Girls tend to be stronger than boys until puberty. Around ages 12 and 13, girls often exhibit greater strength due to earlier puberty onset. However, by ages 14 or 15, boys typically surpass girls in strength due to their own pubertal development and increased size.
Peak Strength and Age
While girls may have a period of relative strength advantage over boys during early puberty, overall peak muscle strength and mass for both sexes typically occurs between 30 and 35 years of age. After this point, a gradual decline in strength is observed. It's important to note that this is an average and individual variation exists.
Strength Differences Across Age Groups:
- Pre-Puberty: Girls and boys display relatively similar strength levels.
- Early Puberty (12-13): Girls often exhibit greater strength due to earlier puberty.
- Mid-Puberty (14-15 and beyond): Boys generally become stronger than girls due to hormonal changes and increased muscle mass.
- Adulthood (30-35): Both men and women reach their peak strength, after which strength gradually declines with age.
This information is supported by several sources: One source states that right up until girls start puberty (around 12-13), they tend to be a bit stronger than boys. [Source 1] Another source confirms this, stating that statistically, girls are stronger until they reach puberty, because they often experience height increases earlier or faster. [Source 2]. Several other sources corroborate the general trend of peak strength occurring in the 30s for both men and women, following which strength begins to decrease. [Source 3, Source 4].
