Welcome back to training. Coach Lee here—let’s talk about a standard that separates average athletes from difference-makers on the field.
If you’ve spent any time in a serious football weight room, you’ve heard it before:
“You should be able to squat double your bodyweight.”
For high school athletes, that number isn’t just a flex for the weight room—it’s a performance benchmark that directly translates to the field.
But this isn’t about ego lifting.
This is about building a foundation that shows up on Friday nights.
It’s simple:
If you weigh 150 lbs → squat 300 lbs
If you weigh 180 lbs → squat 360 lbs
If you weigh 200 lbs → squat 400 lbs
This is typically measured as a 1-rep max (or strong double/triple in some programs).
Now let’s be clear—this isn’t a beginner standard.
This is a developed athlete standard.
And when an athlete reaches it the right way, everything changes.
Football is not played in a straight line.
It’s played:
Through contact
In awkward positions
Under pressure
The squat develops:
Hip drive
Leg strength
Core stability
These are the exact qualities needed for:
Breaking tackles as a running back
Holding ground as a lineman
Driving through contact as a linebacker
Exploding out of breaks as a DB or WR
When an athlete can squat double their bodyweight, they’re not just strong—they’re functional under pressure.
Here’s something most athletes don’t realize:
Strength is the foundation of speed.
You can’t be explosive if you don’t have force production.
The squat directly improves:
First step quickness
Acceleration
Vertical jump
Sprint power
I see this every track season.
The athletes who get stronger in the weight room?
They get faster on the track.
The ones who avoid strength work?
They stay stuck.
High school football is physical.
The stronger your base, the better your body can handle:
Contact
Fatigue
Repeated collisions
A properly trained squat strengthens:
Knees
Hips
Lower back
Connective tissue
That means:
Fewer non-contact injuries
Better joint stability
More availability during the season
And let’s be real:
The best ability is availability.
Nobody accidentally squats double their bodyweight.
That level of strength requires:
Consistency
Discipline
Focus
Patience
There are going to be days when the bar feels heavy.
There are going to be days when progress slows.
But the athletes who push through that?
They develop something deeper than strength:
Confidence.
And confidence shows up everywhere:
In the huddle
At the line of scrimmage
In big moments
Let’s be honest.
Not every athlete is willing to do what it takes.
The 2x bodyweight squat becomes a filter:
Who’s committed
Who’s consistent
Who’s serious about development
At higher levels—college and beyond—this type of strength isn’t optional.
It’s expected.
If a high school athlete can reach this standard early, they’re already ahead of the curve.
This is where coaching matters.
Not every athlete should chase this number immediately.
Before loading heavy weight, athletes need:
Proper squat mechanics
Mobility (hips, ankles, thoracic spine)
Core stability
Progressive programming
Rushing the process leads to:
Poor form
Injuries
Stalled progress
Strength is built, not forced.
Coaching football players in both the weight room and on the field, I see the difference clearly.
The athletes who hit this standard:
Move differently
Hit differently
Recover better
Compete longer
It’s not just about numbers.
It’s about how those numbers translate into performance.
And when strength is built the right way, it always carries over.
The 2x bodyweight squat isn’t the end goal.
It’s a milestone.
A sign that an athlete is developing:
Strength
Discipline
Physical readiness for the next level
If you’re a high school athlete reading this:
Don’t chase the weight.
Chase the standard.
Because the standard you set in training…
Is the standard you bring to the field.
That’s the work for today. Get stronger.
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