# How Strong Is Your Grip? Adult grip strength peaks around age 30 to 45 at roughly 54 kg for men and 34 kg for women in German data (Steiber 2016), then declines about 0.3 to 0.5 kg per year after 50. Grip below 27 kg for men or 16 kg for women is the European threshold for clinically low strength (EWGSOP2). Each 5 kg less grip is linked to about 16% higher all-cause mortality (PURE study, ~140,000 adults). Enter your best squeeze below to see your percentile. ## Key figures - Average (median) grip strength peaks at about 54 kg for men and 34 kg for women, around age 30 to 45 (Steiber 2016, German SOEP data). - By age: at 30 the median is 53 kg (men) / 33 kg (women); at 50 it is 51 kg / 32 kg; at 70 it is 42 kg / 26 kg. - Grip strength declines by roughly 0.3 to 0.5 kg per year after age 50. - Clinically low ("probable sarcopenia"): below 27 kg for men and 16 kg for women (EWGSOP2). Asia (AWGS): 28 / 18 kg. US (FNIH): 26 / 16 kg. - Each 5 kg lower grip strength is linked to about 16% higher all-cause mortality (PURE study, 139,691 adults). ## What is a good grip strength by age? A good grip strength is above the median for your age and sex. It peaks at about 54 kg for men and 34 kg for women between ages 30 and 45, then declines roughly 0.3 to 0.5 kg per year after 50. Below 27 kg (men) or 16 kg (women) counts as clinically low (EWGSOP2). ## Why grip strength predicts how you age Grip strength is a cheap, fast proxy for whole-body strength, and one of the most consistent predictors of healthy aging we have. It is part of the Fried frailty definition and the entry test for sarcopenia (EWGSOP2). - In the PURE study of 139,691 adults, each 5 kg drop in grip strength was linked to a 16% higher risk of all-cause death and a 17% higher risk of cardiovascular death, and grip out-predicted systolic blood pressure (Leong 2015). - In UK Biobank (502,293 adults), lower grip tracked higher all-cause, cardiovascular, respiratory and cancer mortality, with hazard ratios of roughly 1.16 to 1.31 per 5 kg less grip (Celis-Morales 2018). - Grip is a recognised marker of frailty and the screening test for "probable sarcopenia": below 27 kg for men or 16 kg for women flags low muscle strength (EWGSOP2 2019). - Low grip strength is also associated with faster cognitive decline and dementia, and with slower recovery and worse outcomes after surgery. - Grip is widely studied as an observational health biomarker (Bohannon 2019). In the German normative data it rises into the 30s and 40s and then declines by roughly 0.3 to 0.5 kg a year (Steiber 2016), and the decline tracks training, so it is partly in your hands. The link with mortality is observational, not proof that raising your grip lowers your risk. ## How to measure grip strength correctly A percentile only means something if your reading is taken the standard way. The clinical reference is the Southampton / ASHT protocol with a Jamar hydraulic dynamometer (Roberts 2011). - Sit in a chair with back support, feet flat on the floor, shoulder relaxed and down by your side. - Bend the elbow to 90 degrees, forearm and wrist in a neutral position, with the dynamometer held just clear of the chair arm. - Squeeze as hard as you can for 3 to 5 seconds while someone encourages you ("squeeze, harder, harder"), then relax. - Take three measurements on each hand, alternating sides, with a short rest between squeezes. - Record your single highest value, the best of all attempts on either hand. That is the number to enter above. ## FAQ ### What is a good grip strength for my age? It depends on age and sex. In German data (Steiber 2016) the average man peaks around 54 kg in his early 40s and the average woman around 34 kg, declining to roughly 33 kg and 21 kg by age 80 to 90. A "good" grip is anything above the 50th percentile for your age and sex; the 75th to 90th percentile is strong, and the 90th and above is excellent. Enter your value above for your exact percentile. ### What is the average grip strength for men and women? Across adult life the average (median) handgrip is about 40 to 54 kg for men and 28 to 34 kg for women, depending on age, peaking in the 30s and 40s (Steiber 2016; Dodds 2014). Values fall steadily after about age 50. ### What grip strength is considered weak? The European EWGSOP2 consensus flags grip below 27 kg in men and 16 kg in women as clinically low strength ("probable sarcopenia"). The Asian AWGS uses 28 kg and 18 kg; the US FNIH project uses 26 kg and 16 kg. These are fixed thresholds, not percentiles, and were designed mainly for older adults. ### How is grip strength measured? With a hand dynamometer, usually a Jamar, while seated with the elbow bent to 90 degrees. You squeeze maximally three times per hand and record your single best value. Standing with a straight arm, or using a different device, can change the number by several kg, so always match your reading to the right reference table. ### Does grip strength predict longevity? It is strongly associated with it. Each 5 kg lower grip was tied to about 16% higher all-cause mortality in the 140,000-person PURE study, where grip out-predicted blood pressure, and UK Biobank found similar links to heart disease, cancer and respiratory death. Grip is a marker of overall strength and health, though, not a guaranteed cause of a longer life. ### Why do the German and international