If you’re wondering whether or not your 6 inch wrist is in line with the average male wrist size, then you’re in the right place. Drawing on countless anthropometric studies, I set out to learn just how big or small 6 inch wrists really are for males and females. Here’s what I found.
See How Your Wrists Compare:
Is a 6 inch wrist small for a man?
Is a 6 inch wrist small for a man? Yes, according to anthropometric research, a 6 inch wrist circumference is definitely small for a man. Specifically, 6 inch wrists are 0.75 to 0.9 inches smaller than average for an adult male. [1]
To give just one example of why 6″ wrists are small for a man, a US survey of military personnel that was published in 2017 found that most men typically had 6.7 inch wrists or thereabouts. [2]
So, while a 6 inch wrist measurement isn’t tiny for a man—there are definitely people who have skinnier wrists than you—6 in wrists are clearly on the small side for a male and could be an indication that you have a slim build.
Just note that frame size should encompass more than just the size of your wrists (i.e., the size of your snakes and the length of your clavicles). So don’t think that you have “bad genetics” (whatever that really means) just because you have a 6″ wrist.
Is a 6 inch wrist big for a woman?
Is a 6 inch wrist big for a woman? In most cases, no, a 6 inch wrist is not big for a woman because 6 inch wrists are a normal measurement for an adult female.
Now, if you’re really short, then a 6 in wrist measurement might be big for a woman of your height. But in general, 6 inch wrists are a very normal size for an adult woman of a regular height and build.
On the other hand, if you’re a female who has 6.5 inch wrists, then that’s definitely on the large side and is likely a strong indication that you have a large frame in general.
Of course, at a glance, most people won’t be able to tell whether you have 6 inch wrists or 6.5 inch wrists, so you shouldn’t be too concerned about your wrists being overly large.
Is a 6.5 inch wrist small?
Is a 6.5 inch wrist circumference small for a man? Even though a 6.5 inch wrist is ever so slightly smaller than average for a man, I wouldn’t classify 6.5 inch wrists as small because they really are only 0.2 or 0.3 inches slimmer than usual.
Also, bear in mind that wrist size is usually based on measurement ranges, with 6.5 inch wrists typically being on the low end of medium. So you’re definitely normal if you have a 6.5″ wrist.
Additionally, if you measure your wrist with your fingers apart, then your wrists will naturally be a bit bigger, which is to say, they’ll be at their full size. This tip might help to push your wrists over the 6.5-inch mark.
How about a 6.3 inch wrist?
How big is a 6.3 inch wrist? Based on the data, 6.3 inch wrists are slightly smaller than usual for a man and a bit bigger than normal for a woman.
That said, there are plenty of men and women out there who have 6.3 inch wrists because it’s only just outside of the normal size, so you’re definitely not abnormal in any way just because you have a 6.3 inch wrist.
Is a 6.7 inch wrist big or not?
Is a 6.7 inch wrist big or not? For a man, a 6.7 inch wrist is a very average size, whereas a 6.7 inch wrist is definitely quite a bit bigger than usual for a woman.
A man who has 6.7 inch wrists probably has a regular frame size—he’s neither large-boned nor small-boned.
On the other hand, if a woman has 6.7 inch wrists, then that’s a strong indication that she has a large frame for a female. Perhaps she’s very tall or just so happens to have thick joints.
Are 6 inch wrists a good size for a bodybuilder?
So, are 6 inch wrists a good size for a bodybuilder? Yes, in general, a 6 inch wrist is a good size for a bodybuilder because when your wrists are relatively small, your forearms and upper arms will naturally look bigger.
And just remember, bodybuilding is based on aesthetics and not circumference measurements.
If you and a competitor both have the same arm size, but you have smaller wrists, then your arms will automatically look bigger because there’s a bigger size difference between your wrists and arms, which helps to accentuate your biceps, triceps, and forearms.
On the other hand, if you want to make your arms as big as humanly possible, then having thick joins is always optimal.
After all, larger bones have more space to store muscle tissue, so it just makes physiological sense that those with larger wrists will naturally be able to build bigger arms than those with 6 inch wrists.
Of course, there’s more that goes into building your biceps, triceps, and forearms than just your wrists. Indeed, your hormone levels, training intensity, and dietary discipline all greatly influence how much mass you can gain.
So don’t think that you’re cursed just because you have 6 inch wrists or 6.5 inch wrists because you might well surpass your perceived limits by training hard and consistently.
In conclusion: Is it good to have 6 inch wrists?
Objectively speaking, having a 6 inch wrist or a 6.5 inch wrist is neither good nor bad. Rather, the size of your wrists is simply one way to assess your frame size.
That said, most men with 6 inch wrists typically wish that their wrists were thicker. So, in this case, it might not be ideal to have 6 inch wrists which, admittedly, are on the small side for an adult male.
References
- YOLDAŞ, A. (2020). The Comparison of Measurements of the Wrist, Hand and Finger Parameters Between Female and Male. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Dergisi. https://doi.org/10.17517/ksutfd.599786
- Mitchell, K. B., Choi, H. J., & Garlie, T. N. (2017). Anthropometry And Range Of Motion Of The Encumbered Soldier. U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center. https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/pdfs/AD1028746.pdf