Male vs Female Strength: 20 Key Statistics From the USA

How much stronger are men than women? The answer depends on what is being measured.

Research consistently finds that adult men have greater absolute muscle strength than adult women on average. However, the difference is not the same for every muscle group or movement. Upper-body strength generally shows a larger difference than lower-body strength, while comparisons based on body weight or lean muscle mass can produce a different picture.

Strength also varies substantially between individuals. Age, body size, muscle mass, training history, physical activity, genetics and the specific strength test can all influence the result. That means a population average should never be treated as a limit for an individual man or woman.

For this reason, this article looks at the evidence behind male vs female strength, with a focus on U.S. data where nationally representative figures are available and peer-reviewed research for broader comparisons. The goal is to separate measurable findings from common gym myths.

For research-focused readers of Enhanced Peptides, understanding these differences also provides useful context for the broader science of muscle, exercise and physical performance.

What Does the Research Show About Male vs Female Strength?

The broad conclusion is straightforward: adult men are stronger than adult women in absolute terms on average.

A major narrative review published in Sports Medicine found that sex differences in strength become more pronounced during adolescence and are larger in upper-body muscles than lower-body muscles. The review also identified greater muscle mass and larger type II muscle-fiber areas as important contributors to the difference.

A more recent 2025 meta-analysis similarly concluded that adult men are physically stronger than adult women on average, with larger differences in upper-limb strength than lower-limb strength.

That does not mean every man is stronger than every woman. It means that when researchers compare groups, the male average is generally higher for measures of absolute strength.

Absolute Strength vs Relative Strength

This distinction is essential.

Absolute strength refers to the total amount of force a person can produce. A heavier or more muscular person may have greater absolute strength simply because they have more muscle available to produce force.

Relative strength adjusts strength for body size or body weight. This can narrow the difference between men and women because men and women differ, on average, in body size, lean mass and fat mass.

Researchers therefore use different approaches depending on the question being studied. A comparison based only on the amount of weight lifted can produce a different result from one that adjusts for body mass or fat-free mass.

A 2025 study examining bench-press strength found that men continued to demonstrate greater strength than women even after adjustment for body mass and fat-free mass, although the size of the difference varied depending on how the results were normalized.

1. Men Have Greater Absolute Strength on Average

The most consistent finding across the scientific literature is that adult men demonstrate greater absolute muscular strength than adult women.

The difference is particularly apparent after puberty. A comprehensive review of sex differences in muscle strength reported that male subjects become notably stronger than female subjects around age 15, with adult differences becoming more pronounced in upper-body muscles.

This is a group-level finding, not an individual rule. Training status, body size and other characteristics can substantially change where an individual falls within the distribution.

2. The Male-Female Strength Gap Is Larger in the Upper Body

One of the clearest patterns in strength research is that the difference between men and women tends to be greater for upper-body strength than lower-body strength.

A 2023 review reported that adult female strength is generally around 50% to 60% of male strength in upper-body muscles, while lower-body strength is generally around 60% to 70% of male strength at the group level. These are broad ranges across research rather than a universal percentage for every exercise.

A 2025 review and meta-analysis also confirmed that the magnitude of the sex difference depends strongly on the muscle group being tested, with larger differences in upper-limb than lower-limb strength.

This is why saying that “men are X% stronger than women” without specifying the body region can be misleading.

3. Lower-Body Strength Differences Are Generally Smaller

Lower-body strength still tends to be higher in men on an absolute basis, but the gap is generally narrower than it is for upper-body strength.

Research has linked this pattern partly to differences in muscle distribution. Men generally have more skeletal muscle, and the sex difference in muscle mass is particularly pronounced in the upper body. A large study of 468 men and women found that the sex difference in skeletal muscle mass was greater in the upper body than the lower body.

This helps explain why a comparison of leg strength can look considerably different from a comparison of arm or upper-body strength.

4. Men Have More Skeletal Muscle Mass on Average

Muscle mass is one of the major factors behind the observed difference in absolute strength.

