Are You Fitter Than The Average Guy?
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You work out and sure enough you want that to show, but there is always someone bigger or fitter, right? Chances are, your system of reference is a little off.
But They Are All Bigger!
When you go to the gym, you meet guys who, well, go to the gym, too.
When you train at home, you are likely to join fitness communities where other guys hang out who lift heavy things and they post their stats and pictures.
You look at those dudes, some being this huge and strong, and you may feel like you are just a puny excuse for a male of our species.
In reality, you surrounded yourself with guys that are far from the norm. Your system of reference is off. To find out how you really stack up against the vast majority of men out there, check these stats. They represent the true averages, taken from the general male population:
| Stat | The Average Guy |
|---|---|
| Height | 5’9″ (1.75 m) |
| Body Mass Index (BMI) | 26.6 (25+ = overweight) |
| Biceps | 13 inches (33 cm) flexed |
| Chest | 40 inches (102 cm) inhaled |
| Back | 16.2 inches (41.1 cm) |
| Waist | 34 inches (86.3 cm) |
| Benchpress 1RM | 160 lbs (72.5 kg) |
| Push-Ups For One Minute | 27 |
| Pull-Ups Max | 1 |
| Grip Strength | 110 lbs (49.9 kg) |
| Time To Run 1 Mile | 12 minutes, 17 seconds |
What this table doesn’t account for is how much fat the average upper arm carries at 13 inches and what those 27 push-ups really look like.
How Do You Stack Up?
88% of men don’t belong to a gym and I bet that of the other 12%, half has a gym membership and shows up there once every other new moon. I read that if every person who holds a gym membership showed up on a regular basis, gyms would each day have waiting lines around the block.
When you feel weak or too small compared to guys who are into muscle training and fitness like yourself, you in fact are comparing yourself to a special sample that is nothing but a tiny minority of the general population.
Now let me ask you: How do you really stack up?
Picture courtesy of David Mican.
28 Comments
I’m a big intimidating gym-goer apparently.. I’m going to start wearing tank tops and being Jersey Shore 😀
Next birthday you’ll get gold-framed sunglasses 😀
I’ll pick up a GTL shrt to go with them 😀
IMO the size of the biceps is way to high in comparison to the other stats
Well, you never know how much fat is on those arms.
Yay I am =p
Easily \o/
heh 1 pullup :)) that made me feel awesome, i can do about 20-25 with my bodyweight. i’m 5’5 and my biceps are about 13″ (33cm) so average there. but at least my chest is larger then average ^^ but how do you measure your back ? XD
AFAIK, arm pit to arm pit.
Height= 180,3cm/5’11”
Weight= 93kg’s/205lbs
BMI= 28.39, Body mass index is bullshit lol.
Biceps’s= 37cm/14,57inch
Chest circumference= 115cm/45inch
Waist= 94cm/37inch
Bench press 1RM= 107,5kg’s/237lbs
Push-ups in a minute= ~40-50
Pull-ups max at the moment= 10
Grip strength= Don’t know but I can hold 200kg barbell without a problem 😛
Mile run, haven’t ran but I can run half marathon with the same speed average guy runs a mile so… 😀 8mins 50secs with the average speed of my latest half marathon.
I think somewhat fitter. 😛
Height=5’10
Weight=180.2 lbs.
BMI-27.3 (such a scam)
Biceps (they mean ARMS) -16 inches
Chest inhaled-41.75
Waist-32 (and dropping)
Bench Press 1RM 230lbs
Push ups in one minute-no idea
Grip Strength-no idea
Mile Run-12 minutes (I fail at this one)
oh and Pull ups- psht like 12-15
nah…im just an average JOE. =;)
I don’t quite believe that, Dmitry 🙂
Evil C I think I might be fitter than an average guy :), but I can only do 10 regular push-ups the rest will have to be assisted, so I am a little under LOL
Haha, actually you are so fit you are off the scale! But I should scour the data and compile an article like this for my female readers as well 🙂
Yeah it would be great idea! it would help me alot.
Alrighty 🙂
However, “the average guy” is not intent on progressing in terms of strength. Why would you compare yourself to someone who does not do what you do? Every single sporting event compares who is better in that particular line of sport (sprinting – the winner is the best sprinter, rowing – the winner is the best rower). It makes no sense to say, “Well, he is better than me in chess, but I beat his ass in checkers”, when you want to be the one better in chess, dangnabbit!
A wise man once told me a story: A man said to another man, “I ran after the bus, so I saved three dollars!” The other replied, “why didn’t you run after a taxi, you would have saved fifteen!”
It is all a matter of perspective. What I was mainly driving at was people who already are rather fit, but still unhappy about themselves. I will never be able to run a world record in a marathon, nor will my arms ever be as big as those of Ronnie Coleman – should I therefore give up?
Height: 6’0”
Weight: 11 st 0 lbs
BMI: Between 23.4 and 25
Arm Circumference: 15”
Chest: 41”
Waist: Between 30 and 32”
Bench Press ORM: 176lbs (80kg)
Push ups/minute: No idea
Push up max: 50
Grip Strength: No clue
Current time taken for a mile: 7 minutes 44 seconds (2012)
Quickest mile: 5 minutes 55 seconds (2008)
Body Fat:
May 2011: 18-20%
August 2012: 7-10%
Nice stats! 🙂
isnt the Bench press in your stats too high..i have been training for 10 months now(not been eating well though) and although i can outdo all other stats my BP 1RP should be around 150 pounds!! i can do 10 chins with good form..my seated OHP is around 100 pounds with 6 reps..
Ht: 6 ft Mile run: 6:30 based on last 5k in August 2013
Wt: 147 lbs -BMI-19.6. Age: 42 in 2 weeks
Arm circumference: 13 1/4
Chest: 40 1/2 inches
Back: 18 inches
Waist: 30 inches
Bench press: 185 lbs
Push ups-non stop 40
Pull ups: 15
Grip strength?
Impressive! 🙂
Measuring grip strength requires a special piece of equipment.
Height 6’4
Weight 260
Bmi 2.9
Bics 22in
Chest 57in
Waist 34in
Neck 20.5in
Wrist 10in
Forearm 17in
Thigh 29in
Calf 19in
I rep bench max 525lbs
Pulls 8-10
Mile 5mins
Regarding BMI Overweight – I dont think its necessarily meaning overweight as in fat, just over regular weight, muscle or fat.
It’s not pejorative.