WOMEN OVER 50 · STRENGTH AFTER 50 · FREE TOOL

GRIP STRENGTH BY AGE CALCULATOR

Enter your age, sex and best grip reading to see where it falls among published norms from 12 British studies of 49,964 people, ages 50 to 90.

Sex

Your age

Best grip reading (optional)

Use your single best squeeze from either hand on a hand grip dynamometer, the way the studies measured it. Leave the reading empty to just see the norms for your age.

GRIP STRENGTH CHART BY AGE (KG)

WOMEN

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	21	25	29	33	37
55	19	23	28	32	35
60	18	22	27	31	34
65	17	21	25	29	33
70	16	20	24	27	31
75	14	18	21	25	28
80	13	16	19	23	26
85	11	14	17	20	23
90	9	11	14	17	20

MEN

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	35	41	48	54	60
55	34	40	47	53	59
60	33	39	45	51	56
65	31	37	43	48	53
70	29	34	39	44	49
75	26	31	35	41	45
80	23	27	32	37	42
85	19	24	29	33	38
90	16	20	25	29	33

Values are centiles at each exact age, from a model fitted to 60,803 grip measurements in 12 general-population studies in Great Britain (1990–2012). Most used three squeezes per hand and the best single value. The authors note they did not account for height, and that the data are cross-sectional. The middle column (50th) is the median. To convert kg to lb, multiply by 2.2.

BUILD IT

Grip is trained by holding heavy things: carries, deadlifts, rows and hangs. How the books program it: Strength Training for Women Over 50, Strength Training After 50 and Loaded Carries and the Three Kinds of Grip.

SOURCES

Dodds RM, Syddall HE, Cooper R, et al. Grip strength across the life course: normative data from twelve British studies. PLoS One. 2014;9(12):e113637. PMID 25474696
Leong DP, Teo KK, Rangarajan S, et al. Prognostic value of grip strength: findings from the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study. Lancet. 2015;386(9990):266-73. PMID 25982160

TRAIN YOUR GRIP

WIN THE LONG WAR — WOMEN'S EDITION

The longevity protocol rebuilt for women over 50 — hormones, bone density, cardiovascular health, and the compounds the research actually supports.

BATTLE HARD AFTER 50

A twelve-week, no-gym-required strength and conditioning protocol for men over 50, built on a five-domain self-assessment — strength, power, engine, carry and grip, and mobility — instead of one overall fitness score.

QUESTIONS

WHAT IS AVERAGE GRIP STRENGTH FOR A 60-YEAR-OLD WOMAN?+

In the British norms this calculator uses (Dodds and colleagues, 2014), the median grip at age 60 was 27 kg (about 60 lb) for women and 45 kg (about 99 lb) for men. Half of people that age and sex gripped less, half more.

HOW DO I MEASURE GRIP STRENGTH?+

With a hand grip dynamometer, which many physical therapists, clinics and gyms have. The studies behind these norms mostly took three squeezes with each hand and used the single highest value, so enter your best squeeze from either hand.

WHY DOES GRIP STRENGTH MATTER?+

In large population studies, such as the 139,691-person PURE study, lower grip strength was associated with a higher risk of death from any cause. Those studies show an association, not that grip itself causes it, and the PURE authors called for trials testing whether improving strength lowers risk.

CAN I USE THIS TO TRACK MY PROGRESS?+

The study authors say the centiles shouldn't be used to monitor one person over time, because they come from different people at different ages. To track yourself, compare your own readings taken the same way.

MY READING IS LOW. WHAT SHOULD I DO?+

This shows where a reading falls in a sample, not a diagnosis. If your grip is low or has dropped, talk with your physician, who can look at it alongside your health.

FREE GUIDE

THE WOMEN OVER 50 WEEKLY BATTLE PLAN

One printable week of strength, endurance and recovery from Win the Long War: Women's Edition: two strength sessions with sets and reps, Zone 2 and interval days, a long session, a four-week strength log and a Sunday review. Free PDF. Enter your email and it opens right away.

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For education only. This is not medical advice and not a diagnosis. Talk with your physician about your strength and health, especially before starting a new exercise program.

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	21	25	29	33	37
55	19	23	28	32	35
60	18	22	27	31	34
65	17	21	25	29	33
70	16	20	24	27	31
75	14	18	21	25	28
80	13	16	19	23	26
85	11	14	17	20	23
90	9	11	14	17	20

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	35	41	48	54	60
55	34	40	47	53	59
60	33	39	45	51	56
65	31	37	43	48	53
70	29	34	39	44	49
75	26	31	35	41	45
80	23	27	32	37	42
85	19	24	29	33	38
90	16	20	25	29	33

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	21	25	29	33	37
55	19	23	28	32	35
60	18	22	27	31	34
65	17	21	25	29	33
70	16	20	24	27	31
75	14	18	21	25	28
80	13	16	19	23	26
85	11	14	17	20	23
90	9	11	14	17	20

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	35	41	48	54	60
55	34	40	47	53	59
60	33	39	45	51	56
65	31	37	43	48	53
70	29	34	39	44	49
75	26	31	35	41	45
80	23	27	32	37	42
85	19	24	29	33	38
90	16	20	25	29	33

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	21	25	29	33	37
55	19	23	28	32	35
60	18	22	27	31	34
65	17	21	25	29	33
70	16	20	24	27	31
75	14	18	21	25	28
80	13	16	19	23	26
85	11	14	17	20	23
90	9	11	14	17	20

Age	10th	25th	50th	75th	90th
50	35	41	48	54	60
55	34	40	47	53	59
60	33	39	45	51	56
65	31	37	43	48	53
70	29	34	39	44	49
75	26	31	35	41	45
80	23	27	32	37	42
85	19	24	29	33	38
90	16	20	25	29	33