Last updated: October 16, 2026
Women lifting weights is no longer a niche habit online, but the national survey data tells a more modest story. In 2020, 26.9% of US women aged 18 and over met the federal muscle-strengthening guideline of two days a week, compared with 35.2% of men (CDC MMWR QuickStats, 2020 NHIS data). That is a bit over 1 in 4. The "rising" part comes from industry data: Strava named weight training the fastest-growing sport type among women in 2024, with uploads up 25% (Strava Year in Sport, 2024).
One caution up front. Federal data does not yet show a fast national jump. The all-adult rate was 31.9% in 2020 and 32.9% in 2024, and we found no 2024 split by sex. The growth numbers below come from apps and retailers, which measure people who already train, not the whole population.
Key women's strength training statistics
- 26.9% of US women met the muscle-strengthening guideline in 2020, versus 35.2% of men (CDC/NCHS). Source
- 17.2% of women aged 65 and over met it in 2020, versus 34.1% of women aged 18 to 44 (CDC/NCHS). Source
- 20.4% of women met both the aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines in 2020, versus 28.3% of men (CDC/NCHS). Source
- +25% growth in weight training uploads by women on Strava in 2024, the fastest of any sport type (Strava, industry data). Source
- 30% of GNC creatine purchases were by women in 2025, up from 18% in 2020 (retailer figures reported by Bloomberg). Source
- 19.6% of US women aged 50 and over had osteoporosis in 2017-2018, versus 4.4% of men (CDC/NCHS). Source
- +2.9% lumbar spine bone density after 8 months of supervised heavy lifting in postmenopausal women with low bone mass, versus -1.2% for a low-intensity home program (LIFTMOR trial, 2018). Source
How Many Women Lift Weights? Statistics From the CDC
The CDC's National Health Interview Survey counts someone as meeting the guideline if they do leisure-time activity designed to strengthen muscles, such as sit-ups, push-ups or lifting weights, at least twice a week. The guideline itself comes from the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans: at least 2 days of muscle-strengthening activity each week that works all major muscle groups. In 2020, 26.9% of women and 35.2% of men met it (CDC, MMWR 71(18), 2022). That gap showed up in every age group.
| Adults aged 18+, 2020 | Met muscle-strengthening guideline |
|---|---|
| Women | 26.9% |
| Men | 35.2% |
Source: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey 2020, MMWR QuickStats 71(18).
Age matters more than sex. Among women, 34.1% of those aged 18 to 44 met the guideline, falling to 23.8% at 45 to 64 and 17.2% at 65 and over. That is the reverse of where the need is greatest, as the bone data below shows.
| Age group | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 18-44 | 34.1% | 44.5% |
| 45-64 | 23.8% | 29.9% |
| 65+ | 17.2% | 22.0% |
Source: CDC/NCHS, National Health Interview Survey 2020, MMWR QuickStats 71(18).
Meeting both the aerobic and strength guidelines is rarer. NCHS Data Brief 443 found 20.4% of women and 28.3% of men did so in 2020 (CDC/NCHS Data Brief No. 443, 2022). For all adults, the Healthy People 2030 tracker shows the age-adjusted strength rate moving from 31.9% in 2020 to 32.9% in 2024, against a target of 36.6% (Healthy People 2030, NHIS). That is slow progress, not a surge. The figures also cover only leisure-time activity and do not say what kind of lifting people did.
Strength Training for Women Is Growing in Gym and App Data
Strava's Year in Sport report is industry data from its own platform, plus a global survey of more than 5,000 active people. The 2024 edition says weight training was the fastest-growing sport type among women, with a 25% growth in uploads (Strava press release, December 4, 2024). The release does not give the baseline, so 25% growth could be a large or small number of workouts, and Strava users skew toward people who already track exercise.
Retail data points the same way. Bloomberg reported in September 2025 that women made up 30% of creatine purchases at GNC, up from 18% in 2020 (Bloomberg via Medical Xpress, 2025). These are company figures from one chain, not audited data, and buying creatine is not the same as lifting. They are a decent signal that more women are training seriously enough to buy a performance supplement. Our creatine and protein statistics page covers that trend in more detail.
| Year | Women's share of GNC creatine purchases |
|---|---|
| 2020 | 18% |
| 2025 | 30% |
Source: GNC figures reported by Bloomberg, September 2025 (retailer data, one chain).
Benefits of Strength Training for Women: What the Research Shows
The strongest case is bone health. In 2017-2018, 19.6% of US women aged 50 and over had osteoporosis, against 4.4% of men, and 27.1% of women aged 65 and over (CDC/NCHS Data Brief No. 405, 2021). Another 51.5% of women 50 and over had low bone mass.
| Group (2017-2018) | Osteoporosis |
|---|---|
| Women 50-64 | 13.1% |
| Women 65+ | 27.1% |
| Men 50-64 | 3.3% |
| Men 65+ | 5.7% |
Source: CDC/NCHS Data Brief No. 405, NHANES 2017-2018, age-adjusted. The difference between men aged 50-64 and 65+ was not statistically significant.
Can lifting help? In the LIFTMOR randomized trial, 101 postmenopausal women with low bone mass did either 8 months of supervised heavy lifting and impact training (twice a week, 30 minutes) or a low-intensity home program. Lumbar spine bone density rose 2.9% in the lifting group and fell 1.2% in the control group, and femoral neck density changed by +0.3% versus -1.9% (Watson et al., Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, 2018). One minor adverse event was reported, but the training was closely supervised, so this is not a reason to jump into maximal lifts alone.
