Arm-Strengthening Workouts and their Surprising Benefits

‍

Your arms can move in so many different ways to help you perform many important functions throughout your daily life, so you need to take care of them!

Arm-strengthening workouts increase your range of motion and make these everyday movements more easy and effective.

Not only will they make your arms stronger and look more toned, but arm-strengthening workouts have some other surprising benefits.

‍

‍

Improves Heart Health

‍

Anything that gets your heart pumping like exercise will benefit your heart health, but studies have shown that targeted strength exercises like lifting weights can be just as effective in preventing heart disease. ¹

The American Heart Association specifically mentions arm raises, tricep extensions, and bicep curls as heart-strengthening movements. ²

‍

Improves your Posture

‍

Good posture plays an important, though easily overlooked, role in your overall health. Exercising your arms naturally overlaps with exercising other parts of your upper body like your shoulders and back helping to improve your posture. 

‍

Boosts Speed and Endurance

‍

A recent study in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology focused on the neuromechanical link between the head and arms that brings together the brain, central nervous system, and muscles to propel movement and muscular contraction during running. 

The linkage indicates that running efficiency does not solely rely on strength of your lower body, but on your upper body, specifically your arms. The greater efficiency in your movement also means the less energy your body needs to expend–improving your endurance and preventing fatigue. ³

‍

Builds Bone Density

‍

Like muscle, bone is living tissue that can become stronger through exercise. Weightlifting places a reasonable amount of stress on your bones helping to build bone density and reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis. 

‍

Strengthens Joints

‍

Weightlifting and strength training not only helps strengthen your bones and muscles, but also your joints. It can even help ease joint pain and stiffness. 

However, incorrect form often indicated by pain during a workout can cause long-term joint problems so make sure to take care when engaging in these exercises. 

‍

May Help You Live Longer

‍

A meta-analysis published in 2022 which looked at the results of sixteen different studies found that people who perform strength-training/resistance exercises are less likely to die prematurely, even if their routine did not involve aerobic activities.⁴

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍

‍