What Is the Average Curl Weight for Men & Women?

Can you curl more weight than the average man or woman? 

Mastering curls can transform your arms, making T-shirts a perfect showcase for your biceps. The amount of weight you can curl is a clear indicator of arm strength, as curls primarily target and isolate the biceps. Your curling capacity largely depends on the strength of your biceps (1).

However, several factors influence the amount of weight a person can curl. These include body weight, age, gender, technique, experience level, and even the type of equipment used. The mechanics of curling vary between dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, EZ bars, and curling machines, leading to differences in maximum curl weight from person to person.

Understanding the average curl weight for your weight class is a valuable way to track your progress. It helps you set realistic goals for biceps growth and strength as you train. This article breaks down the average curl weights for both barbell and dumbbell curls, categorized by weight, experience level, and gender. It also examines the key factors that influence your curling performance and provides insights into how you can enhance it.

Overview — Average Curl Weight

Before getting into what the average weight curl is, let’s analyze the mechanics of curling. Curling involves bending your arms at your elbows and bringing them towards your shoulders. This action primarily isolates the biceps; however, the anterior deltoids and muscles in the forearm, such as the brachioradialis, also act as stabilizers. 

Your current weight and training level greatly influence how many pounds you can curl. Knowing the average curl weight for people at your level can help you avoid lifting weights that are too heavy. It can also prevent overtraining to meet unrealistic goals, which can expose you to injuries. 

Below are the averages computed by Strength Level using 2,330,897 lifts for barbell curls and 3,220,422 lifts for dumbbell curls (2)(3).

Average Curl Weight For Barbell Curls

These participants used an Olympic barbell for this experiment, with body weights ranging from 110 lbs (50 kg) to 270 lbs (122 kg). The average barbell curl for a male lifter is 103 lbs (46 kg), which, from the stats below, puts you at an intermediate level. Beginners should aim for 38 lbs (17 kg).

The average barbell curl for women is 54 lbs (24 kg), placing the lifter in the intermediate skill range for women. Women just starting should aim to lift at least 14 lbs (6 kg). 

Barbell Average Curl Weight For Males

Weight (Lbs)	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
130	27	49	79	117	160
140	30	54	85	124	169
150	34	58	91	131	177
160	37	63	97	138	184
170	41	67	102	145	192
180	44	72	108	151	199
190	47	76	113	157	206
200	50	80	118	163	213
210	54	84	122	168	219
220	57	88	127	174	225
230	60	91	131	179	231
240	63	95	136	184	237
250	66	99	140	189	243
260	69	102	144	194	248
270	71	106	148	199	254

Barbell Average Curl Weight For Females

Weight (Lbs)	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
110	10	24	45	71	103
120	12	26	48	75	108
130	13	29	51	79	112
140	15	31	54	83	117
150	16	33	56	86	121
160	18	35	59	90	125
170	19	37	62	93	128
180	21	39	64	96	132
190	22	41	67	99	135
200	23	43	69	102	139
210	25	44	71	104	142
220	26	46	73	107	145
230	27	48	75	109	148
240	28	49	77	112	151
250	29	51	79	114	153

Average Curl Weight For Dumbbell Curls

These participants used weights ranging from 110 lbs (50 kg) to 270 lbs (122 kg). The average dumbbell curl for men is 52 lbs (23 kg), which places you at the intermediate level as a lifter. Beginners should aim to lift at least 14 lbs (6 kg).

The average dumbbell curl for women is 30 lbs (13 kg), which puts you at the intermediate skill level for women. Beginners should aim for at least 8 lbs (3 kg). 