Muscle is the second benefit, and it answers the common worry that women respond worse or "bulk up". A 2020 meta-analysis of studies using the same training protocols for both sexes found males and females adapted with similar effect sizes for hypertrophy, with no significant difference in lower-body strength gains, and upper-body strength gains favoring females (Roberts, Nuckols and Krieger, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2020). Women gain muscle at a similar relative rate, but usually start with less, so the visible change is gradual. Our pages on muscle loss with age and strength training and longevity go deeper on why this matters later in life.
Downsides and Limits of the Data
- Injury risk is real. Heavy lifting with poor form or no progression can hurt, and the LIFTMOR protocol was supervised. Start lighter than you think and see our weightlifting injury statistics.
- It is not a cure-all for bones. One 8-month trial in 101 women is encouraging, not definitive, and it tested a specific heavy protocol in a specific group.
- Surveys have gaps. The CDC numbers are self-reported, from 2020 (a pandemic year when gyms closed), and count only leisure-time activity. We found no 2024 split by sex.
- Growth is not prevalence. A 25% rise in uploads or a bigger creatine share says the active group is changing, not that 25% more women lift.
What These Numbers Mean for Your Training
The bar is lower than it sounds. Two sessions a week that work all major muscle groups meets the guideline. A full-body routine built on a few lifts such as the goblet squat, Romanian deadlift, hip thrust, dumbbell row and push-ups covers it. Add a little weight or a rep over time, which is progressive overload. If gym anxiety is what stops you, see our gym anxiety statistics. To see where your lifts stand, try the How Strong Am I calculator, and a printable weight training log works if you prefer paper.
Progress only counts if you can see it. GymGod, the workout tracker we build for iPhone and Apple Watch, has an auto-progression feature that works out your next weight from what you actually lifted, so you are not guessing at the rack. Your first 3 workouts are free with no account needed. See the features and pricing pages.
Frequently Asked Questions
What percentage of women lift weights?
In 2020, 26.9% of US women aged 18 and over met the CDC muscle-strengthening guideline of two days a week, versus 35.2% of men. This counts any leisure-time strength activity, not only gym lifting.
Is women lifting weights increasing?
Industry data says yes: Strava reported weight training uploads by women up 25% in 2024. National survey data shows only a small rise for all adults, from 31.9% in 2020 to 32.9% in 2024.
What are the benefits of strength training for women?
Research supports better muscle and strength, and in one randomized trial of postmenopausal women with low bone mass, supervised heavy lifting improved spine and hip bone density versus a low-intensity program. Women's osteoporosis rates are far higher than men's after 50.
Will lifting weights make women bulky?
A 2020 meta-analysis found men and women gain muscle with similar effect sizes on the same programs. Women typically start with less muscle mass and gain gradually, so the change is rarely sudden.
How often should women strength train?
The federal guideline is at least 2 days a week, working all major muscle groups.
Cite this page
Feel free to quote any number on this page. Please link back:
Source: GymGod, "Women Lifting Weights: 27% of US Women Meet the Strength Guideline, and Gym Data Shows It Rising", https://gymgod.app/blog/women-lifting-weights-statistics.html (October 16, 2026)
<a href="https://gymgod.app/blog/women-lifting-weights-statistics.html">GymGod: Women Lifting Weights: 27% of US Women Meet the Strength Guideline, and Gym Data Shows It Rising</a>
Please also cite the original source listed below for any individual number.
Sources
- CDC, "QuickStats: Percentage of Adults Aged 18 Years and Over Who Met the Federal Guidelines for Muscle-Strengthening Physical Activity, by Age Group and Sex, NHIS 2020," MMWR 71(18):642, May 6, 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7118a6.htm
- CDC/NCHS, "Physical Activity Among Adults Aged 18 and Over: United States, 2020," Data Brief No. 443, August 2022. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db443.htm
- CDC, "Adult Activity: An Overview" (physical activity guidelines for adults). https://www.cdc.gov/physical-activity-basics/guidelines/adults.html
- Healthy People 2030, objective PA-04, muscle-strengthening activity (NHIS data), accessed October 16, 2026. https://odphp.health.gov/healthypeople/objectives-and-data/browse-objectives/physical-activity/increase-proportion-adults-who-do-enough-muscle-strengthening-activity-pa-04
- Strava, "Strava Releases Annual Year in Sport Trend Report, Revealing That Working Out Is No Longer About Burning Out," December 4, 2024 (company data plus a survey of more than 5,000 people). https://press.strava.com/articles/strava-releases-annual-year-in-sport-trend
- Brown R, Bloomberg News, "Women and older adults are driving sales of creatine higher," September 2025 (via Medical Xpress; GNC figures). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-women-older-adults-sales-creatine.html
- CDC/NCHS, "Osteoporosis or Low Bone Mass in Older Adults: United States, 2017-2018," Data Brief No. 405, March 2021. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db405.htm
- Watson SL et al., "High-Intensity Resistance and Impact Training Improves Bone Mineral Density and Physical Function in Postmenopausal Women With Osteopenia and Osteoporosis: The LIFTMOR Randomized Controlled Trial," J Bone Miner Res 33(2):211-220, 2018. https://academic.oup.com/jbmr/article/33/2/211/7605709
- Roberts BM, Nuckols G, Krieger JW, "Sex Differences in Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis," J Strength Cond Res 34(5):1448-1460, 2020. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32218059/
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. If you have osteoporosis, an injury or a medical condition, talk to your doctor before starting heavy lifting. Statistics were checked against the linked source pages on October 16, 2026. If you spot an error or a newer figure, please contact us.
