Study Finds Correlation Between Sex Life And Grip Strength
Here’s What Your Handshake Can Reveal About Your Sex Life
A new study exploring the link between physical strength, love, and sex suggests that your muscle strength could reveal some surprising details connected to your intimate life. Published in the scientific journal Evolution and Human Behavior, the study examined grip strength, a common indicator of upper body strength, and how it correlates with sexual behavior.
Source: AndreyPopov / Getty
Researchers at Washington State University analyzed data from 4,316 U.S. adults, drawn from the 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They primarily measured grip strength, a standard indicator of upper body strength, and compared it to participants’ survey responses regarding their sexual behavior — and what they found was surprising. According to the study, stronger men tended to be in longer relationships and had more sexual partners than their less muscular counterparts. For women, greater strength was linked to a higher number of sexual partners, though it didn’t affect the duration of their past relationships.
Researchers believe men’s physical strength and sex life are connected with evolution.
The study supports long-standing theories that men’s physical strength may have evolved as a competitive trait, offering a reproductive advantage by favoring greater upper body strength, explained Caroline Smith, the lead author of the study, in an interview with Phys.org published Jan.14. Smith suggested that in evolutionary history, a man’s ability to attract more sexual partners and form long-term relationships may have also been crucial for reproductive success. Notably, the reason women’s strength influences their sexual behavior remains largely unexplained.
RELATED CONTENT: This Simple Test Can Measure Your Biological Age
However, several intriguing factors can influence a woman’s sexual behavior, particularly their sexual interest in a man. One key indicator is called the “ick.” As previously reported, studies suggest that women’s heightened sensitivity to disgust may serve as an instinctual evolutionary defense mechanism. If something about a potential partner signals a risk to their health or the well-being of future offspring, their disgust response can act as a warning to avoid having sex with someone they perceive as an unsuitable mate.
Source: Jacob Wackerhausen / Getty
For example, a 2018 study from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which surveyed over 2,500 people online, found that women consistently displayed stronger disgust reactions to scenarios involving poor hygiene, such as body odor and unflushed toilets. Whether it’s a partner’s behavior, hygiene, or subtle cues suggesting a threat to reproductive success, this instinct may help women avoid situations that could compromise their safety or the survival of their children. Researchers believe that instinctively, women are wired to seek out partners with “good genes”—traits that can be passed down to future offspring. So, if a man suddenly triggers the “ick,” it could be a subconscious signal that something about him is not ideal for reproduction.
What are your thoughts on this new grip strength study? Tell us in the comments section.
RELATED CONTENT: Aging Accelerates In The 40s And 60s — Here’s How To Slow It Down
