Average Curl Weight for Men and Women: Dumbbells and Barbells
Let’s face it; most serious lifters are insecure about the weight on their bar. They don’t want to be seen lifting weights that are considered light by their fellow exercisers. Don’t believe us? Watch the average curling weight across the gym floor increase by at least 5 pounds when a pretty lady walks into the gym. Although “How much do you bench?” is the most popular question amongst the bros, “How much do you curl?” takes a close second.
Unlike the squat, bench press, or deadlift, the curl is an isolation exercise, meaning it uses a single joint and muscle group. For this reason, the weights you can lift on the biceps curl will be significantly lower than the big three lifts. Contrarily, if you have a bigger curl than the squat or bench press, you have some soul-searching to do.
Your maximum curl weight depends on factors like your age, weight, gender, form, and experience level. Furthermore, your average and max curl weight will vary depending on the exercise. Most lifters have different average curl weights on the barbell, dumbbell, cable, and strict curl. You shouldn’t expect a 50-year-old beginner male to match a 24-year-old professional’s barbell curl max. At the same time, the senior should not be boasting about beating a fit lady’s dumbbell curl max.
In this article, we cover the average curl weight for men and ladies on dumbbells and barbells, factors affecting your curl weight, how to find your one-rep max, the correct curling form, and how to increase your curl weight. Long story short, this guide will answer all your questions about curling. So, without any further ado, let’s get into it.
Why Should You Know the Average Curl Weight?
Knowing the average curl weight for your group will tell you how you stack up against your peers. These benchmarks will give you a goal, allow you to track your progress, and keep you accountable. Furthermore, many rookies set themselves up for injury while training, as they try to do too much too soon. Knowing the average curl weight for your experience level will help you set realistic targets for yourself.
Average Curl Weight For Dumbbells Curl
Contrary to what most lifters think, your weight on the dumbbell curl will not be the same as that on your barbell curl. Give below are the average curl weight for males and females on dumbbells and barbells. Use this data to select the right weight for your next workout.
Average Dumbbell Curl Weight For Males
The information presented below is derived from the analysis of 1,910,923 lifts conducted by Strength Level based on a person’s one-rep maximum (1RM).
Weight (in pounds) 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
Note: These weights are for one dumbbell.
The average dumbbell curl weight for a male intermediate lifter is 52 pounds. On the other hand, the average curl weight for beginners is 14 pounds, 29 pounds for novices, 80 pounds for advanced lifters, and 113 pounds for the elite. According to the data, novice male lifters are capable of curling nearly twice the amount of weight as beginners across the weight classes. The disparity in dumbbell curl weight between inexperienced and elite athletes diminishes as body weight increases.
Average Dumbbell Curl Weight For Females
Men are generally stronger than their female counterparts, and this can be seen in curl weight comparisons throughout this article.
Weight (in pounds) 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
On average, a female intermediate lifter can dumbbell curl 30 pounds. However, for beginner athletes, the weight capacity is around 8 pounds, 17 pounds for novices, 47 pounds for advanced athletes, and 67 pounds for elite lifters. While the difference between the male and female lifters is 6 pounds at the newbie level, it widens to 46 pounds for the advanced exercisers in the dumbbell curl.
Average Curl Weight For Barbells Curl
The average barbell curl data is based on 1,647,530 lifts. The participants used an Olympic barbell (45 pounds) for this test.
Average Barbell Curl Weight For Males
Here is the average barbell curl weight for males across different weight groups:
Weight (in pounds) 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
Male intermediate lifters typically have an average barbell curl weight of 103 pounds. In comparison, beginners can curl 38 pounds, novices can lift 66 pounds, advanced lifters can handle 149 pounds, and elite athletes can manage an impressive 201 pounds.
Average Barbell Curl Weight For Females
Here is the average barbell curl weight for females across different weight groups:
Weight (in pounds) 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 66 99 135
The average barbell curl weight for a female intermediate lifter is 45 pounds. For beginners, the weight capacity is around 10 pounds, 26 pounds for novices, 59 pounds for advanced athletes, and 85 pounds for elite lifters. The difference between male and female lifters is evident, with males generally able to lift heavier weights.
In conclusion, knowing the average curl weight for your experience level can help you set realistic goals and track your progress. It is important to remember that these figures are averages and individual capabilities may vary. Focus on proper form and gradually increase your curl weight to avoid injury. Happy lifting!
