Squat Max Calculator
The back squat is the standard reference for lower-body strength, and the lift where a true max attempt demands the longest warm-up. A submaximal set answers the same question. Enter weight and reps below — the fields are metric, so 225 lb goes in as 102 kg.
Your estimated 1RM
93.3kg
Average of the Epley and Brzycki formulas.
| Formula | Estimated 1RM |
|---|
How we got this number
Epley: 80 × (1 + 5 ÷ 30) = 93.3 kg
Brzycki: 80 × 36 ÷ (37 − 5) = 90.0 kg
Worked example
225 lb (102 kg) for 5 reps at consistent depth:
- Epley: 102 × (1 + 5 ÷ 30) = 119.0 kg, about 262 lb
- Brzycki: 102 × 36 ÷ (37 − 5) = 114.8 kg, about 253 lb
- Average of the two: 116.9 kg, about 258 lb
The NSCA runs its own version of this arithmetic in the other direction, and uses the squat to do it: an athlete who completes 8 reps at 160 lb is credited with a 200 lb max, because its chart puts 8 reps at 80% of maximum. Feed 160 lb (72.6 kg) and 8 reps into the calculator above and the average of the two formulas comes out at 91.0 kg — 201 lb. The chart and the equations agree to within a pound.
Depth is part of the measurement
Two lifters reporting the same squat max are not comparable unless they squat to the same depth, and neither are two sessions of your own. A quarter squat lets a huge amount of weight move a short distance; that number is real but it is not the same measurement as a full-depth rep. Pick a depth standard, hold it, and treat a rep that misses it as a rep that did not happen.
Stop the reference set at the first sign of technical decay — depth creeping up, bar speed falling off a cliff, knees drifting in. That point usually arrives one or two reps before actual failure, which is exactly where you want to stop anyway.
Knees, and where squat injuries come from
Resistance training injuries cluster in four places: shoulder, lower back, knee and wrist. The knee accounts for roughly 11% to 21% of them, and the squat is the classic mechanism — repeated deep knee flexion under heavy load is associated with patellofemoral pain and iliotibial band irritation. Supervised coaching and gradual load progression are the interventions with the best support; nothing about the estimate above substitutes for either.
The same math, other lifts
- Bench press max calculator
- Deadlift max calculator
- Overhead press max calculator
- Bicep curl max calculator
Convert the result into training loads with the 1RM percentage chart, or see both formulas explained on the one rep max calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How many reps should I use to estimate a squat max?
Four to six is the usual window. The squat fatigues a large amount of muscle at once and technique decays faster than in upper-body lifts, so a long reference set measures your work capacity more than your strength.
Does squat depth change the estimate?
The formula cannot see depth — it only reads weight and reps. But a high squat allows more load than one below parallel, so the estimate only tracks progress if you hold depth constant across tests.
What does the NSCA chart say about squat reps and percentages?
Its worked example is a squat: an athlete completing 8 reps at 160 lb has an estimated max of 200 lb, because 8 reps corresponds to 80% of 1RM on the chart.
Do I need safety pins to squat near failure?
Set them just below your bottom position. Even lifters who can dump a bar backward off a platform benefit from pins, and in a standard rack they are the only thing between a failed rep and the floor.
Sources
- NSCA Training Load Chart, adapted from Landers J. Maximum based on reps. NSCA Journal 6(6):60-61, 1984
- Kawa K et al. Most common injuries in resistance training: mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, and preventive strategies. Cureus, 2025
Written by Lucas Silva · Reviewed by Lucas Silva · Updated on August 15, 2026