results differ? They come from different studies with different equipment. The German SOEP norms (Steiber 2016) used a Smedley dynamometer and the maximum of up to four squeezes across both hands; the British norms (Dodds 2014) pool several devices. The two sit about 2 to 4 kg apart at every age, so we keep them as separate, switchable tables rather than averaging them. ### Can I improve my grip strength? Yes. Because grip mostly reflects whole-body strength, the best results come from progressive resistance training (heavy pulls, loaded carries and dead hangs) plus enough protein (about 1.6 to 2.2 g/kg/day). Expect early gains in a few weeks and clear changes within a few months. ### Which hand should I measure, and which value do I enter? Measure both hands three times each and enter your single highest reading (your maximum). That matches how the reference tables and the sarcopenia cut-offs are defined. ### Is 50 kg grip strength good? For a man, 50 kg grip strength is about average (the median) in the early 50s, slightly below average from age 25 to 50, and above average past 55. For a woman, 50 kg is well above the 90th percentile at any adult age. Enter your age above for the exact percentile. ### Is 40 kg grip strength good? For a man, 40 kg grip strength is around average near age 70 and below average when younger. For a woman, 40 kg is excellent, above the 90th percentile at every adult age (Steiber 2016). ### Is 100 lbs grip strength good? 100 lbs is about 45 kg. For a man that is around average in the early 60s and above average past 65; for a woman it is well above the 90th percentile at any age. ## Sources - Steiber N. (2016). Strong or Weak Handgrip? Normative Reference Values for the German Population across the Life Course Stratified by Sex, Age, and Body Height. PLoS ONE 11(10):e0163917. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0163917 - Dodds RM, Syddall HE, Cooper R, Benzeval M, Deary IJ, Dennison EM, Der G, Gale CR, Inskip HM, Jagger C, Kirkwood TB, Lawlor DA, Robinson SM, Starr JM, Steptoe A, Tilling K, Kuh D, Cooper C, Sayer AA. (2014). Grip Strength across the Life Course: Normative Data from Twelve British Studies. PLoS ONE 9(12):e113637. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0113637 - Cruz-Jentoft AJ, Bahat G, Bauer J, Boirie Y, Bruyère O, Cederholm T, Cooper C, Landi F, Rolland Y, Sayer AA, et al. (EWGSOP2). (2019). Sarcopenia: revised European consensus on definition and diagnosis (EWGSOP2). Age and Ageing 48(1):16–31. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy169 - Chen LK, Woo J, Assantachai P, Auyeung TW, Chou MY, Iijima K, et al. (AWGS). (2020). Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia: 2019 Consensus Update on Sarcopenia Diagnosis and Treatment. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 21(3):300–307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2019.12.012 - Alley DE, Shardell MD, Peters KW, McLean RR, Dam TT, Kenny AM, et al. (FNIH Sarcopenia Project). (2014). Grip Strength Cutpoints for the Identification of Clinically Relevant Weakness. The Journals of Gerontology: Series A 69(5):559–566. https://doi.org/10.1093/gerona/glu011 - Leong DP, Teo KK, Rangarajan S, Lopez-Jaramillo P, Avezum A, Orlandini A, et al. (PURE). (2015). Prognostic value of grip strength: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. The Lancet 386(9990):266–273. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(14)62000-6 - Celis-Morales CA, Welsh P, Lyall DM, Steell L, Petermann F, Anderson J, et al.. (2018). Associations of grip strength with cardiovascular, respiratory, and cancer outcomes and all cause mortality: UK Biobank. BMJ 361:k1651. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.k1651 - Wang YC, Bohannon RW, Li X, Sindhu B, Kapellusch J. (2018). Hand-Grip Strength: Normative Reference Values and Equations for Individuals 18 to 85 Years of Age Residing in the United States. 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British Journal of Sports Medicine 52(6):376–384. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2017-097608 - Li HR, Huang S, Yv Z, Jiang N, Li P, Zhai Y, Peng F. (2025). Optimal dose of resistance training to improve handgrip strength in older adults with sarcopenia: a systematic review and Bayesian model-based network meta-analysis. Frontiers in Physiology 16:1564988. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphys.2025.1564988 - Ratamess NA, Alvar BA, Evetoch TK, Housh TJ, Kibler WB, Kraemer WJ, Triplett NT (ACSM). (2009). Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults (ACSM Position Stand). Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise 41(3):687–708. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e3181915670 - Bohannon RW. (2019). Grip Strength: An Indispensable Biomarker For Older Adults. Clinical Interventions in Aging 14:1681–1691. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S194543 - Mathiowetz V, Kashman N, Volland G, Weber K, Dowe M, Rogers S. (1985). Grip and pinch strength: normative data for adults. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 66(2):69–74. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3970660/ _Full tool: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/tools/grip-strength_ --- _Canonical: https://longevity-switzerland.com/en/tools/grip-strength · Part of Longevity Cities_