Average handheld dynamometer grip for men runs about 50 kg in your 20s–30s, easing down through the decades (≈46 at 50–59, ≈41 at 60–69); women average about 32–33 kg at the same ages (≈30 at 50–59, ≈26 at 60–69). Around 120% of your age group's average is a reasonable "above average" bar. Grip is also a legitimate health marker — big cohort studies link low grip to worse long-term outcomes — and dead hangs are one of the simplest ways to train it. Test yours with our dead hang calculator.
Why grip strength gets called a "vital sign"
Most gym numbers tell you about your training. Grip strength quietly tells researchers about your whole system. In large international cohort work — most famously the PURE study of nearly 140,000 people across 17 countries — every 5 kg drop in grip strength was associated with measurably higher risks of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and all-cause mortality, and grip predicted these outcomes at least as well as systolic blood pressure [1]. Reviews of normative data have since turned grip into a standard field measure of muscle health across adulthood and aging [2].
To be clear about what that means and doesn't mean: association is not destiny. A single low reading isn't a diagnosis, and a strong grip doesn't grant immunity. What grip offers is a cheap, repeatable trend line — one number you can test the same way every few months for decades. Very few health markers cost nothing and travel in your handbag.
For people who train with a bar — dead hangs, pull-ups, climbing — grip also sits at the bottom of a long chain: grip endurance sets how long you can hang, which sets how much decompression and shoulder work you can accumulate. Weak grip, short hangs.
How grip strength is actually measured
The reference numbers below come from studies using a handheld dynamometer: you hold the handle at a comfortable setting, keep your elbow bent about 90° (the most common testing posture), squeeze maximally for 3–5 seconds, and repeat for 2–3 trials per hand with rest in between. Studies typically record the average or best of the trials, and most report the dominant hand slightly stronger than the non-dominant — a gap of roughly 10% is normal [2].
If you don't own a dynamometer, you can estimate from your bar work: your max dead hang time is a passable proxy for grip endurance (not peak force), because hanging is simply grip strength carried at bodyweight. That's exactly what our dead hang time calculator benchmarks — hang times by age and sex, alongside these grip reference values.
The reference tables (approximate averages, kg)
Rounded from published normative meta-analyses of healthy adults [2]. Individual studies vary by device and protocol; treat these as orientation, not a report card.
| Age band | Average | Above average ≈ | Well above ≈ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 50 kg | 60 kg | 65+ kg |
| 30–39 | 50 kg | 60 kg | 65+ kg |
| 40–49 | 49 kg | 59 kg | 64+ kg |
| 50–59 | 46 kg | 55 kg | 60+ kg |
| 60–69 | 41 kg | 49 kg | 54+ kg |
| 70–79 | 35 kg | 42 kg | 46+ kg |
| Age band | Average | Above average ≈ | Well above ≈ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20–29 | 32 kg | 38 kg | 42+ kg |
| 30–39 | 33 kg | 40 kg | 43+ kg |
| 40–49 | 32 kg | 38 kg | 42+ kg |
| 50–59 | 30 kg | 36 kg | 39+ kg |
| 60–69 | 26 kg | 31 kg | 34+ kg |
| 70–79 | 22 kg | 26 kg | 29+ kg |
Three honest caveats. First, dynamometer readings usually run a bit higher than what a bar hang reflects, because hang time also depends on body weight, grip endurance and shoulder stability — a 90 kg lifter and a 60 kg runner with identical grip force will hang for very different times. Second, "above average ≈ average × 1.2" is a rough top-quartile marker, not an official threshold. Third, if you track grip over time, your own trend beats any table — a 15% drop that persists across months is worth mentioning to a clinician, whatever your starting point.
One more thing worth knowing: left vs right
Your dominant hand normally reads about 10% stronger than your non-dominant hand. That asymmetry is so consistent that a sudden widening gap — one hand dropping well beyond the usual difference across retests — is the pattern clinicians pay attention to, not the absolute numbers. Track both hands from day one, always in the same order, and treat the relationship between them as the signal. (A simple left-versus-right comparison calculator is on our tools roadmap.)
Where dead hangs fit in
Hanging is grip training with a twist: instead of squeezing a handle for peak force, you hold your entire bodyweight for time. That makes it time-under-tension work — excellent for grip endurance, shoulder health and spinal decompression (see our evidence review on dead hangs and scoliosis), and surprisingly good at dragging grip numbers upward, especially for beginners.
A sensible progression: test your max hang, train 3 sessions a week with sub-maximal sets, re-test every week or two. Our new Hang Progression Planner turns exactly that into a printable 4–8 week plan, and the calculator tells you where your starting point ranks. Once bodyweight hangs feel easy, weighted hangs and thicker bars are the classic next step — that's where climbing-style hangboard tools excel.
How to actually improve your grip
- Hanging itself. Total weekly hang minutes is the variable that moves beginners fastest — 3 short sessions beat one heroic one.
- Dead hangs + farmer carries + rows. Grip responds to being the limiting factor sometimes, not always the afterthought.
- Progressive overload. Add seconds, then sets, then weight. Random squeezing doesn't accumulate; structure does.
- Sleep and total training load matter. Grip is famously sensitive to fatigue — a useful property if you're using it as a trend line, an annoying one if you're chasing PRs daily.
- Track it. Whatever the tool — a logbook, our Apple Watch app that counts hangs automatically — the point is a consistent series you can read years later.
FAQ
What is a good grip strength for a man?
Men under 40 average around 50 kg on a handheld dynamometer; ≈60 kg is comfortably above average. Expect the average to decline about 10% per decade after 50.
What is a good grip strength for a woman?
Women under 40 average around 32–33 kg; ≈38–40 kg is above average. The age-related decline pattern is similar to men's.
Does dead hanging increase grip strength?
Yes — reliably, for almost everyone starting out. Hanging is time-under-tension grip training at bodyweight; expect hang endurance to improve fastest, with dynamometer force following. For peak force, add weighted hangs or grip tools.
Is low grip strength dangerous?
Population research links low grip to worse long-term health outcomes [1], but a single reading isn't a diagnosis. Track your trend, train your grip, and raise persistent changes with a clinician.
Sources
- Leong DP, et al. Prognostic value of grip strength (PURE study, ~140,000 participants, 17 countries). PubMed: Leong grip strength PURE Lancet
- Bohannon RW, et al. Normative reference values for grip strength (systematic reviews & meta-analyses). PubMed: Bohannon grip normative meta-analysis
- Related reading on this site: Dead hang time standards calculator · Dead hangs and scoliosis: evidence review