The study of 468 men and women found that men had more skeletal muscle mass than women, with the difference more pronounced in the upper body. The researchers also found that aging was associated with declining skeletal muscle mass, particularly in the lower body after the fifth decade.

More muscle does not automatically translate into a fixed amount of additional strength. Strength also depends on muscle architecture, neural activation, exercise technique, training status and other factors.

Still, the difference in lean muscle mass is an important part of the overall explanation for population-level strength differences.

5. U.S. Data Shows a Large Sex Difference in Grip Strength

Grip strength provides one of the clearest examples using nationally representative U.S. data.

Researchers analyzed nationally representative handgrip measurements from the U.S. population using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Mean grip strength was higher among men than women across the age groups studied.

Among adults, the study found that grip strength peaked at ages 30 to 39 for both sexes. At that age, the reported mean combined grip strength was 216.4 pounds for men and 136.5 pounds for women. Strength then declined in subsequent age groups.

These figures are especially useful because NHANES is a major U.S. health survey designed to provide nationally representative health data. The CDC’s NHANES program combines interviews, physical examinations and laboratory measurements.

It is important to note that grip strength is only one measure of muscular strength. It should not be used to predict how much a person can squat, bench press or deadlift.

6. Grip Strength Declines With Age in Both Men and Women

The U.S. NHANES analysis found that grip strength increased through adulthood before reaching its highest average level in the 30-to-39 age group. After that point, mean grip strength gradually declined in both men and women.

This matters because age changes the strength comparison.

A comparison between a 25-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman is not simply a comparison of male and female physiology. Age, body composition, physical activity, disease burden and training history can all influence muscular performance.

The same principle applies when comparing people of the same sex. Two people of the same age can have very different levels of strength depending on their training and health history.

7. Relative Strength Gives a Different Perspective

Absolute strength does not tell the entire story.

When strength is adjusted for body weight or lean mass, the male-female difference can become smaller. Research examining athletes and resistance-trained populations has therefore used body mass, lean body mass and muscle architecture to provide more meaningful comparisons.

This distinction is particularly important when comparing athletes.

A smaller person who lifts less total weight may have a higher strength-to-bodyweight ratio than a larger person who lifts more weight. Likewise, two people with similar body weight can have very different amounts of lean muscle mass and therefore different strength potential.

For that reason, there is no single “average strength difference” that accurately describes every man and woman.

8. Men and Women Can Both Make Significant Strength Gains From Resistance Training

The existing strength difference between men and women does not mean that one sex benefits from resistance training while the other does not. Both men and women can make substantial improvements in muscular strength when they participate in progressive resistance training.

A systematic review and meta-analysis published in Sports Medicine examined sex differences in resistance-training adaptations. The researchers found similar overall adaptations in muscle hypertrophy and lower-body strength between males and females. Interestingly, the analysis found a larger relative improvement in upper-body strength among females.

This is an important distinction.

Men may begin with higher absolute strength on average, but the percentage improvement produced by training is a separate question. A person starting from a lower baseline can make large relative gains without reaching the same absolute strength level as a person who began stronger.

The evidence therefore does not support the idea that women are unable to make major strength improvements. Both men and women respond to resistance exercise.

9. Training Status Changes Strength Comparisons

A person’s training history can dramatically affect strength.

Researchers studying resistance-trained men and women have found that body composition and anthropometric characteristics are closely associated with performance in exercises such as the squat and bench press. In one study involving 19 resistance-trained men and 17 resistance-trained women, lean mass and height were positively associated with one-repetition maximum strength across the combined sample.

This matters when comparing men and women in a gym.

A trained woman may be considerably stronger than an untrained man in a particular movement. Conversely, a highly trained man may greatly exceed the strength of an untrained woman. The sex of the individual alone cannot determine the outcome of a specific strength contest.

Training experience also changes how efficiently people perform resistance exercises. Technique, motor learning, familiarity with the movement and accumulated training adaptations all contribute to performance.

