How to test properly
- Handheld dynamometer, comfortable handle setting, elbow bent about 90°, arm at your side.
- Squeeze maximally for 3–5 seconds. Rest 30 seconds. Do 2–3 tries per hand.
- Use your best (or average — just be consistent) reading, and record both hands.
Reading the result honestly: these bands come from rounded normative dynamometer data (Bohannon et al. reference values) and vary by device and protocol. Your own trend over months matters more than any single reading, and one low number is not a diagnosis — persistent changes belong with a clinician.
Frequently asked questions
No dynamometer — can I still benchmark?
Yes: max dead hang time is a solid grip-endurance proxy at bodyweight. Different number, same trend-line value.
What counts as weak?
Rough orientation, adults under 40: well under ~40 kg (men) / ~24 kg (women). A sudden drop or a growing left-right gap is the pattern clinicians actually watch — dominant hands normally run ~10% stronger.
Which hand?
Both, always in the same order. Compare each hand to its own history.