Arm Curl
Page updated: Evidence reviewed: What this means
The arm curl test measures upper-body strength, the number of times a person can curl a hand weight (5 lb for women, 8 lb for men) in 30 seconds. It is part of the Senior Fitness Test battery (Rikli & Jones 1999, n=7,183 US community-dwelling adults aged 60-94). Percentile curves (P5-P95) are from the Senior Fitness Test Manual, 2nd edition (2013), modelled from the same sample. Watch video demonstration
How to Perform This Test (Protocol)
- Equipment
-
- 5 lb (2.3 kg) dumbbell for women, 8 lb (3.6 kg) for men
- Straight-back chair without arms
- Stopwatch
- Protocol Steps
-
- Sit upright near the dominant-side edge of the chair, feet flat, with the dumbbell hanging straight down in a handshake grip.
- The examiner stabilizes the upper arm at the mid-biceps and places the other hand behind the elbow to mark full extension and prevent backswing.
- After a demonstration, complete one or two practice curls to check form.
- On 'Go', curl through the full range while turning the palm upward, then return to full extension and the handshake grip.
- Repeat as many correct curls as possible in 30 seconds while keeping the upper arm still.
- Scoring
Count the total number of complete curl cycles (full extension to full flexion and back) in 30 seconds.
- Notes
A partial rep at the end of 30 seconds counts if the dumbbell has passed the halfway point on the upward curl.
Data source: Rikli & Jones (SFT) About this study
Reference population: Community-dwelling older adults aged 60-94 from 267 sites across 21 US states
Arm Curl Norms Chart by Age and Sex (reps)
| Age | Sex | Percentile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5th | 25th | 50th | 75th | 95th | ||
| 60-64 | Male | 11 | 16 | 19 | 22 | 27 |
| Female | 9 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 24 | |
| 65-69 | Male | 10 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 27 |
| Female | 8 | 12 | 15 | 18 | 22 | |
| 70-74 | Male | 9 | 14 | 17 | 21 | 26 |
| Female | 8 | 12 | 14 | 17 | 22 | |
| 75-79 | Male | 9 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 24 |
| Female | 7 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 21 | |
| 80-84 | Male | 9 | 13 | 16 | 19 | 23 |
| Female | 6 | 10 | 13 | 16 | 20 | |
| 85-89 | Male | 7 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 21 |
| Female | 6 | 10 | 12 | 15 | 18 | |
| 90-94 | Male | 6 | 10 | 12 | 14 | 18 |
| Female | 5 | 8 | 11 | 13 | 17 | |
What to expect by age group
Among adults aged 60 to 64, the middle 50% complete 16 to 22 curls for men and 13 to 19 curls for women (using different weights per protocol). Arm curl performance declines gradually across each 5-year bracket; men complete about 3 more reps than women on average across all age groups. Scores below 16 reps (men) or 13 reps (women) are typically below average for this age group; scores above 22 reps (men) or 19 reps (women) are above average.
| Age | Males | Females |
|---|---|---|
| 60-64 | 16 to 22 | 13 to 19 |
| 65-69 | 15 to 21 | 12 to 18 |
| 70-74 | 14 to 21 | 12 to 17 |
| 75-79 | 13 to 19 | 11 to 17 |
| 80-84 | 13 to 19 | 10 to 16 |
| 85-89 | 11 to 17 | 10 to 15 |
| 90-94 | 10 to 14 | 8 to 13 |
Detailed Breakdowns
Select an age group and sex below for detailed percentile charts, tables, and ratings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the arm curl test measure?
Upper-body strength and endurance, specifically the ability to repeatedly curl a hand weight. Performance on this test correlates with the ability to carry groceries, lift objects, and perform daily tasks requiring arm strength.
What is the protocol for the arm curl test?
The full step-by-step protocol is detailed in the 'How to Perform This Test (Protocol)' section above.
Why does this metric only cover ages 60-94?
The Senior Fitness Test was designed for older adults. The normative data (Rikli & Jones, n=7,183) was collected from community-dwelling adults aged 60-94. No large-scale percentile data exists for younger adults using this specific protocol.
Where do the percentile values come from?
The percentile curves come from the Senior Fitness Test Manual (Rikli & Jones 2013, 2nd ed., ISBN 978-1-4504-1118-9), which models P5 through P95 from the original sample of 7,183 community-dwelling US adults aged 60-94 (Rikli & Jones 1999, DOI). All five percentiles we display (P5, P25, P50, P75, P95) come directly from the source, no approximation is needed.
Related Metrics
Senior Fitness Test Battery
This metric is part of the Senior Fitness Test, a validated 7-test battery for adults aged 60-94.