Grip Strength Percentile Calculator
Use a hand dynamometer or estimate from the table below
Use the dominant hand. Take 3 measurements with 60-second rest between — use the average. No dynamometer? Estimate using the reference table below.
Grip Strength Norms by Age
Average (50th percentile) dominant hand values in kg
| Age Group | Men — Avg (kg) | Men — Strong (75th) | Women — Avg (kg) | Women — Strong (75th) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 47 | 53 | 31 | 36 |
| 30–39 | 46 | 52 | 31 | 36 |
| 40–49 | 44 | 50 | 29 | 34 |
| 50–59 | 41 | 47 | 27 | 32 |
| 60–69 | 37 | 43 | 24 | 28 |
| 70–79 | 32 | 38 | 21 | 25 |
| 80+ | 26 | 32 | 17 | 21 |
Why Grip Strength Predicts Longevity Better Than Most Biomarkers
A 2015 study published in The Lancet — the PURE study — tracked 139,691 adults across 17 countries for an average of 4 years. Every 5 kg decrease in grip strength was associated with a 17% higher risk of cardiovascular mortality, 17% higher risk of non-cardiovascular mortality, 9% higher risk of stroke, and 7% higher risk of heart attack. After adjusting for dozens of confounders, grip strength was a stronger predictor of cardiovascular mortality than systolic blood pressure.
This association holds because grip strength is a proxy for overall skeletal muscle quality, which in turn reflects mitochondrial function, metabolic health, hormonal status, and nervous system function. Weak grip is a marker of sarcopenia (muscle loss), which is itself a driver — not just a consequence — of metabolic and cardiovascular disease.
How to Improve Your Grip Strength
- Resistance training: The most effective intervention. Deadlifts, rows, farmer's carries, and pull-ups all develop grip directly. 3 sessions per week improves grip strength in 8–12 weeks.
- Farmer's carries: Walk with heavy dumbbells or kettlebells for 30–60 seconds. One of the most time-efficient grip builders available.
- Dedicated grip training: Hand grip exercisers, towel pull-ups, plate pinches. Useful supplement to compound lifts.
- Protein adequacy: Adequate protein (1.6–2.2g/kg) is essential for maintaining muscle mass that supports grip strength, especially after age 50.
The most widely used clinical cutoffs come from the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2, 2019): below 27 kg for men and below 16 kg for women using a hand dynamometer. These thresholds are associated with significantly elevated risk of falls, hospitalisation, and mortality in older adults. The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) uses slightly different cutoffs: below 26 kg for men and below 16 kg for women.