Like most weightlifters, you probably wonder how you stack up against others, especially in your weight category. If you keep asking how much should you be able to curl, this article will answer your question and offer tips to improve your performance.
The curl
The curl is a type of exercise that has you develop your arms and legs through repetitive curl movements to contract the target muscles and put a strain on them. The popular curl exercises are the leg curl, the bicep curl, and the military curl.
The Bicep and military curls are very similar, except that you perform bicep curls with dumbbells while you use barbells for military curls. If you prefer the bicep curl, you can try out Hex Dumbbells or the Rogue Curl Bar if you are more of a military curl person.
I will discuss how much you should be able to curl for the leg curl, bicep curl, and military curl using the 1RPM. However, before we go into the details of how much you should be able to curl, it is essential to understand that several factors affect how much weight one can curl. As a result, you must understand your limits in relation to these factors.
Average Leg Curl weight
The average weight for males at the beginner stage is about 64 lbs, while the female average stands at 35 lbs. However, when you work your way to novice, you should be curling around 111 lbs as a dude and around 64 lbs as a lady. As a male intermediate curler, the average curl weight in your category is about 174 lbs. On the other hand, the average weight for intermediate females is 105 lbs.
If you climb to the advanced weightlifting category, the average leg curl weight within your category is about 252 and 155 lbs for males and females, respectively. However, upon graduating to the elite category, your competition becomes much steeper, and the average leg curl weight climbs to a ridiculous 338 and 212 lbs for guys and ladies, respectively.
💡 Quick Tip: You can increase your overall strength by starting small and using simple, portable gym equipment. I recommend the Hex Dumbells for this, as they are cheap and easy to use for beginners.
Hex Dumbbells
Average Bicep Curl weight
The average weight for males at the beginner stage is about 14 lbs, while the female average stands at 8 lbs. However, when you work your way to novice, you should curl around 29 lbs as a dude and around 17 lbs as a lady. As a male intermediate curler, the average weight in your category is about 52 lbs. On the other hand, the average weight for intermediate females is 30 lbs.
If you climb to the advanced weightlifting category, the average leg weight within your category is about 80 and 47 lbs for males and females, respectively. However, upon graduating to the elite category, your competition becomes much steeper, and the average leg curl weight climbs to a ridiculous 113 and 67 lbs for guys and ladies, respectively.
Average military curl weight
The average weight for males at the beginner stage is about 38 lbs, while the female average stands at 14 lbs. However, when you work your way to novice, you should lift around 68 lbs as a dude and around 31 lbs as a lady. As a male intermediate curler, the average weight in your category is about 103 lbs. On the other hand, the average weight for intermediate females is 54 lbs.
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If you climb to the advanced weightlifting category, the average leg curl weight within your category is about 159 and 85 lbs for males and females, respectively. However, upon climbing to the elite level, your competition becomes dramatically increases, and the average weight climbs to a ridiculous 201 and 120 lbs for guys and ladies, respectively.
You should remember that various factors influence how much you can lift. For example, Your age, body weight, muscle mass, experience, and general fitness level play key roles in how much weight you can carry.
Tips to improve your curling PR
Here are some general tips that can help you improve your RPMs across the leg, bicep, and military curl:
Increase your calorie intake
Increasing your calorie intake is critical to improving your weightlifting PR. This is because you typically surpass your limits in weightlifting when you get stronger, and there is a positive correlation between more muscle mass and increased strength. As a result, you need to build muscles, so you have to increase your calorie intake.
💡 Quick Tip: If you intend to use protein shakes as meal supplements, I recommend the Premier Protein Shake, Caramel, 11.5 Fl. Oz.
Premier Protein Shake, Caramel, 11.5 Fl. Oz
Eat well
Eating is key to lifting as it provides your body with the necessary energy to perform energy-intensive activities. You should ensure that you eat at the proper periods daily. Beginning your day with a nutritious and balanced meal replenishes your blood sugar, helping your body power your muscles and brain.
Furthermore, having a balanced breakfast is especially critical on days you have to work out. This is because not eating such breakfast can make you feel lethargic or lightheaded during the exercises, making it harder to do any proper work.
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Rest well
Resting well is also essential to outdoing your previous attempts while weightlifting. As established, there is a positive correlation between more muscle mass and increased strength. Because resting well is necessary for your body to repair and build muscles, you should ensure a healthy sleep pattern. You should sleep for at least eight hours daily to give your body enough time to develop your muscles.
Use a comprehensive training program
Because most exercises are compound exercises, they can help you develop overall strength across various muscles. Because of this, you should include other exercises in your program. This will increase your general strength, making it easier for you to surpass and set new PRs. If you want to start with your lower body, I recommend the Leverage squat machine.
