plates or more, 34% got there within a year; starting below 2 plates, 2% did. Among the 228 lifters who reached it, the median took 3.6 months and 12 squat sessions, most of them having started close to it.
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb): of the 4,402 lifters who started below it, 2% of those still logging a year later had reached it within 12 months, and 2% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Among the 52 lifters who reached it, the median took 5.6 months and 15 squat sessions, most of them having started close to it.
Milestones are counted from the first logged session of that lift. Only lifters who started below the milestone are included; the 12- and 24-month columns only count lifters who were still logging at that point. The median is shown only where at least 50 lifters reached the milestone, and it is a survivor statistic: most who got there started within one plate of it.
Lift
Milestone
Lifters who started below
Reached within 12 months
Reached within 24 months
Median months (of those who reached it)
Squat
1 plate (60 kg / 135 lb)
1,639
52%
62%
1.8
Squat
2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb)
3,675
26%
35%
2.5
Squat
3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb)
4,304
7%
11%
3.6
Squat
4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb)
4,402
2%
2%
5.6
Reaching 2 plates depends on where you start
Squat: reaching 2 plates (100 kg / 225 lb) by starting strength
Started below 1 plate
Started at 1 plate or more
View the data table
Months since first logged session
Started below 1 plate
Started at 1 plate or more
1
0%
8%
2
0%
17%
3
1%
24%
4
2%
28%
5
2%
31%
6
3%
32%
7
4%
33%
8
4%
35%
9
4%
36%
10
5%
38%
11
5%
40%
12
6%
41%
13
7%
42%
14
7%
44%
15
7%
46%
16
7%
48%
17
8%
49%
18
8%
49%
19
9%
49%
20
8%
51%
21
9%
50%
22
11%
50%
23
11%
52%
24
11%
52%
25
12%
54%
26
12%
55%
27
13%
57%
28
12%
55%
29
10%
56%
30
12%
57%
31
11%
58%
32
10%
58%
33
12%
62%
34
10%
64%
35
67%
Reaching 3 plates depends on where you start
Squat: reaching 3 plates (140 kg / 315 lb) by starting strength
Started below 2 plates
Started at 2 plates or more
View the data table
Months since first logged session
Started below 2 plates
Started at 2 plates or more
1
0%
5%
2
0%
10%
3
0%
17%
4
1%
20%
5
1%
21%
6
1%
23%
7
1%
23%
8
1%
25%
9
2%
26%
10
1%
30%
11
1%
29%
12
2%
34%
13
2%
34%
14
2%
36%
15
2%
38%
16
2%
37%
17
2%
38%
18
2%
39%
19
2%
40%
20
2%
42%
21
3%
42%
22
3%
43%
23
3%
45%
24
3%
45%
25
3%
46%
26
4%
46%
27
4%
48%
28
5%
49%
29
5%
48%
30
5%
50%
31
5%
52%
32
5%
56%
33
6%
34
7%
35
8%
36
11%
Reaching 4 plates depends on where you start
Squat: reaching 4 plates (180 kg / 405 lb) by starting strength
Started below 3 plates
Started at 3 plates or more
View the data table
Months since first logged session
Started below 3 plates
Started at 3 plates or more
1
0%
9%
2
0%
12%
3
0%
16%
4
0%
16%
5
0%
19%
6
0%
7
0%
8
0%
9
1%
10
1%
11
1%
12
1%
13
1%
14
1%
15
1%
16
1%
17
1%
18
1%
19
1%
20
1%
21
1%
22
1%
23
1%
24
1%
25
1%
26
1%
27
1%
28
1%
29
1%
30
2%
31
1%
32
1%
33
1%
34
1%
35
1%
36
2%
How fast the squat goes up
Squat: median estimated 1RM gain by starting strength
Started at 0-40 kg
Started at 40-60 kg
Started at 60-100 kg
Started at 100-140 kg
Started at 140-180 kg
Estimated 1RM uses the Epley formula on the best set of each session (10 reps or fewer). Gains are relative to the lifter's first month.