For this reason, scientific studies generally report group averages rather than claiming that biological sex determines an individual’s strength.

10. Strength Differences Depend on the Exercise Being Tested

There is no single strength test that represents total-body strength.

Bench press, squat, leg press, handgrip testing and other assessments measure different combinations of muscles, movement patterns and technical skills.

Research comparing resistance-trained men and women has demonstrated this variation. In the 2023 study of trained participants, both lean mass and height were associated with squat and bench-press one-repetition maximum performance, while the relationships between anthropometric characteristics and repetition performance differed between males and females.

A newer study examining bench press strength and power also found that men demonstrated greater strength and power across most tested loads, even after adjustment for body mass and fat-free mass. However, the researchers found that differences in movement velocity were no longer statistically significant at 85% of one-repetition maximum.

11. Bench Press Shows a Clear Sex Difference in Absolute Strength

The bench press is one of the most commonly used exercises for comparing upper-body strength.

Research consistently finds higher absolute bench-press strength among men than women. The difference remains even when researchers account for differences in body mass or fat-free mass, although the size of the difference can change depending on the normalization method.

In a 2025 study of 29 physically active young adults, men demonstrated significantly greater bench-press strength and power across most tested loads after adjustment for body mass and fat-free mass. The participants included 16 men and 13 women, so the study should not be treated as a national U.S. benchmark. Instead, it provides controlled evidence about how sex relates to bench-press performance in a physically active population.

The same study produced another interesting result: at 85% of one-repetition maximum, the difference in mean propulsive velocity was no longer statistically significant. This suggests that performance characteristics can converge under particular relative loading conditions even when absolute strength remains different.

12. Lower-Body Strength Shows a Different Pattern

The lower body provides a useful contrast to upper-body strength.

Research generally finds a smaller sex difference in lower-body strength than upper-body strength. This pattern appears across reviews of muscle strength and is one reason researchers avoid using a single percentage to describe the entire male-female strength gap.

The 2023 study of resistance-trained men and women also showed that strength performance in the squat was associated with body height and lean mass. The researchers found sex-specific relationships involving characteristics such as fat percentage and thigh length as well.

Lower-body strength also depends heavily on the muscles being tested and the exercise technique.

A squat, leg press and jumping test are not interchangeable measures. Each places different demands on the hips, knees, ankles and surrounding musculature.

13. Women Can Show Strong Relative Performance Despite Lower Absolute Strength

Absolute strength and relative performance should not be confused.

Suppose two people lift different amounts of weight, but the smaller person lifts a larger amount relative to their body weight. The second person may have greater relative strength despite having lower absolute strength.

This distinction becomes especially important when comparing men and women because average differences in body size and lean mass affect absolute performance.

Research in resistance-trained populations has found that women can have lower maximal absolute strength while showing different patterns when strength is normalized to body mass or when muscular endurance is assessed.

This is one reason strength standards based only on absolute weight can provide an incomplete picture.

For fitness research, the most useful comparisons often specify whether strength is being reported as:

• Absolute strength
• Strength relative to body weight
• Strength relative to fat-free mass
• One-repetition maximum
• Repetition performance
• Force production
• Power output

Each measurement answers a different question.

14. Resistance Training Can Produce Similar Muscle Growth Responses

Muscle size is another area where popular fitness discussions often oversimplify the science.

A 2025 systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis examined absolute and relative changes in muscle size following resistance training in healthy adults. The review specifically investigated whether biological sex affected hypertrophy responses and considered factors including body region, muscle-fiber type and previous resistance-training experience.

Earlier meta-analytic research also found no significant difference between males and females in the magnitude of hypertrophy response to resistance training.

This does not mean men and women develop identical physiques or reach identical amounts of muscle mass.

Men generally begin with greater total skeletal muscle mass, particularly in the upper body. The point is different: the relative muscle-building response to resistance training can be similar even when starting levels differ.

That distinction is important when interpreting male vs female muscle statistics.

