It’s a question that usually gets people defensive. Or loud. Or both.
If you look at world records for the bench press or the 100-meter dash, the answer seems obvious. But when you start digging into the actual physiology—the "why" behind the "what"—things get way more interesting than just a binary "yes" or "no."
So, are men stronger physically than women? Generally speaking, from a pure explosive power and lean mass perspective, the answer is yes. But that’s a boring way to look at it. The real story is in the distribution of that strength, the role of hormones like testosterone, and the surprising areas where women actually hold a biological edge.
Strength isn't just one thing. It's a cocktail of muscle fiber types, bone density, and how your nervous system talks to your limbs.
The Testosterone Factor and Muscle Architecture
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Testosterone.
Men, on average, have about ten to twenty times more testosterone than women. This isn't just a number on a blood test; it’s a literal blueprint for how the body builds itself. During puberty, this hormonal surge triggers a massive increase in muscle hypertrophy (size) and bone mineralization.
Research published in the Journal of Applied Physiology shows that men typically possess about 40% more upper-body muscle mass and 33% more lower-body muscle mass than women.
It’s not just about size, though. It's about where that muscle sits.
Men are built like inverted triangles. Most of that extra strength is packed into the shoulders, chest, and arms. Women, conversely, tend to have a lower center of gravity, with a higher percentage of their strength concentrated in their legs and hips. If you've ever seen a woman out-squat a guy who has twice her arm size, you've seen this in action.
Basically, men have a significant advantage in "pushing" and "lifting" with the upper body.
But wait. There is a catch.
🔗 Read more: Ingestion of hydrogen peroxide: Why a common household hack is actually dangerous
When researchers normalize for lean body mass—meaning, if you compare a man and a woman with the exact same amount of muscle—the difference in strength often shrinks or disappears entirely. A square inch of female muscle is, pound for pound, just as strong as a square inch of male muscle. The "strength" gap is largely a "quantity" gap.
The Endurance Paradox: Where Women Take Over
If we define strength as "moving a heavy rock once," men win.
If we define strength as "moving a heavy rock for twenty hours straight," the conversation shifts.
There is a growing body of evidence, including studies from the University of British Columbia, suggesting that women are more resistant to muscle fatigue than men. In ultra-endurance events—think 200-mile runs or swims across the English Channel—the performance gap between the sexes narrows significantly.
Why? It’s likely metabolic.
Women are generally better at burning fat for fuel (lipid oxidation) compared to men, who rely more heavily on glycogen (carbohydrates). Since your body has a nearly infinite supply of fat but a very limited supply of glycogen, women often have a "higher floor" when things get long and grueling.
Men are like drag racers. High power, high fuel consumption, quick to burn out.
Women are more like diesel engines. They just keep going.
Bone Density and the Skeletal Frame
You can’t talk about physical strength without talking about the chassis that holds the muscles. The skeleton.
Male bones are typically longer, denser, and heavier. This provides a larger surface area for muscle attachment, which allows for greater mechanical leverage. It’s basic physics. A longer lever (like a longer humerus or femur) can often generate more torque.
This skeletal difference starts early. Even before training enters the mix, the male pelvis is narrower and the shoulders are broader, which creates a more efficient platform for generating force in movements like throwing or punching.
💡 You might also like: Why the EMS 20/20 Podcast is the Best Training You’re Not Getting in School
However, this "stiffness" has a downside.
Women generally have higher ligament laxity—flexibility—which is partially why they dominate in sports like gymnastics. While men might have the raw power to jump higher, women often have the structural resilience and flexibility to move through ranges of motion that would cause a man's tendons to snap like dry twigs.
Real-World Examples: The "Gap" in Professional Sports
Look at the Olympics.
In weightlifting, the world records for men are significantly higher than for women in the same weight classes. In the 61kg class, the male clean and jerk record is miles ahead of the female record in the same weight bracket.
But look at the "Big Backyard Ultra" or other "last person standing" races. Women frequently win these outright, beating every man in the field. Maggie Guterl and Courtney Dauwalter have both claimed overall victories in races that lasted over 60 hours.
This tells us that "physical strength" is a multidimensional spectrum.
- Explosive Power: Advantage men.
- Absolute Force Production: Advantage men.
- Fatigue Resistance: Advantage women.
- Recovery Speed: Often advantage women (due to estrogen's protective effects on muscle damage).
The Nuance of Estrogen
Most people think of estrogen as the "weakness" hormone. That's a mistake.
Estrogen is actually quite anabolic in its own way. It aids in muscle repair and protects tendons from injury. This is why women often recover faster between sets in the gym than men do. A guy might need three minutes of rest after a heavy set of squats to go again; a woman might be ready in ninety seconds.
Honestly, the biological "superiority" of one sex over the other is a myth. We are just optimized for different survival strategies.
Historically, male strength was optimized for hunting and defense—bursts of high-intensity violence and heavy lifting. Female strength was likely optimized for endurance, resource gathering, and the incredible physical toll of childbirth and child-rearing.
📖 Related: High Protein in a Blood Test: What Most People Get Wrong
The Training Effect: Closing the Gap?
Can a woman be stronger than a man? Obviously.
A woman who lifts weights will be stronger than a sedentary man 99% of the time. Training stimulus is a more powerful variable than gender alone.
When women train for strength, they gain muscle at a similar relative rate to men. If a man starts at "Level 10" and goes to "Level 20," he's doubled his strength. If a woman starts at "Level 5" and goes to "Level 10," she has also doubled her strength. The percentage of gain is remarkably similar, even if the absolute numbers differ.
The Verdict on Physicality
So, are men stronger?
If you are talking about who can lift the heaviest object or run the fastest sprint, yes, biological men have a clear physiological advantage rooted in hormonal profile and skeletal structure.
But if you are talking about who survives a famine, who stays moving after three days of no sleep, or who can recover from a brutal workout faster, the answer is often women.
Strength isn't just about the size of the biceps. It's about the ability of the organism to withstand stress.
Actionable Insights for Your Own Training
Whether you're a man or a woman, understanding these biological baselines helps you train smarter.
- For Women: Don't fear the heavy weights. You have the same muscle quality as men; you just have less "quantity" by default. Focus on upper-body volume to overcome the natural distribution gap. Leverage your high fatigue resistance by using shorter rest periods and higher-repetition work.
- For Men: Respect the "redline." Because you can generate more force, you are also more likely to blow out a joint or overtax your central nervous system. Incorporate mobility work to counteract the natural "stiffness" of a denser skeleton.
- For Everyone: Focus on relative strength. The most "functional" person is usually the one who can move their own body weight through a full range of motion with total control.
Stop worrying about the "gap" and start focusing on the capacity of your own nervous system. Biology provides the deck of cards, but training is how you play the hand.
Next Steps for Strength Optimization
To see where you stand, test your Relative Strength Score. Divide your maximum lift (like a deadlift or squat) by your body weight. A "strong" individual, regardless of sex, should aim for a 1.5x bodyweight squat and a 1x bodyweight bench press. If you are below those markers, your focus should be on neurological adaptation and basic hypertrophy, regardless of your hormonal profile. Focus on the compound movements—squats, deadlifts, and presses—to trigger the most significant systemic response.