Grip strength for a 88-year-old man
For men aged 85–89 (the reference group that includes age 88), the median grip strength is 29.4 kg. Reaching 37.4 kg puts you at the 80th percentile, and 41.5 kg at the 90th.
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Grip strength ratings for men 85–89
| Rating | Grip strength | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | above 41.5 kg | above 90th |
| Very good | 37.4–41.5 kg | 80th–90th |
| Good | 31.8–37.4 kg | 60th–80th |
| Average | 27.0–31.8 kg | 40th–60th |
| Fair | 21.9–27.0 kg | 20th–40th |
| Needs work | below 21.9 kg | below 20th |
How 88 compares with other ages
At the same age, the median for women is 18.6kg. In the age group just before yours (80–84) it's 32.3kg. You're compared with the 85–89 group until your 90th birthday, when you move into a group with lower averages, so the same score will rank higher.
Full table: men 40+
| Men · age | 5th | 10th | 20th | 30th | 40th | 50th | 60th | 70th | 80th | 90th | 95th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40–44 | 32.3 | 36.0 | 40.4 | 43.6 | 46.3 | 48.8 | 51.2 | 53.9 | 57.1 | 61.5 | 65.1 |
| 45–49 | 30.6 | 34.4 | 39.0 | 42.3 | 45.1 | 47.6 | 50.2 | 52.9 | 56.2 | 60.7 | 64.4 |
| 50–54 | 28.9 | 32.8 | 37.4 | 40.7 | 43.5 | 46.2 | 48.8 | 51.6 | 54.8 | 59.4 | 63.1 |
| 55–59 | 27.2 | 31.0 | 35.6 | 38.9 | 41.7 | 44.4 | 47.0 | 49.8 | 53.1 | 57.7 | 61.4 |
| 60–64 | 25.5 | 29.1 | 33.6 | 36.9 | 39.7 | 42.4 | 45.0 | 47.8 | 51.1 | 55.6 | 59.3 |
| 65–69 | 23.7 | 27.2 | 31.5 | 34.7 | 37.5 | 40.1 | 42.8 | 45.6 | 48.8 | 53.2 | 56.8 |
| 70–74 | 21.9 | 25.2 | 29.3 | 32.4 | 35.1 | 37.7 | 40.3 | 43.1 | 46.3 | 50.6 | 54.1 |
| 75–79 | 20.0 | 23.1 | 27.0 | 29.9 | 32.5 | 35.1 | 37.6 | 40.3 | 43.5 | 47.7 | 51.1 |
| 80–84 | 18.0 | 20.8 | 24.5 | 27.3 | 29.8 | 32.3 | 34.8 | 37.5 | 40.5 | 44.7 | 48.0 |
| 85–89 | 15.9 | 18.5 | 21.9 | 24.6 | 27.0 | 29.4 | 31.8 | 34.4 | 37.4 | 41.5 | 44.6 |
| 90–94 | 13.7 | 16.1 | 19.2 | 21.7 | 24.0 | 26.3 | 28.7 | 31.2 | 34.2 | 38.1 | 41.2 |
Values in kg at each published percentile. “—” = not published by the source (we don’t estimate it).
How to test grip strength
Seated, elbow bent at 90°, squeeze as hard as you can for 3 seconds. Do 3 tries per hand and enter your single best (kg or lb).
FAQ
What is a good grip strength for a 88-year-old man?
Using Tomkinson et al., 2025 (2.4M adults, 69 countries), men aged 85–89 have a median of 29.4 kg. 37.4 kg or more is at or above the 80th percentile for your age and sex.
How does grip strength change after 88?
In the next reference group (90–94), the median for men is 26.3 kg, compared with 29.4 kg at 85–89. Holding your number steady as you age moves you up the percentiles.
Is this a medical test?
No. This is a population comparison for education and motivation, not a diagnosis. Consult your doctor before starting exercise or doing maximal-effort tests.
Related
- Grip strength norms for men 80–89
- Grip strength for a 88-year-old woman
- VO2 max for a 88-year-old man
- 30-second chair stand for a 88-year-old man
- Grip strength at 86
- Grip strength at 87
- Grip strength at 89
Not a diagnosis. Strong After 40 compares your numbers to published population norms for education and motivation only. It is not medical advice. Consult your doctor before starting a new exercise program or doing maximal-effort tests, especially if you have heart, joint, or other health conditions. Full disclaimer
- Tomkinson GR, Lang JJ, Rubín L, et al. International norms for adult handgrip strength: A systematic review of data on 2.4 million adults aged 20 to 100+ years from 69 countries and regions. Journal of Sport and Health Science. 2025;14:101014. Table 2 (absolute handgrip strength, kg). doi:10.1016/j.jshs.2024.101014. Sample: 2,405,863 adults aged 20–100+ from 100 studies, tested 2000 onward.