Updated November 8, 2026
Quick answer: Healthy People 2030 reports that 28.3% of US adult women met the leisure-time muscle-strengthening guideline in 2024, age adjusted. A separate CDC analysis of women aged 18 to 44 pooled 2022 and 2024 and found 55.3% reported no leisure-time muscle-strengthening activity. These populations and measures are not interchangeable.
What are the key statistics?
- 28.3%: 2024 participation. 2024; US women aged 18 and older; Age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population. Healthy People 2030, PA-04 data.
- 55.3%: No leisure-time muscle-strengthening sessions. 2022 and 2024 pooled; US women aged 18 to 44; Survey weighted; not an age-adjusted all-adult estimate. CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44.
- 31.1%: At least two muscle-strengthening sessions per week. 2022 and 2024 pooled; US women aged 18 to 44; Survey weighted; not an age-adjusted all-adult estimate. CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44.
- 25.1%: Met both recommendations. 2022 and 2024 pooled; US women aged 18 to 44; Survey weighted; not an age-adjusted all-adult estimate. CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44.
- More than 48%: Women's share in 2026. 2026; Participants at the IPF World Open Classic championship; Not age adjusted / not applicable. International Powerlifting Federation, championship closing statement.
What percentage of US women meets the strength-training guideline?
This is the comparable all-adult female series. It includes bodyweight muscle-strengthening activity and is broader than gym-based weight training. The reported waves are not evidence of a statistically tested change between years on this page.
Population: US women aged 18 and older. Adjustment: Age adjusted to the year 2000 standard population.
| Measure | Published result | Data year / period | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 participation | 28.0% | 2020 | Healthy People 2030, PA-04 data |
| 2022 participation | 27.4% | 2022 | Healthy People 2030, PA-04 data |
| 2024 participation | 28.3% | 2024 | Healthy People 2030, PA-04 data |
How often do women aged 18 to 44 report muscle-strengthening activity?
CDC's pooled analysis distinguishes no sessions, one weekly session and sufficient activity. This is a different age scope and period from the all-adult table above. It is not a 2026 survey.
Population: US women aged 18 to 44. Adjustment: Survey weighted; not an age-adjusted all-adult estimate.
| Measure | Published result | Data year / period | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| No leisure-time muscle-strengthening sessions | 55.3% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| One muscle-strengthening session per week | 13.6% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| At least two muscle-strengthening sessions per week | 31.1% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
How many meet the strength and aerobic recommendations together?
Meeting neither recommendation is not the same as doing no exercise. The categories are threshold classifications; percentages can differ slightly when rounded. Do not add the rounded component values to replace the direct Table 2 estimate.
Population: US women aged 18 to 44. Adjustment: Survey weighted; not an age-adjusted all-adult estimate.
| Measure | Published result | Data year / period | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Met both recommendations | 25.1% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Met only the aerobic recommendation | 21.7% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Met only the muscle-strengthening recommendation | 6.1% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Met neither recommendation | 47.2% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
How does sufficient strength activity vary across younger-adult age groups?
Each row measures at least two weekly leisure-time muscle-strengthening sessions within the specified age group. It does not measure what load participants lift, how long they have trained or whether they compete.
Population: US women in the specified age group. Adjustment: Survey weighted; not an age-adjusted all-adult estimate.
| Measure | Published result | Data year / period | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ages 18 to 24 | 33.6% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Ages 25 to 29 | 31.9% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Ages 30 to 34 | 30.1% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Ages 35 to 39 | 30.3% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Ages 40 to 44 | 28.7% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
How does reported participation vary by education?
These estimates concern sufficient muscle-strengthening activity among women aged 18 to 44. Education is a grouping variable, not proof of a cause or a measure of anyone's commitment to training.
Population: US women aged 18 to 44, grouped by educational attainment. Adjustment: Survey weighted; not an age-adjusted all-adult estimate.
| Measure | Published result | Data year / period | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Less than high school | 18.3% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| High school diploma or GED equivalent | 22.4% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Some college or associate degree | 31.0% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Bachelor's degree | 39.4% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
| Graduate degree or professional school | 41.2% | 2022 and 2024 pooled | CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44 |
What older data describe meeting both guidelines across women's ages?
This deliberately historical panel concerns BOTH aerobic and muscle-strengthening guidelines in 2020. It is not strength-only participation and must not be compared as a trend against the pooled younger-adult CDC panel.
Population: US adult women, specified age group. Adjustment: Crude estimates.
| Measure | Published result | Data year / period | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| All women aged 18 and older, met both guidelines | 20.4% | 2020 | CDC NCHS Data Brief 443 |
| Women aged 18 to 34, met both guidelines | 28.7% | 2020 | CDC NCHS Data Brief 443 |
| Women aged 35 to 49, met both guidelines | 22.7% | 2020 | CDC NCHS Data Brief 443 |
| Women aged 50 to 64, met both guidelines | 17.6% | 2020 | CDC NCHS Data Brief 443 |
| Women aged 65 and older, met both guidelines | 10.8% | 2020 | CDC NCHS Data Brief 443 |
What share of one major powerlifting championship is female?
