Average grip strength for a Canadian adult peaks at about 48 kg (106 lb) for men and 29 kg (64 lb) for women, measured as the best single hand on a dynamometer. Grip peaks in the early 40s, then declines with age, and is a well-studied health marker. Every figure here is in kilograms first, pounds in brackets, as the research reports it.
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Key Takeaways
- Canadian men peak at about 48 kg (106 lb) of single-hand grip in the 40 to 44 age band; women peak near 29 kg (64 lb), according to Statistics Canada.
- The often-quoted "42.8 kg (94 lb) for men, 26.2 kg (58 lb) for women" is an all-ages average covering everyone from 6 to 79, so it understates a healthy working-age adult.
- Women's grip runs about 59% of men's at the Canadian peak, per Statistics Canada.
- Grip peaks in the early 40s then declines, falling to about 34 kg (75 lb) for Canadian men by age 75 to 79.
- Clinical "weakness" starts below 27 kg (60 lb) for men and 16 kg (35 lb) for women, the threshold linked to frailty and sarcopenia.
- Each 5 kg drop in grip is tied to a 16% higher risk of death from any cause, based on a 17-country study of nearly 140,000 people.
- Young adults today grip weaker than the 1985 benchmark, with one same-protocol study reporting men aged 20 to 24 down about 9 kg (20 lb).
Average Grip Strength: The Quick Answer
For Canadian adults, average single-hand grip peaks at age 40 to 44, per the Canadian Health Measures Survey from Statistics Canada.
| Measure | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Peak single-hand, age 40 to 44 | 48.4 kg (107 lb) | 28.5 kg (63 lb) |
| All-ages average, age 6 to 79 | 42.8 kg (94 lb) | 26.2 kg (58 lb) |
The all-ages figures sit below what a healthy adult produces. Online numbers disagree by almost double because most norms report one hand while some surveys add both hands together. A "98 kg" grip is two hands summed, not a stronger population.
The all-ages average grip strength sits below what a healthy adult produces at the peak. Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Health Measures Survey.
Average Grip Strength by Age (Canadian Data)
Grip rises through early adulthood, peaks in the early 40s, and declines faster after 60. This table gives the Canadian median (50th percentile) single-hand maximum by age, from Statistics Canada.
| Age group | Men, median grip | Women, median grip |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 24 | 42.9 kg (95 lb) | 26.6 kg (59 lb) |
| 25 to 29 | 45.2 kg (100 lb) | 27.5 kg (61 lb) |
| 30 to 34 | 46.9 kg (103 lb) | 28.1 kg (62 lb) |
| 35 to 39 | 47.9 kg (106 lb) | 28.4 kg (63 lb) |
| 40 to 44 | 48.4 kg (107 lb) | 28.5 kg (63 lb) |
| 45 to 49 | 48.1 kg (106 lb) | 28.3 kg (62 lb) |
| 50 to 54 | 47.3 kg (104 lb) | 27.8 kg (61 lb) |
| 55 to 59 | 45.9 kg (101 lb) | 27.0 kg (60 lb) |
| 60 to 64 | 43.8 kg (97 lb) | 25.9 kg (57 lb) |
| 65 to 69 | 41.1 kg (91 lb) | 24.6 kg (54 lb) |
| 70 to 74 | 37.7 kg (83 lb) | 23.0 kg (51 lb) |
| 75 to 79 | 33.7 kg (74 lb) | 21.1 kg (47 lb) |
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Health Measures Survey (data collected 2007 to 2013). A man's median grip drops about 15 kg (33 lb) from peak to his late 70s.
Median single-hand grip rises through early adulthood, peaks at age 40 to 44, then declines. Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Health Measures Survey.
Grip Strength: Men vs Women
Men out-grip women in every age band. In the Canadian peak band, women's median of 28.5 kg (63 lb) is about 59% of men's 48.4 kg (107 lb), per Statistics Canada, and the twelve-study British norms from Dodds and colleagues put men's grip at about 1.6 times women's. The gap reflects muscle mass and fibre size, not training.
Men out-grip women in every age band. Sources: Statistics Canada; Dodds et al., twelve British studies.
