Maddie How many squats reps should I do? That's the million dollar question. After all, the barbell back squat is the king of all exercises. Here's everything you need to know about optimal rep ranges when squatting for strength vs. mass.
Because you ended up here, you're most likely wondering how many barbell squat reps and sets should you do for the best possible results. If that's the case, I'm happy to tell you that you're in the right place!
As a competitive powerlifter myself, I have TONS of experience squatting for strength. I'll go over exactly how many squat reps you should do if strength is your primary goal. In addition, I'll discuss mass and how many reps of squats to build muscle is optimal. And no, the two (strength and mass) don't always go hand-in hand.
So, here's the answer to the million dollar question: how many squat reps should I do?
How many squat reps should I do?
What we'll cover...
After reading this post, don't forget to check out...
The Barbell Back Squat: 10 Important Steps & How To MASTER It
An Insanely Good 30 Day Squat Challenge for Beginners
6 of the BEST Exercises for Strength Training
*Note: This post includes several Amazon affiliate links, which means I'll receive a commission if you purchase through my link (at no extra cost to you). Please read full disclosure here. Also, I am not a doctor or dietician. I am a personal trainer. It's always best to speak with your doctor before making any changes to your diet and/or lifestyle.
Programming considerations
This section is included assuming you're fairly new to strength training. Its purpose is to provide a little bit of background information so that the remainder of this post more digestible.
Let's begin with defining a few important terms:
Reps - short for repetitions; it is defined as the number of times you complete any given movement before you take rest
Sets - sets are defined as a group (or set) of repetitions; the number of times you repeat a given amount of reps
Rest time - the amount of rest time you take between sets
Now let's go over the formatting for reps/sets:
Below you'll notice "3x5," "5x3," and other numbers with this format. You should know that they are referring to sets and reps. Sets are always followed by reps; therefore, three sets of five reps is indicated by 3x5. And five sets of four reps is shown as 5x4.
How many squat reps for strength?
You may be wondering, "how many reps of squats should I do for strength?"
Just to be clear, when we say "squatting for strength," we mean squatting to increase your one rep max. We're referring to squatting in a powerlifting style.
Squatting for strength is definitely different than squatting for mass.
Here's why:
Strength and mass don't always go hand-in-hand as many think they do. Though, strength and mass certainly can be correlated. When training for something like strength vs. mass, there are a few factors you need to consider.
First, when squatting for strength, you'll want to stick to lower rep ranges and heavier weight.
As a powerlifter myself, I don't typically squat more than six reps–eight reps per set at the absolute MOST. But, if you're completely new to squatting for strength, you shouldn't need a whole lot of volume per set. That said, I recommend starting by squatting in sets of six or less reps per set.
As far a total volume is concerned, aim for 15-20 total squat reps during your workout (3x5, 5x3, 4x4, etc.).
*To get the most out of your squats, be sure to squat to proper depth! So many beginner lifters struggle with this because they begin with too much weight on the bar. With that said, start by perfecting your form with an empty barbell. When you get comfortable with squatting to depth, you can begin to add some weight.
Proper squat depth
Another thing you NEED to consider is having proper footwear for squats, especially when you start squatting heavy.
DO NOT squat in sneakers, as squatting in sneakers is unstable and dangerous. Having a flat or heeled squat shoe is a must.
A flat shoe such as Vans will work for most lifters, but if you're someone who struggles to hit squat depth, you will benefit from having a heeled squat shoe. The heel helps greatly with mobility.
(RELATED POST: 9 of the BEST Shoes for Lifting Weights In | Amazon Favorites)
Reebok Legacy Lifters
These are the same exact squat shoes that I'm wearing in the image above. I absolutely swear by my Legacy Lifters!
The last consideration you should make is rest time. When squatting for strength, you'll need to take more rest between sets because the weight is heavy. Take anywhere from three to five minutes of rest between heavy squat sets.
Three to five minutes may seem like a lot of down time, but it's CRUCIAL that you take that time to rest. You don't want to be resting 30 seconds between sets when your goal is to gain strength.
Here is a recap of squatting for strength, PLUS some awesome squat variations you should definitely give a shot.
How many squat reps for mass?
Now onto how many sets and reps for squats for mass!
Just to be clear, when we say "squatting for mass," we mean squatting to build the size of your legs. We're referring to squatting in a bodybuilding style.
Unlike we discussed above, squatting for mass requires higher rep ranges and lighter loads. Eight to 12 reps per squat set is more ideal for this style of training.
Your total squat volume should be 25-50 reps (3x8, 4x10, 3x12, etc.).
Like when squatting for strength, you'll also want to hit depth when squatting for mass. Hitting proper squat depth ensures that you're getting the very most out of the exercise. Quarter and half squatting is never optimal and will never give you the best results.
Rest time also differs when squatting for size. You'll want to take less rest time between sets because the load is lighter–one to two minutes of rest between each squat set is sufficient.
Again, here is a recap of squatting for mass as well as some different squat variations to try!
The takeaway
How many squat reps per week is entirely dependent on your goals:
- Looking to gain total strength in your squat and build up your one rep max? Squat in lower rep ranges and use heavier loads. Take more rest time between sets.
- Don't care about strength as much and looking to build size to your legs? Squat in higher rep ranges and use lighter loads. Take less rest time between sets.
