Grip Strength Calculator: What Your Grip Says About Your Longevity

The PURE study measured grip strength in 139,691 adults aged 35 to 70 across 17 countries and followed them for a median of four years. Each 5 kg lower grip was associated with 16% higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.16, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.20) after adjustment, and grip predicted death better than systolic blood pressure. For men, the European sarcopenia guideline (EWGSOP2) sets low strength at a grip below 27 kg. The calculator below checks your reading against that cut-off and against grip norms for British men by age from 12 population studies. The test takes two minutes with a hand dynamometer.

Key Takeaways

• In the PURE study (139,691 adults aged 35 to 70), each 5 kg lower grip was associated with 16% higher all-cause mortality over a median of four years
• EWGSOP2 defines low grip strength in men as below 27 kg; low strength points to probable sarcopenia
• Median grip in British men is 50 kg at 40, 48 kg at 50, 45 kg at 60 and 39 kg at 70 (Dodds 2014)
• A meta-analysis of 38 studies (1.9 million people) found men with higher grip had lower all-cause mortality (HR 0.69)
• These are associations from observational studies; retest once a year with the same device

In this article: What your result means · Why grip predicts mortality · The research · How to test · How to improve · FAQ

What Your Result Means

The calculator places you in one of four bands. Three come from the Dodds 2014 normative data for men at your age, and one from the EWGSOP2 guideline.

Grip strength in kg, males, from Dodds et al., PLoS One 2014, Table 2. Values are for the exact ages shown.

Above Average: 75th Centile or Higher

Your grip matches or beats three in four British men your age. In the Dodds data, median grip in men holds near its peak of 51 kg into the late 30s and falls from midlife on, so the goal from here is to hold your number. Test once a year with the same device.

Typical: 25th to 75th Centile

This is the middle half of men your age. In the PURE study, each 5 kg lower grip was associated with 16% higher all-cause mortality. That figure describes a population, not you, but it shows why a few kilograms of grip are worth keeping. Heavy pulling and loaded carries are the direct way to train it.

Below Average: Under the 25th Centile

You are weaker than three in four men your age, but above the EWGSOP2 cut-off. Watch the trend. If your grip keeps falling between tests, or you have lost strength without a reason you know of, talk to your doctor.

Below the EWGSOP2 Cut-Off: Under 27 kg

EWGSOP2 uses grip below 27 kg in men to flag low muscle strength. Under the guideline, low strength points to probable sarcopenia; a diagnosis also needs a measure of low muscle quantity or quality, such as a DXA scan. The 27 kg cut-off sits 2.5 standard deviations below the peak mean in the Dodds data. Bring this result to your doctor.

Why Grip Strength Predicts Mortality

Grip measures the force of the hand and forearm muscles. Researchers use it because it is quick, cheap and repeatable, and because it tracks overall muscle strength well enough to stand in for it in large studies.

It tracks death from several causes. In PURE, lower grip was associated with higher cardiovascular mortality (HR 1.17 per 5 kg), non-cardiovascular mortality (1.17), heart attack (1.07) and stroke (1.09).

It does not track everything. The same study found no significant link between grip and new diabetes, falls or fractures. In high-income countries, higher grip was associated with a slightly higher cancer risk.

The link holds across settings. PURE found similar associations across high-, middle- and low-income countries for most outcomes. A 2018 meta-analysis of 38 cohort studies with 1,907,580 participants found that higher grip was associated with lower all-cause mortality in men (HR 0.69, 95% CI 0.62 to 0.77) and women (0.60).

Neither study shows that raising your grip lowers your risk. PURE's authors call for research to test whether improving strength reduces mortality.

The Research Behind the Calculator

PURE Study, Lancet 2015

Leong and colleagues enrolled 142,861 people from households in 17 countries between 2003 and 2009, aged 35 to 70, and analysed 139,691 with known vital status. They measured grip with a Jamar dynamometer. Over a median follow-up of 4.0 years, 3,379 people (2%) died. After adjustment, the hazard ratio for all-cause mortality was 1.16 per 5 kg lower grip (95% CI 1.13 to 1.20), and grip was a stronger predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular death than systolic blood pressure.

Dodds Normative Data, PLoS One 2014

Dodds and colleagues pooled 60,803 grip measurements from 49,964 people in 12 British studies and built centile curves from age 4 to 90. Men's median grip peaked at 51 kg between ages 29 and 39. Weak grip, defined as at least 2.5 standard deviations below the peak mean, reached 23% of men by age 80. The table above and the calculator copy the male centiles from the paper's Table 2.

EWGSOP2, Age and Ageing 2019

The European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People revised its definition in 2019. It puts low muscle strength first, uses low muscle quantity or quality to confirm sarcopenia, and sets the grip cut-off at below 27 kg for men and below 16 kg for women, taken from the Dodds data.

