If you’re trying to get into shape, it’s essential to have some baseline figures for your body measurements. You could use them to determine how many pounds of muscle or fat you’ve gained or lost over time. The following article contains average body data for men and women for various muscle groups so that you have a better understanding of where you currently stand before committing to a workout routine.
Arms
If you’re looking for the average arm length, it’s 18.5 inches. If you want to know how much of your arm is made up of muscle mass, that would be about 10% of your total body mass. The average width of an adult male’s wrist is 8 inches; for women, it’s 7½ inches wide on both sides (that means right-handed and left-handed). The thickness varies based on whether you are talking about forearms or biceps—but in either case, they make up only 3% of each side (so 6% total).
Chest
Men’s average chest circumferences are typically 40 inches, and women’s are 35 inches. However, there can be significant variation in this measurement depending on the athlete’s build. For example, a man with a highly muscular upper body may have a significantly different chest circumference than someone who is thin and is yet to develop their pectoral muscles in addition to the rest of their arms and shoulders.
Legs
Men are usually 4-6 inches taller than women, but this doesn’t factor in height differences between individuals. The standard leg length for men is around 32 inches (81 cm), and for women, it is 29.5 inches (75 cm). Here’s how you can measure your leg length:
- Stand against a wall to ensure your posture is upright.
- Take a tape measure, place it on your inner thigh, and stay as close as possible to the crotch.
- Extend the tape measure below your ankle and ensure it is not bent.
Shoulders
The shoulders are the largest muscle group in your body, and they’re also the most prominent. That’s why athletes like tennis stars and basketball players have such broad shoulders. They need to be able to move their arms back and forth quickly in order to hit a ball or make a basket.
The average shoulder width of a woman is around 14.4 inches (36.7 cm), while for men, it is approximately 16.1 inches (41.1 cm). A difference of almost 2 inches! If you are wondering how to measure your shoulder width, you came to the right place! Here’s how you can measure your shoulder width accurately:
- Typically, shoulder width is the measure between the two joints (from the right shoulder tip to the left shoulder tip).
- Stand upright, relax your shoulders and ask a friend to measure the distance between the two tips using a measuring tape.
Biceps
The average bicep circumference for men is 14.2 inches (35 cm). For women, it’s 12.2 inches (31 cm). The average combined male/female measurement is 13.6 inches (34 cm). If you want to know how to measure biceps circumference, here’s what you should do: Sit or stand upright and relax your shoulders. Ask someone to gently wrap a measuring tape around the thickest part of your arm (just below the shoulder joint).
These numbers will vary depending on how much body fat you have. If you’re more muscular than average but still have some body fat left over from whatever training program got you there, then these measurements could be slightly different than what they are now after removing the extra fat with dieting and regular exercise like walking or cycling every day before work!
Triceps
The triceps are the muscles on the back of your upper arms. They’re responsible for straightening and extending your arm. When you do a pushup, the group of muscles working hard is your triceps!
Triceps measurements and size vary greatly from person to person. To get an idea of how they compare, here’s a quick rundown:
- Men have bigger triceps than women (considerably bigger in many cases). But this isn’t necessarily because men work out more or lift heavier weights—it’s just genetics. Women tend to have less muscle mass overall compared to men, which means that their triceps aren’t as big, even if they’re both doing similar amounts of exercise and weight training.
- The average woman has smaller triceps than the average man, but not much. On average, women measure about 14 inches when flexed at full extension (with her arm hanging down toward her side). Men, on the other hand, measure about 16 inches on average.
Calfs
Calf circumference is measured at the largest point of the calf. The average calf circumference is 13.5 inches, so measure around your own calf to see where you stand. It’s important to note that this is not a measurement taken while seated but while standing and with the foot in a neutral position (i.e., not back on its heel).
Hips
Hip measurements are taken at the widest point of the hips, usually with a person standing and relaxed. The measurements should be taken while you are seated with your legs together. Since there is no “correct” way to do this measurement (you can measure anywhere from side-to-side, front to back, etc.), it’s crucial to use consistency to compare measurements over time.
The average hip size for men is 35-38 inches, and for women, it’s 35-37 inches. However, these numbers can vary depending on ethnicity and build. Pregnant women tend to have an even larger hip circumference, with typical measurements ranging from 50.2 inches at their smallest to 56 inches at their largest during pregnancy.
There are many ways to measure your body’s size, but most people are more familiar with their weight and height than anything else. These two metrics alone don’t tell us much about our health or physical fitness level, and they only provide an estimate of how much we weigh relative to our height. Body measurements can be very useful for measuring your progress and understanding how your body composition has changed over time.