15. Women May Show Strong Relative Improvements in Upper-Body Strength

One of the more interesting findings from resistance-training research concerns relative strength gains.

The 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis found that females demonstrated a significantly greater effect for relative upper-body strength improvements compared with males in the studies included in that analysis. The authors noted that this could reflect greater room for improvement among previously untrained women, along with possible neural, muscular or motor-learning factors.

However, this should not be interpreted as evidence that women become stronger than men overall after training.

The finding concerns relative change, not final absolute strength.

For example, someone starting with a lower strength level may increase their performance by a larger percentage while still having a lower final one-repetition maximum than someone who started substantially stronger.

16. Training Status Can Affect Muscle Power

Strength and power are related, but they are not identical.

Strength refers broadly to the ability to produce force, while power incorporates how quickly force can be produced.

A study comparing trained and untrained men and women found that training status influenced the load at which participants reached maximal power during bench press and two-leg press testing. Trained participants generally produced maximal power at lower relative loads than untrained participants.

The study also found differences between men and women in the loads associated with maximal power.

This highlights another important point: two people with similar strength can have different power characteristics. Conversely, someone can be strong without being the most powerful athlete in a particular movement.

17. Age Is Closely Linked With Changes in Muscle Strength

Strength does not remain constant throughout adulthood.

The U.S. NHANES grip-strength analysis found that average grip strength peaked in the 30-to-39 age group for both men and women and declined in later age groups. The reported mean combined grip strength at the peak age range was 216.4 pounds for men and 136.5 pounds for women.

The decline becomes particularly relevant in older adults.

CDC/NCHS data from NHANES 2011–2012 found that 5% of U.S. adults aged 60 and older had weak muscle strength, while 13% had intermediate strength and 82% had normal strength under the criteria used in that analysis. Reduced strength became more common with increasing age.

This shows why age needs to be included in any serious analysis of male vs female strength.

A comparison of young adults tells a different story from a comparison of adults in their 70s or 80s.

18. Muscle Strength Declines With Age in Both Sexes

The age-related decline in strength is not exclusive to men or women.

The U.S. NHANES data showed declining average grip strength after the 30-to-39 peak in both sexes.

The decline becomes more clinically relevant in older populations because lower muscle strength is associated with functional limitations.

CDC data from the 2011–2012 NHANES cycle found that older adults with reduced muscle strength were more likely to report difficulty rising from a chair. Among adults aged 80 and older, 19% had weak muscle strength and another 34% had intermediate strength according to the criteria used in the report.

These figures are historical U.S. data rather than a 2026 estimate, but they remain useful for understanding the relationship between aging and muscle strength.

19. Strength Training Does Not Eliminate Every Biological Difference

Resistance training can substantially improve strength in both men and women, but research does not support the idea that training automatically removes all population-level differences.

A 2025 study of physically active young adults found that men maintained greater bench-press strength and power than women even after researchers adjusted for body mass and fat-free mass.

At the same time, resistance-training research shows that men and women can achieve similar relative improvements in several measures of strength and muscle hypertrophy.

These findings are not contradictory.

Starting point and adaptation are different measurements.

Men generally begin adulthood with greater absolute muscle mass and strength. Women can still make substantial relative improvements through resistance training. Both statements can be true at the same time.

20. Individual Differences Matter More Than Simple Male vs Female Averages

The final statistic in this section is perhaps the most important concept in the entire article: population averages do not determine individual performance.

Scientific studies compare groups because researchers need to identify broad patterns. But within those groups, individual results can vary considerably.

A trained woman can be stronger than an untrained man. A smaller man can be weaker than a larger woman in a particular movement. A person with years of resistance-training experience can outperform someone with little training regardless of sex.

Research on resistance-trained participants demonstrates why factors such as lean mass, height, body composition and training status need to be considered alongside sex.

This is particularly relevant when interpreting online strength statistics.

A table showing an “average male” and “average female” should be treated as a population-level reference, not a prediction of what any specific person should be able to lift.

