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What’s the Average Biceps
Size by Age, Sex, and
Height?
Medically reviewed by Gregory Minnis, DPT,
Physical Therapy — Written by Adrienne SantosLonghurst on June 26, 2019
Average size
Age
How to measure
Increasing biceps size
Summary
The biceps brachii, usually referred to as the
biceps, is a two-headed skeletal muscle that runs
between the elbow and shoulder. Though not the
largest of your arm muscles (that honor goes to
the triceps), many people focus on getting bigger
and stronger biceps at the gym.
Before upping your weights and adding an extra
arm day to your routine, know that the average
biceps size is influenced by your age, sex, and
body mass index (BMI). Your BMI is based on your
weight and height.
Wondering how you measure up? Let’s take a
look at average biceps size, how to measure it,
and how to make your biceps stronger.
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Average biceps size
The size of your biceps is influenced by a few
factors. BMI tops the list. A person is more likely to
have bigger arms if they have a higher BMI.
In terms of health and muscle, bigger arms
because of a higher BMI isn’t generally
considered an indicator of good health or
strength.
BMI is a measure of body fat that’s calculated
using your weight and height. Someone with a
high BMI is usually considered overweight
(though there are other methods that more
accurately determine this). Having more fat
around the arms will give you a larger
circumference, even if your muscles are small.
If you’re curious about the average biceps size by
height, that’s a little trickier.
Mid-upper arm circumference has been studied &
as a tool for estimating someone’s BMI in a
situation when it’s not possible to measure a
person’s height, but there doesn’t appear to be
any research on how biceps size correlates to
height.
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Average biceps size by age
Your arm circumference and biceps size change
with age. The average biceps size varies between
the sexes, too.
Here’s a look at the average circumference of the
middle arm by age and sex based on information
from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention & . Keep in mind this measurement also
takes into account the amount of fat tissue as well
as muscle.
Females
Age
Average biceps size in
inches
20–29
12.4
30–39
12.9
40–49
12.9
50–59
12.9
60–69
12.7
70–79
12.6
80+
11.4
Males
Age
Average biceps size in
inches
20–29
13.3
30–39
13.8
40–49
13.9
50–59
13.5
60–69
13.4
70–79
12.9
80+
12.1
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How to measure biceps size
There are two ways you can measure your biceps
size: relaxed and flexed. Having someone else
measure for you will be easier, especially when
taking your relaxed measurement.
To measure your relaxed biceps:
1. Stand up straight with your arms relaxed at
your sides.
2. Have someone else hold soft measuring
tape around your biceps, which is the
midpoint between the tip of your shoulder
and tip of your elbow.
To measure your flexed biceps:
1. Sit at a table and rest your arm on the
tabletop.
2. Make a fist. Curl your forearm up toward
your shoulder, as if doing a bicep curl,
flexing as hard as you can.
3. Hold the end of a soft measuring tape over
the highest point of your biceps and around
it so both ends meet to give you your
measurement.
How to increase biceps size
Weightlifting is the first thing that comes to mind
when you think of building muscle, and that’s
definitely part of increasing your biceps size.
When you lift weights, your muscle experiences
minor trauma. This causes the cells in your muscle
fibers to activate and attempt to repair the
damage. The cells join together, increasing the
size and strength of your muscle fibers.
Your diet also plays a role in building muscle.
Increasing your protein intake is important,
because protein helps repair and build lean
muscle tissue. Protein also helps keep you full
longer, making it easier to avoid overeating.
The Mayo Clinic recommends eating 15 to 25
grams of protein at each meal or snack while
keeping within your total calorie needs.
Here are some examples of foods that help you
build lean muscle:
poultry
beef
fish
eggs
milk
yogurt
beans
nuts
Now that you know what to eat, start building
muscle with these exercises:
incline dumbbell curls
pullups
bicep curl with shoulder press
Takeaway
There are a few factors that determine the
average biceps size. While some may be out of
your control, like your age and sex, you can
control things like diet and exercise.
A healthy diet with ample protein as well as a
weightlifting regimen can help you get stronger
biceps.
Last medically reviewed on June 26, 2019
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