The IPF describes the women's share of its World Open Classic championship field. This is an international event series, not a national participation rate or evidence that all strength-training settings have the same composition.
Population: Participants at the IPF World Open Classic championship. Adjustment: Not age adjusted / not applicable.
| Measure | Published result | Data year / period | Original source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Women's share in 2024 | 43% | 2024 | International Powerlifting Federation, championship closing statement |
| Women's share in 2025 | 46% | 2025 | International Powerlifting Federation, championship closing statement |
| Women's share in 2026 | More than 48% | 2026 | International Powerlifting Federation, championship closing statement |
How we compiled this
This compilation uses four source publications: Healthy People 2030 PA-04; CDC MMWR's pooled 2022 and 2024 NHIS analysis; CDC NCHS Data Brief 443 using 2020 NHIS; and the IPF's 2026 championship closing statement. The first three share the NHIS survey family and are not independent replications. PA-04 adult female rates are age adjusted; pooled MMWR results apply only to women aged 18 to 44, use survey weighting, and are not an age-adjusted all-women trend. The MMWR methods and tables list an analytic sample of 10,891; its abstract says 10,981. We rely on the tables and do not project national counts from that discrepancy. We checked the report PDF and the January 15, 2026 erratum, which corrects aerobic-only wording to 21.7%, not the sample-size discrepancy. Table 2's direct muscle-strengthening estimates are used rather than sums of rounded Table 1 components. IPF percentages describe one international championship, not all women or all US powerlifters. No Nordic Lifting customer data or inferred customer demographics are used.
All source pages below were opened and checked on November 8, 2026 (Asia/Manila). Source publications can update after this review. We do not claim ownership of the underlying third-party statistics.
- Healthy People 2030, PA-04 data. Checked November 8, 2026.
- CDC MMWR, women aged 18 to 44. Checked November 8, 2026.
- CDC NCHS Data Brief 443. Checked November 8, 2026.
- International Powerlifting Federation, championship closing statement. Checked November 8, 2026.
- Correction check: CDC erratum, January 15, 2026; report PDF also checked. The erratum changes aerobic-only wording, not the unresolved abstract/methods sample-size discrepancy.
How should readers use these findings?
The strongest editorial distinction is between all-adult participation and the younger-adult study. Keeping age coverage, adjustment and activity thresholds visible makes the findings more useful than an undifferentiated list of female lifting facts. The championship panel adds sport context without pretending to represent everyday training.
Related Nordic Lifting resources
These links are separate from the research findings. The sources did not test or endorse Nordic Lifting products.
- Nordic Lifting 7mm Knee Sleeves
- Nordic Lifting press room
- Small-space workout equipment guide
- Compression gear
- US Strength Training Statistics: Participation by Age and Sex
- Home Gym Statistics: Space, Cost and Equipment Choices
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of women lift weights?
Healthy People 2030 reports that 28.3% of US adult women met the leisure-time muscle-strengthening guideline in 2024, age adjusted. The measure includes bodyweight and other strengthening activities, so it is not a weights-only participation rate. Original source and methodology.
Are more women strength training?
The comparable age-adjusted PA-04 series for US adult women reports 28.0% in 2020, 27.4% in 2022 and 28.3% in 2024. Competition shares and app trends describe different groups and cannot establish national growth on their own. Original source and methodology.
Are these statistics about all women?
Not every table. The all-adult PA-04 series, the younger-adult CDC study and the international championship describe different populations. Each table states its scope.
Does reporting no leisure-time muscle-strengthening mean no physical activity?
No. It excludes other activity types and does not measure occupational activity. It is not a statement that someone never moves or never exercises.
Do championship participation figures measure US women's lifting participation?
No. They describe a selected international competition field. They are presented only as separate sport context.
May journalists reuse these statistics?
Yes. Credit Nordic Lifting with a backlink to this page, retain the original-source credits and data years, and respect the original sources' terms. Questions can go to henrik@nordiclifting.com.
Ready-to-copy citation
Nordic Lifting. Women in Strength Training Statistics 2026: US Participation. Updated November 8, 2026. https://nordiclifting.com/pages/women-strength-training-statistics. Retain the specific statistic's data year and original-source link shown in the table.
Source: Nordic Lifting, Women in Strength Training Statistics 2026: US Participation (https://nordiclifting.com/pages/women-strength-training-statistics), updated November 8, 2026. Original data: retain the linked source and data year accompanying the selected statistic.