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How Much Should A 16 Year Old Curl? (Here’s The Average!)

As soon as you hit your teen years, your testosterone levels shoot up and you want to get as big biceps as possible.

So, you’re probably looking at doing curls.

But how much can a 16-year old curl?

Well, read on, because that’s exactly what we’re going to answer today!

How Much Should A 16 Year Old Curl? (Short Answer)

If you’re a 16-year-old male, then you should be able to curl 12 – 20 pounds for 10 reps. Whereas if you’re a 16-year-old female, you should be able to curl 10 – 14 pounds for 10 reps.

teenager doing bicep curls

This is a very rough range though and I’m now going to cover why.

How Much Should A 16 Year Old Curl? (Long Answer)

Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer to the amount of weight a 16-year-old should be able to curl.

There are many factors to consider which we’ll now explore in more details.

The Type of Curl

There are many variations of bicep curls, and some of them, like preacher curls, are harder than others.

Easier variations include hammer curls.

Obviously, the harder the curl variation, the less weight you’ll be able to lift.

Your Strength

Now for a more obvious factor – your strength!

It’s a fact that some people are naturally stronger than others.

If you’re genetically lucky and naturally strong, you’ll be able to curl more weight than someone who’s naturally weaker.

How Often You Curl

You’ve probably heard the saying “practise makes perfect” and it’s true – even when it comes to curls!

The more often you do curls, the stronger you get and the more you’ll be able to lift.

If you’re someone who does curls many times a week, over a few months, you’ll likely be able to curl more weight than someone who only does them once a week.

Your Gender

Males typically have more upper body strength than females.

I’m sorry if that offends you girls, but it’s a fact.

So, a 16-year-old male will usually be able to curl more weight than a 16-year-old female.

The Tempo of Curls

Another key factor is how fast you do curls.

The slower you do curls, the harder they’ll be, and so the less weight you’ll be able to lift.

(This is because your muscles are under tension for longer per rep.)

Whereas the faster you do curls, the easier they’ll be and the more weight you can lift.

(Please note though that slower curls are safer and more effective than faster curls, so don’t intentionally do fast curls just to lift a heavier weight!)

How Many Reps You Do

Reps and weight are inversely related.

In other words, the less reps you do per set, the more weight you can curl.

Whereas the more reps you do per set, the less weight you can curl.

Sources

Men Are Stronger Than Women