Having strong forearms isn’t just about looking good in a rolled-up shirt, or being able to easily open canning jars. No, having bigger forearms is a great way to get bigger arms overall as they are obviously next to your biceps and triceps.
That is not all, however. Although strengthening yourself is generally treated as a goal in itself, regular resistance training exercise may aid your body’s fight against aging, according to certain studies. And, oddly enough, having a strong grip could be a key indicator of longer life expectancy.
A study, published in the journal Clinical Interventions in Aging, found that grip strength, one of the least popular forms of strength training, was a useful ‘biomarker’ for measuring well-being as you age. Grip strength was found to match general strength, upper limb function, bone mineral density, fractures, falls, and malnutrition.
The stronger the forearms, the less falls you will have
This makes some sense. After all, people tend to weaken as they age. Having a strong grip means climbing stairs, holding railings, and being able to lift heavy objects more easily, with less chance of falling. This would decrease the number of falls in older people: with a strong upper body, they will be able to stabilize.
The more muscle you have, the longer it will take to atrophy and wear down, and if you continue to build that muscle by training weights until your retirement, you will stay active for much longer. You’ll also need higher protein intake to maintain that strength, which represents a lower risk of malnutrition.
Other research from University College London, published in the British Medical Journal, seemed to come to a more alarming conclusion: a weak grip force could be seen as a biomarker of premature death. Admittedly, it may not be correct to draw too many firm conclusions from such research, but it may make us stop to think, let’s be honest.
It is entirely possible that other factors may accidentally cause grip strength to appear to be a more important metric than it actually is. But some strength training is still worth doing at any age, and possibly avoiding an early grave always seems like a good motivator.
Another study of Clinical Interventions in Aging also found a link between grip strength and mental health. The study mentioned a positive correlation between increased forearm strength and cognitive decline, depression, sleep problems, diabetes, multimorbidity, and quality of life.
We are not being so simplistic as to say ” do these exercises to cure depression “, but many studies, too many to list here, show a clear correlation between regular exercise and more positive mental health.
Endorphins released during strenuous exercise have been shown to induce feelings of euphoria, and dopamine (the brain’s “happy chemist”) is released to accomplish a goal, such as lifting a weight that used to be too heavy for you. The scientific journal Comprehensive Physiology even found that regular exercise could help prevent cognitive illnesses like Alzheimer’s.