Quick Summary

At 73 years old, 6'1", 178 lb, your upper-body strength is not merely "good for your age." It is exceptional for your age group and generally comparable to that of a well-trained younger recreational lifter.

1. Dips: 14 reps

Dips

Compared to 73-year-olds

Exceptional.

Many men in their 70s cannot perform a single strict dip. Fourteen indicates excellent relative strength and shoulder function.

Compared to men your size

Advanced.

Fourteen strict bodyweight dips at 178 lb is a strong result regardless of age.

2. Dumbbell Bench Press: 65 lb × 6 (each hand)

Dumbbell Bench Press

Compared to 73-year-olds

Exceptional.

Most recreational lifters in their 70s are using significantly less weight or have switched to machines.

Compared to men your size

Intermediate to Advanced.

This is a legitimate strength level even among younger gym-goers.

3. Dumbbell Curl: 50 lb × 5

Biceps Curl

Compared to 73-year-olds

Exceptional.

Very few men in their 70s can perform strict curls with 50s.

Compared to men your size

Advanced.

Assuming minimal body swing, this is strong arm strength.

4. Barbell Curl: 90 lb × 6

Barbell Curl

Compared to 73-year-olds

Exceptional.

Well above what is typical.

Compared to men your size

Advanced.

Ninety pounds for controlled reps is solid.

5. Military Press: 80 lb × 6

Military Press

Compared to 73-year-olds

Excellent to Exceptional.

Overhead pressing tends to decline more than many other lifts with age because of shoulder mobility and joint wear.

Compared to men your size

Intermediate.

This is respectable. Your pressing strength is good overall, though your pulling and arm strength stand out even more.

6. Pull-ups: 6

Pull-up

Compared to 73-year-olds

Exceptional.

Six strict pull-ups at 178 lb is uncommon in men over 70.

Compared to men your size

Intermediate to Advanced.

Many younger gym members cannot do six strict pull-ups.

7. Pulldowns: 180 lb × 6

Lat Pulldown

Compared to 73-year-olds

Exceptional.

Far above average.

Compared to men your size

Advanced.

Machine variations matter, but regardless, this is strong.

Overall Assessment

If I were looking only at these numbers and not your age, I would guess:

  • Male

  • Regular resistance trainer

  • Somewhere between 35 and 55 years old

  • Lean build

  • Significant training history

The two numbers that stand out the most are:

  1. 14 dips at 178 lb

  2. 6 pull-ups at 178 lb

Those demonstrate that your strength isn't just machine-based or isolated-muscle strength. They show strong relative bodyweight strength, which tends to decline sharply with age.

Relative to men around age 73

Overall rating: Exceptional

You appear to be in the top tier of recreationally active men in your age group for upper-body strength.

Relative to all men your size

Overall rating: Intermediate to Advanced, with several lifts reaching the advanced range.

One thing I'd be curious about is your:

  • 1-mile run time (or fastest recent mile)

  • resting heart rate

  • blood pressure

  • leg strength (for example, squat, leg press, or how many times you can rise from a chair without using your hands)

Those often tell us even more about healthy aging and longevity than upper-body strength alone.

A 10:29 mile at age 73 is not slow.

In fact, it fits surprisingly well with the rest of the numbers you've reported.

Compared to men aged 70–74

For recreationally active men in their early 70s:

Mile TimeAssessment15+ minBelow average13–15 minAverage11–13 minGood9–11 minExcellentUnder 9 minExceptional

A 10:29 mile falls into the excellent range for your age group.

Many healthy men in their 70s cannot run a continuous mile at all due to joint issues, cardiovascular limitations, or deconditioning.

Compared to the general adult male population

This comparison is more nuanced.

Among all adult men:

Mile TimeAssessment12+ minBelow average10–12 minAverage8–10 minAbove average6–8 minVery fitUnder 6 minCompetitive runner

A 10:29 mile is roughly around average to slightly above average for adult men overall.

Remember, however, that the average adult male is often decades younger than you.