Which exercises are the most popular? Which muscles do men and women train the most? And how strong are the average Joe and Jane?
We analyzed millions of workouts from over half a million users of our workout log app, and in this report, we present the results.
Key findings:
- The most popular exercise is the bench press – for men and women.
- Women do more training for their glutes and legs; men do more training for their upper body.
- The average male user can bench press 100 kg or 220 lb; the average female can bench press 47 kg or 104 lb.
- The average workout frequency is 3.3 workouts per week.
Strength training statistics in this article:
Most Popular Muscle Groups: Statistics
Generally, men tend to train their upper bodies more, and women train their lower bodies more.
- Men do 64% more training for their biceps, 50% more for their chest, and 46% more for their triceps than women. Men also work their calves almost twice as much as women (but still very little).
- Women do 43% more training for their glutes and 28% more for their thigh muscles (quads, adductors, hamstrings, and abductors) than men. Additionally, women work their obliques twice as much as men (but still very little).
- Men and women work their back muscles (lower back, lats, and trapezius) roughly similarly, but women emphasize their lower back slightly more.
Most Popular Exercises: Statistics
The ten most popular exercises (based on the number of sets) are similar between men and women:
- Men and women have 80% of the same exercises in their 10 most trained – with the bench press, squat, and deadlift at the top.
- Men train the bench press, barbell curls, and tricep pushdowns to a greater extent.
- Women train leg presses and hip thrusts to a greater extent.
More Popular Among Men
More Popular Among Women
Men – Top 10 Most Trained Exercises (% of Sets):
- Bench Press – 10.7%
- Squat – 6.7%
- Deadlift – 4.8%
- Lat Pulldown – 3.6%
- Overhead Press – 3.5%
- Barbell Row – 3.2%
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 2.8%
- Leg Extension – 2.4%
- Barbell Curl – 2.4%
- Tricep Pushdown – 2.1%
Women – Top 10 Most Trained Exercises (% of Sets):
- Bench Press – 8.2%
- Squat – 7.7%
- Deadlift – 5.4%
- Lat Pulldown – 4.1%
- Overhead Press – 3.0%
- Barbell Row – 2.9%
- Leg Press – 2.7%
- Leg Extension – 2.7%
- Dumbbell Lateral Raise – 2.6%
- Hip Thrust – 2.0%
Strength Statistics: How Much Can The Average Man and Woman Lift?
Below are strength standards based on data from our workout log.
Keep in mind that our user demographic is highly interested in strength training and does not reflect the general population. If I would guess, our users are probably in the top 10% (or higher) of the population in terms of strength.
- The average man can bench press 100 kg (220 lb), squat 120 kg (265 lb), and deadlift 150 kg (331 lb) for a one-rep max.
- The average woman can bench press 47 kg (104 lb), squat 70 kg (154 lb), and deadlift 89 kg (196 lb) for a one-rep max.
How Much Can the Average Man and Woman Bench Press?
| Strength Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 54 kg / 119 lb | 25 kg / 55 lb |
| Novice | 80 kg / 176 lb | 37 kg / 82 lb |
| Intermediate | 100 kg / 220 lb | 47 kg / 104 lb |
| Advanced | 120 kg / 265 lb | 58 kg / 128 lb |
| Elite | 168 kg / 370 lb | 90 kg / 198 lb |
Full bench press strength standards for different bodyweights:
How Much Can the Average Man and Woman Squat?
| Strength Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 58 kg / 128 lb | 27 kg / 60 lb |
| Novice | 93 kg / 205 lb | 53 kg / 117 lb |
| Intermediate | 120 kg / 265 lb | 70 kg / 154 lb |
| Advanced | 147 kg / 324 lb | 90 kg / 198 lb |
| Elite | 203 kg / 448 lb | 130 kg / 287 lb |
Full squat strength standards for different bodyweights:
How Much Can the Average Man and Woman Deadlift?
| Strength Level | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 76 kg / 168 lb | 40 kg / 88 lb |
| Novice | 120 kg / 265 lb | 70 kg / 154 lb |
| Intermediate | 150 kg / 331 lb | 89 kg / 196 lb |
| Advanced | 184 kg / 406 lb | 110 kg / 243 lb |
| Elite | 240 kg / 529 lb | 150 kg / 331 lb |
Full deadlift strength standards for different bodyweights:
What Do The Classifications Mean?
| Beginner | Stronger than 5% of users. |
| Novice | Stronger than 25% of users. |
| Intermediate | Stronger than 50% of users. |
| Advanced | Stronger than 75% of users. |
| Elite | Stronger than 95% of users. |
Got a question about the statistics in this report? Feel free to reach out to me at daniel@strengthlog.com.
You’re (of course!) welcome to reference the statistics in this report, but please credit us with a link to this site if you do so.
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