Dumbbell Average Curl Weight For Males

Weight (Lbs)	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
130	10	23	42	66	96
140	11	25	44	70	100
150	12	27	47	73	104
160	14	29	50	76	108
170	15	30	52	80	111
180	16	32	54	83	115
190	18	34	57	85	118
200	19	36	59	88	121
210	20	37	61	91	124
220	21	39	63	93	127
230	23	41	65	96	130
240	24	42	67	98	133
250	25	44	69	101	136
260	26	45	71	103	138
270	27	47	73	105	141

Dumbbell Average Curl Weight For Females

Weight (Lbs)	Beginner	Novice	Intermediate	Advanced	Elite
110	6	13	25	40	58
120	6	15	27	43	61
130	7	16	28	45	63
140	8	17	30	46	66
150	9	18	31	48	68
160	9	19	33	50	70
170	10	20	34	51	72
180	11	21	35	53	73
190	12	22	36	54	75
200	12	23	38	56	77
210	13	24	39	57	78
220	13	25	40	59	80
230	14	25	41	60	81
240	15	26	42	61	83
250	15	27	43	62	84

Factors Affecting Curling

Lifting Experience

Your lifting experience can play a huge role in your curling. Simply put, lifters with less experience in curling lift less. This is because experienced lifters have spent a considerable amount of time honing their curling craft and have picked up the essential cues to enhance their lifting experience.  

Age

There is a relationship between the ability to curl and age. The peak level of curling for elite athletes ranges from 25 to 40, after which this ability begins to deteriorate with age. This is because of a reduction in strength, endurance, flexibility, and body fat percentage as they age (4). So, if you’re looking to maximize your curling ability and set personal records, you have between the ages of 25 and 40 to do so. 

Gender

Gender is an obvious factor in curling weights. Men, on average, lift heavier than women in similar classes. The average curl weight for men is also higher than that for women.  

Type of Equipment

You can use a dumbbell, barbell, cable machine, resistance band, or EZ bar to curl, and each has different mechanics. For instance, curling with a barbell requires the use of two hands, whereas curling with a dumbbell requires only one hand. With an EZ bar, you can get a better range of motion when curling compared to a straight bar. All these factors affect your ability to curl and the amount of weight you can lift when doing so.

Technique & Method of Curling

When curling, your technique and method of curling play a crucial role in determining how heavy you can curl. Those who use lazy techniques with loads of momentum tend to curl heavier than those who use strict and proper techniques. It is essential to use an appropriate form when curling to reduce your risk of injuries and get the most from your curling experience.

How to Curl Properly

Depending on the equipment you’re using to curl, it is essential to observe a strict form and avoid using momentum. The idea is to isolate your biceps and avoid using any other muscle groups. Follow these steps when doing a dumbbell curl:

1. Grab a dumbbell using an underhand grip, stand with your feet hip-width apart, and keep your elbows close to your sides. This is your starting position.
2. Next, initiate the movement by slowly curling the dumbbells towards your chest until your biceps are fully contracted.
3. Pause in this position for about two to three seconds and slowly lower the weight back to the starting position.
4. Repeat this movement for as many reps as possible.

Wrapping Up

The average curl weight is a good benchmark for tracking your curl progress. If you’re looking to increase your curl weight, you can use this benchmark to challenge yourself during your workouts. Increase your training intensity by incorporating supersets and drop sets, or doing AMRAPs when curling to achieve results.

Resting is also essential because it helps repair muscles damaged by intense training. Try to rest your biceps for at least 48 hours to allow them to recover properly and prevent injuries. Finally, a proper diet is as important as training. Ensure you eat foods with a high protein content to encourage muscle growth and increase strength. 

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References

1. Coratella, G., Tornatore, G., Longo, S., Toninelli, N., Padovan, R., Esposito, F., & Cè, E. (2023). Biceps Brachii and Brachioradialis Excitation in Biceps Curl Exercise: Different Handgrips, Different Synergy. Sports (Basel, Switzerland), 11(3), 64. https://doi.org/10.3390/sports11030064 
2. Barbell Curl Standards for Men and Women (lb) – Strength Level. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/barbell-curl 
3. Dumbbell Curl Standards for Men and Women (lb) – Strength Level. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://strengthlevel.com/strength-standards/dumbbell-curl    
4. Milanović, Z., Pantelić, S., Trajković, N., Sporiš, G., Kostić, R., & James, N. (2013). Age-related decrease in physical activity and functional fitness among elderly men and women. Clinical interventions in aging, 8, 549–556. https://doi.org/10.2147/CIA.S44112