View the data table
Months of logged training
Started at 0-40 kg
Started at 40-60 kg
Started at 60-100 kg
Started at 100-140 kg
Started at 140-180 kg
1 mo
5.7 kg
6 kg
5.3 kg
4.8 kg
1.5 kg
3 mo
11.7 kg
13 kg
8.8 kg
6.9 kg
2.4 kg
6 mo
17.3 kg
17.5 kg
10.6 kg
8.4 kg
2.1 kg
12 mo
22.4 kg
12 kg
8.8 kg
Squat: estimated 1RM change after N months, all starting levels. Interquartile range shows the middle half of lifters.
After
Lifters
Median gain
Middle 50%
Median gain %
No gain or lost strength
1 month
3,515
5.1 kg (11 lb)
0 to 11 kg
6%
30%
3 months
1,965
8.5 kg (19 lb)
0 to 18.1 kg
10%
26%
6 months
1,190
10.9 kg (24 lb)
0 to 22.1 kg
12%
27%
12 months
702
11.7 kg (26 lb)
-2.9 to 27 kg
13%
31%
How much a typical lifter squats
The median best estimated squat 1RM among Hardy users is 93.3 kg (206 lb). A quarter of lifters are below 69.6 kg (153 lb), the top 10% are above 147.6 kg (325 lb) and the top 1% above 204 kg (450 lb). 30% have lifted 100 kg or more for at least one rep and 7% have lifted 140 kg or more.
Best estimated 1RM per lifter, across everyone who logged the lift in at least 3 sessions. These are app users who track their training, not the general population.
Lift
Lifters
Bottom 10%
25th percentile
Median
75th percentile
Top 10%
Top 1%
Squat
5,931
47.5 kg (105 lb)
69.6 kg (153 lb)
93.3 kg (206 lb)
120.7 kg (266 lb)
147.6 kg (325 lb)
204 kg (450 lb)
Want to know where you stand? Estimate your max with the Squat 1RM calculator from any recent hard set, and read the methodology for how these numbers were produced.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can squat 315?
Among 5,931 Hardy users who logged the squat in at least 3 workouts, 7% have squatted 315 lb / 140 kg for at least one rep, and 1% have squatted 405 lb / 180 kg. That is the share among people who train and track their lifting, not the general population, and it ignores bodyweight, age and sex.
How long does it take to squat 225 lb (100 kg)?
Of Hardy users who started below 100 kg / 225 lb and kept logging for a year, 26% reached it within 12 months, and 35% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting from 1 plate or more, the one-year odds were 41%. Among lifters who reached it, the median was 2.5 months of logging (middle half: 1.2 to 6.2 months), but most of them started within a plate of it.
How long does it take to squat 315 lb (140 kg)?
Of Hardy users who started below 140 kg / 315 lb and kept logging for a year, 7% reached it within 12 months, and 11% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Starting from 2 plates or more, the one-year odds were 34%. Among lifters who reached it, the median was 3.6 months of logging (middle half: 1.6 to 9.3 months), but most of them started within a plate of it.
How long does it take to squat 405 lb (180 kg)?
Of Hardy users who started below 180 kg / 405 lb and kept logging for a year, 2% reached it within 12 months, and 2% of those still logging at two years had reached it by then. Among lifters who reached it, the median was 5.6 months of logging (middle half: 1.6 to 11 months), but most of them started within a plate of it.
What is a good squat for someone who tracks their training?
The median best estimated 1RM among Hardy users is 93.3 kg (206 lb). Being above 120.7 kg (266 lb) puts you in the top quarter and above 147.6 kg (325 lb) in the top 10%. These figures ignore bodyweight and sex, so use them as a rough reference rather than a standard.
Hardy logs every squat set and calculates your next working weights, so your own milestone curve builds itself.
Cite this reportHardy (2026). How Many People Can Squat 315? Data From 5,931 Lifters Who Log Every Set. Hardy Strength Progression Report. https://hardy.app/strength-report/how-many-people-can-squat-315
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