[Introduction] It is known that basal/resting metabolism is associated with muscle mass and that the maximum force production is related to muscle mass, so that basal/resting metabolism should be associated with the maximum force production. Accordingly, a deterioration of skeletal muscle function is one of the consequences of increase in adipose tissue or a risk of metabolic syndrome, due to a lowering of basal metabolism. However, there is no information available whether a resting metabolism is related to maximum force generation. [Purpose] The present study investigated the relations between resting metabolism and maximum force generation of hand and leg in young men and women. [Methods] Thirty-six healthy young individuals (age, 20.6±0.8 yr; height, 162.3±7.6 cm; body mass, 55.5±7.7 kg, mean±S.D.) participated in this study. The resting metabolism was measured with the metabolic analyzer. Also, maximum isometric knee extension force of the right leg was measured with the knee extension dynamometer, maximum isometric handgrip force of the right and left hand was measured with a handgrip dynamometer and maximum leg power was measured with a distance of horizontal squat jump performance. All measurements were repeated 3 times, and the mean value of the nearest two measurements was used for further analysis. Data are presented as mean±SD. [Results] Lean body mass (LBM) was significantly correlated with hand grip force, leg power, knee extensor force and resting metabolism (r=0.887; p<0.001, 0.762; p<0.001, 0.687; p<0.001 and 0.514; p<0.01, respectively). Also, a resting metabolism was significantly correlated with hand grip force, leg power and knee extensor force (r=0.493; p<0.01, 0.579; p<0.001 and 0.39; p<0.05, respectively). Although there were significant relationships between a resting metabolism and maximum force generation, it was shown that resting metabolism was differently related to force generating capacity in upper and lower body and different type of muscle actions (dynamic vs. static, single joint vs. multi-joint movements). [Conclusion] This suggests that resting metabolism is not only related to muscle mass, but also to muscle force. Measurement of maximum muscle force can be useful for a simple evaluation of resting metabolism.