What These Studies Do Not Prove

PURE and the meta-analysis are observational. They show associations, not cause and effect. A low reading does not mean you will die sooner, and a high one does not protect you. The norms describe British men measured mostly between 1990 and 2012 and may not match other populations.

Devices matter too. Most of the studies in Dodds used Jamar or Smedley dynamometers. Consumer devices vary in calibration, so treat a home reading as a guide and retest on the same device.

How to Test Your Grip Strength

Most of the British studies in Dodds took the best of six squeezes, three with each hand. Many tested seated with a Jamar dynamometer.

1. Sit with your back supported, upper arm against your side, elbow bent at 90 degrees
2. Squeeze the dynamometer as hard as you can for a few seconds
3. Rest, then repeat until you have three attempts with each hand
4. Record your best reading from either hand

A basic hand dynamometer costs less than a pair of running shoes. Your doctor can also run the test at a physical.

How to Improve Your Grip Strength

Compound Movements That Build Grip Indirectly

Heavy pulling loads the hand and forearm. Deadlifts, Romanian deadlifts, barbell rows, pull-ups and cable rows all make your grip hold the weight. Skip lifting straps when grip is the target, so your hands do the work.

For a complete pulling progression built around compound movements, see 10 Best Compound Exercises for Men Over 45.

Direct Grip Work

Add 10 to 15 minutes of grip work two or three times a week:

Dead hangs. Hang from a pull-up bar until your grip gives out. Build toward longer unbroken holds.

Farmer's carries. Pick up heavy dumbbells and walk. Use a weight that challenges your grip before your legs. The farmer's carry guide covers starting weight, progression and form.

Plate pinches. Pinch a weight plate between thumb and fingers, smooth side out, and hold for time.

Grippers. Spring grippers come in rated levels. Work toward several sets of full closures before you move up.

Nutrition

Grip follows the same rules as the rest of your muscle: train it and eat enough protein to support training. For protein targets, see How Much Protein Does a 45-Year-Old Man Need?, and for creatine, Creatine for Men Over 40.

For a broader approach to building and preserving muscle past 40, the full framework is in How to Build Muscle After 40 Naturally.

Tracking Change

Retest every few months while you train, on the same device and with the same protocol. In the Dodds data, the median man loses about 11 kg of grip between 40 and 70, so holding steady counts as progress.

For recovery strategies that support consistent training, see 12 Muscle Recovery Tips Every Man Over 40 Should Know.

Related Longevity Tests

Grip strength is one of several physical measurements studied for their link to mortality. Others on PrimeVital:

• Waist-to-Height Ratio Calculator for central body fat
• How to Improve Heart Rate Variability for cardiovascular autonomic health
• VO2 Max Training for Men Over 40 on cardiorespiratory fitness, its link to mortality and how to train it
• Sitting-Rising Test scoring how well you get down to the floor and back up, from the 2014 EJPC mortality study

Talk to your doctor before starting any new exercise program. The results from this calculator are for education only and are not medical advice or a diagnosis.

FAQ

How do I measure grip strength at home?

Use a hand dynamometer. Sit with your elbow bent at 90 degrees, squeeze as hard as you can, and take the best of three attempts with each hand. Use the same device every time. Your doctor can also measure grip at a physical with a clinical dynamometer.

Is 27 kg the clinical cut-off for men?

Yes, under the 2019 EWGSOP2 guideline: grip below 27 kg in men counts as low muscle strength. That flags probable sarcopenia. A diagnosis also needs a test of muscle quantity or quality, such as DXA. Other guidelines use different cut-offs, so talk to your doctor.

What is a normal grip strength for a man my age?

In the Dodds 2014 data from 12 British studies, median grip in men was 50 kg at 40, 48 kg at 50, 45 kg at 60 and 39 kg at 70. The middle half of men at 50 gripped between 41 and 54 kg. The table in this article lists every centile.

My grip is fine but I have little muscle. Does this calculator apply to me?

Grip stands in for overall strength; it does not measure total muscle. Strong forearms can hide weak legs. If you have lost muscle or find stairs or carrying shopping harder, talk to your doctor about a body composition test, whatever your grip score.

Can grip strength improve after 50?

Strength training builds strength at any age, and grip work loads the forearm directly. No study has shown that raising your grip lowers your mortality risk; PURE's authors call that an open question. Retest every few months on the same device to see your own trend.

Which hand should I test?

Test both. Most British studies behind the Dodds norms took the best of six squeezes, three with each hand, and used the higher value. The calculator expects that best reading, so enter the strongest squeeze from either hand.

Does grip strength alone determine longevity?

No. Grip is one marker among many. PURE and the 2018 meta-analysis show associations across large populations, not outcomes for one person. A single reading does not decide anything. Track the trend, keep training, and take any drop below the 27 kg cut-off to your doctor.