# How much does an average adult torso weigh? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 24, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457 "2004-12-24T07:53:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/1 "2004-12-24T07:53:39Z")
Exempting the arms, legs, and head, how much would a human torso weigh? Addendum: would a fairly strong man be able to lift a case containing seven torsos by himself? (This information is needed for a story I’m writing. I am planning no torso transportation in the foreseeable future.) ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/2 "2004-12-24T08:06:21Z")
Congratulations for creating the creepiest question I have read in a long while. Why on Earth do you need to know this? ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/3 "2004-12-24T08:09:02Z")
If you are looking for an estimate, get some measurments about yourself and estimate the smallest “box” that could hold your torso, then figure out how much water that would hold and calculate the weight. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/4 "2004-12-24T08:12:20Z")
> [@Muad'Dib](#): > > Why on Earth do you need to know this? It’s for a short story I’m working on. A creepy short story. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/5 "2004-12-24T08:40:08Z")
As a rough guess, I’d estimate that the torso of an adult of average height and slim to average build (lets say 160 pounds) is going to account for about half the total body weight; half 7 times 160 is 560 pounds - your character is probably going to need a trolley of some kind. ---
**Author:** ![Maxxxie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f14d63/32.png) [@Maxxxie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maxxxie)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 9:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/6 "2004-12-24T09:10:40Z")
Then again, **Mangetout** , those torsos would probably have exsanguinated by the time they made it to the case (or other container). Surely there’d be some weight loss associated with that? And I agree with the others. This is truly a creepy thread. Max. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/7 "2004-12-24T09:22:54Z")
Depends… what is it? 8 pints (pounds) or so - isn’t going to make a lot of difference. Now if the legs and pelvis are cut off together, then the contents of the abdomen might not stay inside… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9bd4f/32.png) [@The\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Cat)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/8 "2004-12-24T09:48:31Z")
well does just the shoulder-ribcage region, without pelvis/innards really constitute a torso? My guess 500-700 pounds (80-100lbs each torso, 7 torsos) although I came up with this assuming that the victims are largish mafia types and not women and children. I’m gonna say that there’s no freaking way, one guy could carry it. Although if you stuffed them in a chest freezer and then moved the freezer with a dolley I think one man could move them. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/9 "2004-12-24T14:52:32Z")
Are we talking male or female torsos here? Either way, your character will probably need a trolley, but there’s a significant difference in weight between genders. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/10 "2004-12-24T14:54:54Z")
Also, without a bottom half, wouldn’t the giblets fall out? I’d assume that the intenstines would account for quite a bit of weight/volume in your average torso. How’s your protagonist gonna deal with _that_? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/11 "2004-12-24T15:11:54Z")
I can’t find a reference anywhere but I am pretty sure that your legs are about half your body weight (for males at least). I imagine the arms would be less than half that - say 10%. So your torso would be about 60% of your total weight. I recall that lifting legless patients is very easy. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/12 "2004-12-24T15:13:16Z")
Or 40% with correct arithmetic. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/13 "2004-12-24T15:17:06Z")
I remember reading somewhere that your forearms are about 6% of your bodyweight, and your upper arms are probably a little more than that, so 15% might be a more reasonable estimate for the arms. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/14 "2004-12-24T15:21:52Z")
Or 35% with additional information. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/15 "2004-12-24T15:24:19Z")
Actually on reflection that makes sense. There are less large muscle groups on the torso and the innards are mostly lighter than muscle tissue. Now if he eviscerated the 7 torsos …what would they weigh? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/16 "2004-12-24T15:25:48Z")
Like say he had dogs. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 24, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/17 "2004-12-24T23:52:34Z")
How big a sample size do you think we need for a significant number? Hmm, it’s got to be a large number of torsos. I’ll bring the electric saw instead of the gas-powered. The keys are right where I left them. When I was younger, I used to fight it. Now, I accept that one way or another I always wind up spending Christmas Eve in the morgue. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/18 "2004-12-25T00:15:50Z")
I’m so pleased my old alma mater is leading the way in this important research. 🙂 CT scans estimate the total trunk volume to be roughly 41.6% of body mass. From: [http://florey.biosci.uq.edu.au/BIA/Prefs.html](http://florey.biosci.uq.edu.au/BIA/Prefs.html) Pearsall, D.J.; Reid, J.G.; Livingston, L.A. Segmental inertial parameters of the human trunk as determined from computed tomography Annals of Biomedical Engineering 24 2 MAR-APR 1996 198-210 DJ Pearsall Mcgill Univ Dept Phys Educ 475 Pine Ave W Montreal Pq H2W 1S4, Canada 0090-6964 body composition; body segment parameters; spine; biomechanics POSTURE; GRAVITY; DENSITY; TISSUES This study used computed tomography (CT) imaging to determine in vivo mass, center of mass (CM), and moments of inertia (Icm) about the CM of discrete segments of the human torso. Four subjects, two males and two females, underwent serial transverse CT scans that were collected at l-cm intervals for the full length of the trunk. The pixel intensity values of transverse images were correlated to tissue densities, thereby allowing trunk section mass properties to be calculated. The percentage of body mass observed by vertebral levels ranged from 1.1% at Tl to 2.6% at L5. The masses of the upper, middle, and lower trunk segments as percentages of body mass were estimated to be 18.5, 12.2, and 10.7%, respectively. The whole trunk mass was estimated to comprise 41.6% of the total body mass. Transverse vertebral CM values were found to lie anterior to their respective vertebral centroids by up to 5.0 cm in the lower thoracic region. For the upper, middle, and lower trunk segments, the average CM positions were found to be 25.9, 62.5, and 86.9% of the distance from the superior to inferior ends of the trunk. The upper and middle trunk CMs corresponded to approximately 4.0 cm anterior to T7/T8 vertebral centroid levels and 1.0 cm anterior to L3/L4 vertebral centroid levels, respectively. For the whole trunk, the CM was 52.7% of the distance from the xiphoid process and approximately 2.0 cm anterior to L1/L2 vertebral centroid levels. Variations in CM and Icm values were observed between subject, but these were within the range of previous reports of body segment parameters. Differences from previous studies were attributable to variations in boundary definitions, measurement techniques, population groups, and body states (live versus cadaver) examined. The disparity between previous findings and the findings of this study emphasizes the need to better define the segmental properties of the trunk so that improved biomechanical representation of the body can be achieved. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/19 "2004-12-25T02:00:00Z")
> [@continuity eror](#): > > It’s for a short story I’m working on. A creepy short story. Uh huh. Suuuuuure it is. A _very_ short story… :eek: 😉😃😛 ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457/20 "2004-12-25T04:02:15Z")
The average American guy weighs 87 kg (190 lbs). The average physiology student weighs 70 kg (154 lbs). Seven torsos, mixed male and female, fat and skinny may average 170 lbs \* 0.416 \* 7. This is roughly 480 pounds, plus the case. I’m fairly strong and I could squat this weight; in another couple of months I hope to deadlift and bench it. But few folks could get that above their head and carry it… I sure couldn’t. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-does-an-average-adult-torso-weigh/281457.md?page=2)