Average Grip Strength by Country
Average grip strength is broadly similar across comparable countries once the measurement lines up. This table compares peak adult single-hand grip, with the United States shown for contrast.
| Country | Men | Women | How it was measured |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 48.4 kg (107 lb), age 40 to 44 | 28.5 kg (63 lb), age 40 to 44 | best single hand |
| United Kingdom | 51 kg (112 lb), peak | 31 kg (68 lb), peak | best single hand |
| Australia | 47 kg (104 lb), age 20 to 29 | 30 kg (66 lb), age 20 to 29 | right hand |
| United States | 98.1 kg (216 lb), age 30 to 39 | 61.9 kg (136 lb), age 30 to 39 | both hands combined |
Sources: Statistics Canada; Dodds et al. (United Kingdom); Massy-Westropp et al. (Australia); Perna et al., NHANES (United States). The US figures are higher only because that survey summed both hands; halved, they match the single-hand numbers.
The US figure is higher only because that survey summed both hands. Halved, it matches the single-hand numbers. Sources: Statistics Canada; Dodds et al.; Massy-Westropp et al.; Perna et al., NHANES.
Grip Strength by Country Income Level
Grip strength is lower on average in lower-income regions. A 21-country reference-range analysis from the PURE investigators found the highest grip among adults in Europe and North America, and lower medians across South Asia, South East Asia and Africa.
How Grip Strength Has Changed Since 1985
Young adults today appear to grip weaker than they did in 1985. A study in the Journal of Hand Therapy by Fain and Weatherford re-tested young adults with the same Jamar protocol that produced the widely used 1985 norms, and found today's young men significantly weaker.
| Time point | Group | Grip (right hand) |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | US men aged 20 to 24 | 54.9 kg (121 lb) |
| About 2015 | US men aged 20 to 24 | 45.8 kg (101 lb) |
How we built this: both figures come from the Fain and Weatherford study, which compared its own measurements against the 1985 Mathiowetz norms on the same instrument and protocol, so it is a real change over time, not two surveys stitched together. The sample was small (237 people, one US city), so treat the size of the drop as that study's finding, not a national trend. No Canadian survey repeats grip testing often enough to confirm it here.
Same instrument and protocol at both time points. The sample was small (237 people, one US city). Source: Fain and Weatherford, Journal of Hand Therapy.
What Is a Good Grip Strength?
A "good" grip sits above the normal range for your age and sex. These bands from Topend Sports, based on Camry dynamometer norms, cover adults around 25 to 29.
| Classification | Men (age 25 to 29) | Women (age 25 to 29) |
|---|---|---|
| Below average | below 37.7 kg (83 lb) | below 25.6 kg (56 lb) |
| Normal range | 37.7 to 57.5 kg (83 to 127 lb) | 25.6 to 41.4 kg (56 to 91 lb) |
| Above average | above 57.5 kg (127 lb) | above 41.4 kg (91 lb) |
These are fitness classifications, not clinical cut-points; grip athletes pull far higher.
A good grip sits above the normal range for your age and sex. These are fitness classifications, not clinical cut-points. Source: Topend Sports.
What Counts as a Weak Grip (Clinical Cut-Points)
Clinically, grip counts as weak below 27 kg (60 lb) for men and 16 kg (35 lb) for women, the cut-points from Dodds and colleagues used in the European Working Group on Sarcopenia (EWGSOP2) criteria to flag sarcopenia and frailty. That line sits well below healthy norms at every age.
| Benchmark (single hand) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical weakness (EWGSOP2) | below 27 kg (60 lb) | below 16 kg (35 lb) |
| Healthy adult peak (Canada) | 48.4 kg (107 lb) | 28.5 kg (63 lb) |
| Canadian median at age 75 to 79 | 33.7 kg (74 lb) | 21.1 kg (47 lb) |
Sources: Dodds et al. (weakness cut-points); Statistics Canada (Canadian norms). Even at 75 to 79, median grip stays above the weakness line.
Even at age 75 to 79, median grip stays above the clinical weakness line. Sources: Dodds et al. (cut-points); Statistics Canada (Canadian norms).
Grip Strength, Longevity and Mortality Risk
Grip strength predicts lifespan better than most simple tests. The PURE study in The Lancet followed 139,691 people across 17 countries and tied each 5 kg drop in grip to higher risk.
| Outcome | Risk per 5 kg lower grip |
|---|---|
| Death from any cause | 16% higher (hazard ratio 1.16) |
| Death from cardiovascular disease | 17% higher (hazard ratio 1.17) |
| Heart attack | 7% higher (hazard ratio 1.07) |
| Stroke | 9% higher (hazard ratio 1.09) |
Source: Leong et al., PURE study, The Lancet.
The PURE study followed 139,691 people across 17 countries. Source: Leong et al., The Lancet.
