The heaviest squats in history surpassed 1,000 pounds.
Daily activities often involve squats, from bending and jumping to lifting heavy objects. Fitness experts recognize squats as a fundamental exercise. But have you ever pondered the record for the heaviest squat?
In gyms worldwide, individuals frequently test their strength and fitness by seeing how much they can squat, leading to numerous unofficial records. However, for official documents, we look to the World Powerlifting Federation. This exposé delves into the record for the heaviest squat ever and provides additional crucial insights.
How Much Can the Average Person Squat?
Many factors, including age, gender, training, and fitness levels, determine how heavy the average person can squat. However, a good fitness test is squatting your body weight for at least one rep. Beginners often aim to achieve this. An average figure many accept is that a man should squat at least half his body weight, and a woman should squat at least half to 0.75 of her body weight.
The Heaviest Squat Ever
Squats earn the title of the “king of exercises” and demonstrate the peak of strength. To know who owns the title of the heaviest squat ever, we must first understand that there are different categories called “raw” and “equipped,” using extra equipment to help with the lift. The World Powerlifting Federation also divides these categories into men and women:
Women’s Category
- Sonita Muluh currently holds the raw squat world record for a woman after lifting 662 lbs (300.3 kg) in 2024.
- Leah Reichman holds a woman’s equipped squat world record after lifting 953 lbs (432.3 kg) in 2023.
Men’s Category
- Ray Williams holds the raw squat world record for a man after lifting 1080 lbs (489.9 kg) in 2019.
- Nathan Baptist currently holds the equipped squat world record for a man after lifting 1,311 lbs (594.7 kg) in 2021.
As you can see from the above, the person with the heaviest squat ever unassisted is Ray Williams, who lifted 1080 lbs in 2019. Nathan Baptist did a higher squat of 1,311 pounds in 2021 but in the equipped category. Watch Ray Williams squat 1,080 pounds below:
What Are Squats?
Squats are functional bodyweight routines that help build lower body muscles and joints. They also tone your legs, burn fat, and increase strength. You do squatting movements daily, so regularly performing this exercise can improve your mobility and explosive power (1).
Types of Squats
Squats come in different types and different variations. Here is a list of the different kinds of squats.
- Bodyweight Squats: You can do bodyweight squats anywhere, as they don’t require equipment, just your body weight.
- Free Weight Squats: This uses free weight equipment that acts as resistance when performing squats. You get more muscle and strength gains using equipment than with bodyweight squats. These free weights include barbells, dumbbells, EZ bars, and kettlebells.
- Banded Squats: For this squat exercise, use resistance bands. This puts the target muscles under tension, which is good for muscle growth.
- Cable and Machine Squats: These squats with machines can help with stability, allowing an athlete to lift more. These machines include the Smith, hack squat, cable, and landmine machines.
Squats are compound movements that build and strengthen multiple lower-body muscle groups, including glutes, quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. Regularly doing squats strengthens your hip and knee joints, which helps with mobility and balance.
Finally, squats require a lot of balance. As a result, this exercise activates core muscles, like the abs and obliques. Strengthening them with squats helps with proper posture and prevents injuries. Below are step-by-step instructions highlighting how to do back squats using a barbell.
- Using a wide grip, carefully place the barbell at the top muscles of your back and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your toes facing forward.
- Take a deep breath, brace your core, maintain a straight back, and squeeze your shoulder blades. This is your starting position.
- Next, drive your hips back and bend at your knees as you slowly come down into a squat position until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
- Pause in this position for about one to two seconds and explosively drive through your heels, returning slowly to the starting position, making it one rep.
- Repeat for as many reps as you desire.
Benefits of Squats
Squats are compound exercises that offer many benefits. They can improve your explosive power and strength while building your lower body muscles. Below is a list of the benefits of this exercise.
Builds the Posterior Chain
Squats strengthen the lower back, hamstrings, glutes, quads, and calf muscles, making various movements, such as bending, running, jumping, and picking up heavy objects, easier.
Works the Core Muscles
Squats demand balance and stability. As a result, they work the core muscles and strengthen them, giving you better form and posture for exercises. A stronger core also means better load distribution and more effective training.
Helps Relieve Back Pain
Regular squats can strengthen your lower back and help address any injuries. They do this by strengthening the muscles and tendons around your lower back and improving your posture. This could help relieve back pain, which studies show is the highest cause of years lived with disability globally (2).
Strengthens the Joints
Squats also develop and strengthen the hip and knee joints. These joints’ constant flexion and extension make mobility easier and increase their range of motion.
Wrapping Up
Squats are not just ordinary bodyweight exercises for building your lower body muscles. They transcend to the realm of building your mental and physical strength. The heaviest squat ever unassisted is by Ray Williams, who lifted over 1080 pounds unassisted in an impressive feat of strength. Nathan Williams lifted 1311 lbs in the equipped category.
FAQs
What is the heaviest squat ever done?
These are in two major categories. The heaviest raw squat for a man is 1080 lbs (489.9 kg), which Ray Williams did in 2019. Sonita Muluh lifted 662 lbs (300.3 kg) in the women’s category in 2024.
Has anyone squatted 500 kg?
Yes, an athlete has squatted 500 kg (1102.31 lbs), as stated in the powerlifting records. However, this was an equipped (assisted) squat. You can look at this guide to see the details of this athlete and what exactly he squatted.
Is it possible to squat 1000 pounds?
Yes, it’s possible to squat more than 1,000 pounds. In fact, two men hold the record for squatting more than 1,000 pounds. This article lists and categorizes these men.
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References
- Takai, Y., Fukunaga, Y., Fujita, E., Mori, H., Yoshimoto, T., Yamamoto, M., & Kanehisa, H. (2013). Effects of body mass-based squat training in adolescent boys. Journal of sports science & medicine, 12(1), 60–65.
- Wu, A., March, L., Zheng, X., Huang, J., Wang, X., Zhao, J., Blyth, F. M., Smith, E., Buchbinder, R., & Hoy, D. (2020). Global low back pain prevalence and years lived with disability from 1990 to 2017: estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. Annals of translational medicine, 8(6), 299. https://doi.org/10.21037/atm.2020.02.175
