By Julia Pugachevsky – Business Insider –
- Grip strength is associated with greater longevity and lower risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Grip strength is also linked to strength training, such as pulling or carrying heavy weights.
- Exercises like farmer’s carries and dead hangs can boost grip strength.
Easily popping the lid off a jar can mean you’ll live longer — but not for the reasons you think.
Great grip strength is regarded as a key indicator of longevity, with one 2019 study linking stronger grip strength with lower rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cognitive impairment.
The iron-gripped among us also experience day-to-day health benefits. “Those same people tend to have just better metabolism as well,” Sarah Crawford, a physical therapist and owner of Anchor Wellness in Cincinnati, told Business Insider. “So better blood sugar regulation, better hormonal balance, reduced inflammation.”