Grip and blood pressure predict different things; the same study measured both.
| Health outcome | Stronger predictor (hazard ratio per standard deviation) |
|---|---|
| Death from any cause | Grip strength (1.37) over systolic blood pressure (1.15) |
| A new cardiovascular event | Systolic blood pressure (1.39) over grip strength (1.21) |
Source: Leong et al., PURE study, The Lancet. So grip is the better signal for overall survival, not for every heart outcome.
Dominant vs Non-Dominant Hand
The dominant hand is traditionally considered about 10% stronger, a clinical rule of thumb that does not hold for everyone.
| Hand comparison | Grip difference |
|---|---|
| Clinical rule of thumb | dominant hand about 10% stronger |
| Measured, Australian adults (Massy-Westropp) | right hand about 2 kg (4 lb) over left |
Source: clinical rule of thumb; Massy-Westropp et al. (measured gap). For a reliable reading, test both hands and use the higher one.
The 10% rule does not hold for everyone. Test both hands and use the higher one. Source: Massy-Westropp et al. (measured gap).
How Grip Strength Is Measured
Grip is measured on a hand dynamometer, recording the best squeeze of each hand. Protocols vary: the American Society of Hand Therapists recommends sitting with the elbow at 90 degrees, while Canada's survey tested standing. Common devices include the Jamar, Smedley, Takei, and Camry. Statistics Canada reported the maximum of a single hand; the US NHANES survey added both hands together.
How to Build a Stronger Grip
Grip is trainable at any age; the fastest gains come from holding heavy loads.
| Exercise | What it builds |
|---|---|
| Loaded carries with dumbbells or kettlebells | crushing and holding strength |
| Dead hangs from a pull-up bar | holding endurance |
| Hand grippers | crushing strength |
A few sessions a week moves the number. For more, see our guide to the best grip strengtheners.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average grip strength for a man in kg?
The average Canadian man's single-hand grip peaks at about 48 kg (106 lb) in his early 40s and averages 42.8 kg (94 lb) across all ages, per Statistics Canada. A reading in the mid-to-high 40s is typical for a healthy man.
What is the average grip strength for a woman in kg?
The average Canadian woman's single-hand grip peaks at about 28.5 kg (63 lb) in her early 40s and averages 26.2 kg (58 lb) across all ages, per Statistics Canada. A reading in the high 20s is typical for a healthy woman.
Is a 150-pound hand gripper hard to close?
Yes, a 150 lb (68 kg) gripper is hard for most people to close, harder than the No. 1 Captains of Crush gripper (140 lb). A gripper measures crushing action, not the same as a dynamometer reading, so the two are not directly comparable.
| Captains of Crush gripper | Rating to close |
|---|---|
| Trainer | 100 lb (45 kg) |
| No. 1 | 140 lb (64 kg) |
| No. 2 | 195 lb (88 kg) |
| No. 3 | 280 lb (127 kg) |
Source: Captains of Crush gripper ratings, a recognised grip-sport standard.
Is grip strength an indicator of dementia?
Low grip strength has been linked to a higher risk of cognitive decline in older adults in Bohannon's grip biomarker review, which is why researchers study it alongside frailty. It is an associated marker, not a diagnostic test, so a weaker grip does not mean dementia is coming.
Conclusion
Average grip strength for a Canadian adult peaks near 48 kg (106 lb) for men and 29 kg (64 lb) for women, falls with age, and tracks closely with long-term health. The key point: headline "average" numbers online usually blend all ages or add both hands together, so check the age band and measurement before comparing your reading. The good news is grip responds quickly to training.
At Fitness Avenue, we have supplied Canadians with home strength equipment since 2007, from hand grippers to functional trainers, all stocked and shipped from Canadian warehouses. To put these numbers to work, explore our hand grips and grip strengtheners, or read our senior fitness statistics for Canada.
Sources
- Statistics Canada: Grip strength reference values for Canadians aged 6 to 79
- The Lancet: Prognostic value of grip strength (PURE study)
- PLOS ONE: Grip strength across the life course, normative data from twelve British studies
- Age and Ageing: Grip strength cut points and global variation
- BMC Research Notes: Hand grip strength normative data, South Australia
- Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: Muscular grip strength estimates of the US population, NHANES
- Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle: Reference ranges of handgrip strength from 125,462 healthy adults
- Journal of Hand Therapy: Young adult grip strength compared with historical norms
- Clinical Interventions in Aging: Grip strength as a biomarker for older adults
- Topend Sports: Handgrip strength norms