What the Research Says About Training and the Strength Gap

Evidence from resistance-training studies paints a more nuanced picture than many fitness articles suggest.

Men generally maintain higher absolute strength, especially in upper-body movements. However, women can make substantial strength and muscle gains through resistance training, and some analyses have found similar or even greater relative improvements in specific measures.

The difference between absolute performance and training response is critical.

A woman who increases her bench press from 75 pounds to 120 pounds has made a major improvement, even though her final absolute strength may still be below the average for trained men. Likewise, a man may increase his strength substantially without achieving the same percentage improvement.

This is why scientific comparisons should report both the starting point and the change over time.

Why the Upper-Body Difference Is Usually Larger

The upper-body strength gap has several potential contributors.

Men generally have greater upper-body skeletal muscle mass, while differences in body composition and muscle distribution also influence force production. Hormonal differences that develop during puberty are another important part of the biological explanation.

The result is not simply that one sex “trains harder” or that women are inherently less capable of gaining strength.

The underlying biology, body composition and starting muscle mass all matter.

Why Lower-Body Comparisons Are Different

The lower body tends to show a smaller relative sex difference than the upper body.

This pattern appears repeatedly in the scientific literature and is consistent with the smaller relative difference in lower-body muscle mass compared with upper-body muscle mass.

It also means that the answer to “How much stronger are men than women?” depends heavily on which movement is being discussed.

A single percentage cannot accurately describe bench press, squat, grip strength and total-body force at the same time.

Male vs Female Strength: What the Numbers Really Mean

The research provides a consistent overall pattern, but the details matter.

Adult men generally have greater absolute muscular strength than adult women. The difference tends to be larger in the upper body, while lower-body differences are generally smaller. These differences develop more strongly during puberty and are associated with differences in muscle mass, body composition, anatomy and hormonal development.

At the same time, women can make substantial improvements through resistance training. Research does not show that women are incapable of developing significant muscle or strength. In several resistance-training analyses, relative adaptations are similar between sexes, and women can show particularly strong relative improvements in upper-body strength.

Men are stronger on average in absolute measures of muscular strength, but the size of the difference depends on the muscle group, exercise, body size, age, training status and measurement method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are men naturally stronger than women?

On average, adult men have greater absolute muscular strength than adult women. The difference becomes substantially larger after puberty and is generally greater in upper-body than lower-body strength.

How much stronger is the average man than the average woman?

There is no single scientifically valid percentage that applies to every strength test. Research shows that the difference varies by muscle group, with upper-body strength generally showing a larger gap than lower-body strength.

Is the male-female strength gap larger in the upper body?

Yes. Scientific reviews consistently find larger average differences in upper-body strength than lower-body strength. Greater differences in upper-body muscle mass are an important contributor.

Are women stronger relative to their body weight?

Relative strength generally reduces the male-female difference compared with absolute strength, although the exact result depends on the test and normalization method. It does not mean that males and females have identical relative strength across all exercises.

Can a woman be stronger than a man?

Absolutely. Population averages describe groups, not individual people. Training history, body size, muscle mass, age and genetics can produce substantial variation between individuals.

Do men and women gain strength at the same rate?

Not necessarily for every measurement. Research has found broadly similar resistance-training adaptations for hypertrophy and lower-body strength, while some analyses show greater relative upper-body strength improvements among women.

Does muscle mass explain the male-female strength difference?

Muscle mass explains a substantial part of the difference, but not all of it. Research has found male strength advantages even when males and females are matched for muscle thickness, indicating that additional physiological and biomechanical factors are involved.

Does age affect male and female strength?

Yes. Strength generally declines with age in both sexes. U.S. NHANES data shows a clear decline in grip strength after the 30-to-39 age range, while CDC data shows that reduced muscle strength becomes increasingly common among older adults.

What is the strongest factor behind the male-female strength difference?

There is no single factor. Greater skeletal muscle mass, differences in muscle distribution and fiber characteristics, body size, hormonal development and other physiological factors all contribute.