The average bicep size for lifters is 15 in for men and 12 in for women. Compare your flexed bicep size by gender and height below.
Overall Bicep Size Standards (in)
| Rating | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Very Small | 12 | 10 |
| Small | 13 | 11 |
| Medium | 15 | 12 |
| Large | 16 | 14 |
| Very Large | 17 | 16 |
What is the average bicep size?
Men
15 in
Women
12 in
The average bicep size for lifters across all heights is 15 in for men and 12 in for women.
What bicep size is large? A bicep size of 16 in for men or 14 in for women is large. A very large bicep size is 17 in for men or 16 in for women.
What bicep size is small? A bicep size of 13 in for men or 11 in for women is small. A very small bicep size is 12 in for men or 10 in for women.
Male Bicep Size Standards by Height (in)
| Height | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 4 in | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| 5 ft 5 in | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 |
| 5 ft 6 in | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 |
| 5 ft 7 in | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 |
| 5 ft 8 in | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| 5 ft 9 in | 12 | 13 | 14 | 16 | 17 |
| 5 ft 10 in | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 5 ft 11 in | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 | 17 |
| 6 ft 0 in | 12 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| 6 ft 1 in | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| 6 ft 2 in | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 18 |
| 6 ft 3 in | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
| 6 ft 4 in | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
| 6 ft 5 in | 13 | 14 | 15 | 17 | 18 |
Female Bicep Size Standards by Height (in)
| Height | XS | S | M | L | XL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 ft 0 in | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 |
| 5 ft 1 in | 9 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 15 |
| 5 ft 2 in | 9 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| 5 ft 3 in | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| 5 ft 4 in | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 15 |
| 5 ft 5 in | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| 5 ft 6 in | 10 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 16 |
| 5 ft 7 in | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
| 5 ft 8 in | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
| 5 ft 9 in | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 16 |
| 5 ft 10 in | 10 | 11 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
| 5 ft 11 in | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 16 |
| 6 ft 0 in | 10 | 12 | 13 | 15 | 17 |
What do the standards mean?
| Very Small (XS) | Higher than 5% of users. |
|---|---|
| Small (S) | Higher than 20% of users. |
| Medium (M) | Higher than 50% of users. |
| Large (L) | Higher than 80% of users. |
| Very Large (XL) | Higher than 95% of users. |
How to Measure Bicep Size
For the closest comparison, measure your bicep flexed with a flexible tape on bare skin or light clothing. Flex your arm and measure around the largest point of the upper arm. Keep the tape flat and snug without compressing the skin. Use the same arm position and method each time. Community measurements are self-reported, so individual technique may vary.
Does bicep size measure only the biceps muscle?
No. The tape passes around the whole upper arm, so the reading includes the biceps, triceps, body fat and other tissue. These standards use a flexed measurement, not a relaxed mid-upper-arm measurement.
Why does Strength Level use the larger bicep measurement?
When users provide measurements for both sides, Strength Level uses the larger one for a consistent comparison. For the closest comparison, measure both sides and use the larger result.
Data behind the bicep size standards
Strength Level analysed 1,980 qualifying results from 109,154 community measurements to produce our bicep size standards. We will continue to update them as more community data becomes available. See our standards timeline.
| Total results | 109,154 |
|---|---|
| Qualifying results | 1,980 |
| Male results | 1,816 |
| Female results | 164 |
| Results with height | 1,976 |
| Data start | |
| Data cutoff |
Each qualifying result represents one user's flexed bicep measurement after quality checks. Height comparisons use results with a supported height.
More Body Size Standards
Biceps
Men 15 in Women 12 in
Bicep Size Standards (in) (this page)
1,980 user measurements 2022–2026
More Body Standards
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