The back squat is the king of strength exercises: the bar rests on your upper back while you squat below parallel and stand back up. It trains the quads, glutes, hamstrings and entire trunk, and it's the lift with the greatest carryover to sport and daily life. In CrossFit it appears everywhere - as heavy strength work, in workouts, and as the foundation your cleans, thrusters and wall-balls are built on. If you only tracked one strength number, this would be it.
| Level (x Bodyweight) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 0.5x | 0.4x |
| novice | 1x | 0.7x |
| intermediate | 1.5x | 1x |
| advanced | 2x | 1.4x |
| elite | 2.5x | 1.8x |
1RM as a multiple of bodyweight.
Brace your core hard before every descent - take a big breath into your belly, not your chest. Hit depth (hip crease below knee) on every rep; a high squat with more weight builds less than a deep squat with less. Drive your knees out in line with your toes and keep the whole foot rooted. Program it 2-3 times a week in the 3-8 rep range for strength; PRs come from months of boring consistency, not max-out sessions.
Progression: goblet squat with a kettlebell, then empty-bar back squats focusing on depth and bracing, then add load gradually. Limited ankle mobility? Elevate the heels on small plates while you work on it.
Enter your 1RM above to see your training percentages.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.