All Body Standards

Bicep Size Standards for Lifters (in)

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.

Size Unit
Inches (in)
Centimetres (cm)
Our bicep size standards are based on 1,980 measurements from Strength Level users from 2022 to 2026. More...

Overall Bicep Size Standards (in)

RatingMaleFemale
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)

HeightXSSMLXL
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)

HeightXSSMLXL
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 bicep size 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.

Ideal Body Measurements Based on Bicep Size

Male Ideal Body Measurements Based on Bicep Size

The average bicep size for a male lifter is 15 in. Ideal body measurements at this size are shoulders 49.8 in, chest 42.3 in, hips 38.8 in, waist 33.5 in, thighs 23.6 in, neck 16.2 in, calves 15.6 in, biceps 15.0 in and forearms 12.0 in. Based on 1,816 male results from 2022 to 2026.

Measurement unit: inches (in).

Standard sizes: XS 12 in · S 13 in · M 15 in · L 16 in · XL 17 in

Body Part Average Ideal
Shoulders 49.4 in 49.8 in
Chest 42.2 in 42.3 in
Hips 39.8 in 38.8 in
Waist 36.3 in 33.5 in
Thighs 23.9 in 23.6 in
Neck 16.1 in 16.2 in
Calves 15.6 in 15.6 in
Biceps 15.0 in 15.0 in
Forearms 12.0 in 12.0 in

Average shows body sizes based on all lifters. Ideal shows body sizes based on lean lifters.

Ideal Bicep Ratios

Male Ideal Bicep Ratios

The ideal forearm to bicep ratio for a male lifter is 0.80. The ideal calf to bicep ratio for a male lifter is 1.04. The ideal neck to bicep ratio for a male lifter is 1.08. Ratios show each body part divided by bicep size. Based on 1,816 male results from 2022 to 2026.

Body Part Average Ideal
Shoulders 3.29 3.32
Chest 2.81 2.82
Hips 2.65 2.59
Waist 2.42 2.23
Thighs 1.59 1.57
Neck 1.07 1.08
Calves 1.04 1.04
Biceps 1.00 1.00
Forearms 0.80 0.80

Average shows bicep ratios based on all lifters. Ideal shows bicep ratios based on lean lifters.

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 results to produce our bicep size standards. For ideal bicep ratios, we linked these with 44,956 measurements across 9 body parts. We will continue to update them as more community data becomes available. See how Body Standards were developed in 2026.

Total results 1,980
Male results 1,816
Female results 164
Lean male results 139
Lean female results 13
Data start
Data cutoff

More Body Size Standards

Biceps

Men 15 in Women 12 in

Bicep Size Standards (in) (this page)

1,980 user measurements 2022–2026

Chest

Men 41 in Women 37 in

Chest Size Standards (in)

3,086 user measurements 2022–2026

Waist

Men 35 in Women 31 in

Waist Size Standards (in)

3,774 user measurements 2022–2026

Hips

Men 38 in Women 39 in

Hip Size Standards (in)

2,973 user measurements 2022–2026

Thighs

Men 23 in Women 23 in

Thigh Size Standards (in)

2,595 user measurements 2022–2026

Shoulders

Men 47 in Women 41 in

Shoulder Size Standards (in)

1,489 user measurements 2022–2026

Forearms

Men 11 in Women 10 in

Forearm Size Standards (in)

1,902 user measurements 2022–2026

Calves

Men 15 in Women 15 in

Calf Size Standards (in)

2,192 user measurements 2022–2026

Neck

Men 16 in Women 13 in

Neck Size Standards (in)

2,724 user measurements 2022–2026

More Body Standards

Compare bodyweight, body fat percentage and body size measurements with other lifters.

All Body Standards Bodyweight Standards (kg) Bodyweight Standards (lb) Body Fat Standards

Related Strength Standards

Barbell Curl

Men 99 lb Women 54 lb

Barbell Curl Standards (lb)

2,565,545 lifts 2016–2026

Dumbbell Curl

Men 46 lb Women 27 lb

Dumbbell Curl Standards (lb)

3,634,702 lifts 2017–2026

Hammer Curl

Men 50 lb Women 27 lb

Hammer Curl Standards (lb)

752,185 lifts 2018–2026

View All Exercise Standards