When it comes to testing lower body strength, few exercises carry the same weight as the barbell squat. One of the big three lifts, alongside the bench press and deadlift, it’s often one of the first major PBs gym-goers set their sights on. And it’s not just recreational lifters chasing bigger numbers – plenty of celebrities have built some seriously impressive squat strength too.

Of course, not every celebrity lift is verified in the same way as a powerlifting competition result. Some come from training footage, while others are self-reported gym PBs. But from strongmen and bodybuilders to Hollywood actors, these are some of the biggest squat numbers we could find.

460kg

Unsurprisingly, Hafþór Björnsson sits at the top of the list. Best known as The Mountain from Game of Thrones, he is also one of the strongest men ever to compete in strongman.

His 460kg squat exists in a different world to most gym lifts, showing the gap between celebrity transformations and elite-level strength.

405kg

Eddie Hall has stated that his squat PB is 405kg raw and beltless, although it’s best treated as a self-claimed gym lift rather than a formally judged powerlifting result.

Even with that caveat, it’s an enormous number. Hall may be best known for his 500kg deadlift, but his squat strength clearly sits in elite territory too.

277kg

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s achievements in bodybuilding often overshadow just how strong he actually was.

Schwarzenegger has stated that his best squat was 610lb, or around 277kg. For someone training primarily for physique development rather than powerlifting, that’s a serious lift and a reminder that old-school bodybuilding was still built around heavy compound movements.

270kg

John Cena’s strength credentials are easy to underestimate because his career has been built around entertainment as much as athletics.

Cena has shared a 595lb squat PB, which works out at roughly 270kg. That’s strong by almost any commercial-gym standard.

166kg

Henry Cavill’s 166kg squat may look modest compared with the names above, but context matters.

During preparation for Man of Steel, Cavill reportedly built his back squat up to 365lb while training under Gym Jones. For an actor preparing for a role, that’s still an impressive number and proof his physique was backed by serious strength work.

161kg

Hugh Jackman famously entered the 1,000lb club during his Wolverine training, with a combined squat, bench press and deadlift total of 1,000lb.

He revealed that his squat contribution was 355lb, or around 161kg. It may not match the strongmen above, but for an actor in his mid-forties at the time, it remains an impressive benchmark.

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