Arm Bar Exercise: Benefits and How to Do It Safely
Updated March 2024
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The shoulder girdle is one of the most mobile joints in the human body, allowing multidirectional movement while bearing lots of weight. Unfortunately, that makes it one of the more vulnerable joints in the human body. The arm bar is a great way to strengthen and stabilize the shoulder girdle.
The arm bar exercise is a dynamic stretch that increases the strength and mobility of the shoulders. This exercise targets muscle groups in the shoulder girdle, chest, and arms while activating your hips and glutes. It helps to improve the shoulder's range of motion, which can benefit any pulling or pressing exercises you may have planned in your training.
It's basically that one exercise that makes you better at all the other exercises. Here's everything you need to know to about the arm bar!
What is Arm Bar?
The arm bar is a functional exercise that targets stabilizer muscles in the shoulder girder while improving strength and mobility in your shoulders, chest, and arms. By nature, the arm bar exercise is an integrative motion that combines upper-body movements while activating the lower body. Arm bars benefit from focusing on strength and stability, which are both specific training aspects that improve shoulder joint health.
What Muscles Does Arm Bar Work On?
Shoulders
The shoulder girdle is complex, with multiple joints and muscles connecting in a very small space. Arm bar exercises mobilize the shoulder by releasing tension in muscles localized near the shoulder. It also strengthens the stabilizer muscles, protecting the integrity and stability of the shoulder.
Chest
Try this: Raise your arms until they align with your shoulders. While the arm remains perpendicular to your body, notice if your ribcage lifts. If so, your chest muscles might be tight and can benefit from kettlebell arm bars. By releasing all that tension, you can improve your pulling and pushing movements, which is especially helpful if you’re working on building a bigger chest.
Biceps
The biceps are the primary muscles in the arm responsible for pulling and lifting. Arm bars can help you stretch the biceps for improved functioning, especially if you're working on growing your biceps.
Back
Activities like sitting, typing, and scrolling through phones cause constant internal rotation of the shoulders, leading to back pain. Kettlebell arm bars target muscles in the thoracic spine. It stretches out the latissimus dorsi and releases tension in the trapezius, allowing the back to be more aligned.
Try this: Notice your seated posture. If you naturally find yourself hunched over in a seated position, this exercise can help with your posture.
How Does the Kettlebell Arm Bar Help Shoulder Mobility?
According to the Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies, the kettlebell arm bar exercise helps to maintain optimal shoulder functioning throughout the entire lifespan. In today's world, constant sitting, poor posture, and inactive lifestyle choices contribute to limited shoulder mobility. Kettlebell arm bars improve the range of motion in the shoulders.
How to Do an Arm Bar Workout?
In order to successfully complete the arm bar exercise, go through the following steps.
Beginning with a lighter-weight kettlebell (affiliate link), assume the fetal position on the right side with your shoulders stacked and a neutral spine. Keep your shoulders retracted, depressed, and engaged. This is called keeping the shoulders "packed."
Use both hands to grip the kettlebell from the start position and roll onto your back.
Press the kettlebell with your right arm and place your left hand over your head so it lays flat on the floor. Make sure the kettlebell is directly above the shoulder.
Bend the right leg so that your heel is close to your glutes and placed slightly to the outside of the thigh.
Pushing through the heel, rotate your body towards the left side of your body, allowing your knee to cross your midline until it touches the floor. Keep your gaze on the kettlebell, and make sure your hand is over the shoulder. Continue to look up towards the kettlebell for about five to ten seconds.
Rotate your body to the right until your spine and shoulder are flat on the ground, bring your left hand up to the kettlebell, and safely lower the kettlebell with both hands to prevent injury.
Return to your starting position. Repeat on your left side until you've completed three to five reps on each side.
Tips:
You don't need a lightweight kettlebell to start practicing this exercise. You can use a light dumbbell (affiliate link), a water bottle, or even good ol' fashion gravity to begin.
Don't allow your arm to drift when the kettlebell is raised. Keep your shoulder retracted and your arm directly aligned with your shoulder for maximum benefit.
Maintain a neutral wrist and packed shoulders throughout the exercise.
Final Thoughts
The kettlebell arm bar exercise is the single best shoulder mobility drill to add to your training. It will improve the range of motion in your shoulders and strengthen most of the muscles from the shoulders to the ribcage (front and back!). This drill also is helpful if you need to release tension in your chest and back.
So, the next time you want to massage your neck or have pain in between your shoulder blades after a long day of work, try out the arm bar.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the kettlebell arm bar do?
The kettlebell arm bar exercise strengthens and stabilizes the shoulders. It has the added benefit of releasing tension in muscles that surround the shoulder girdles while building strength in the arms, chest, and shoulder. Arm bars also improve mobility in the thoracic spine, and this dynamic exercise enhances flexibility in the hips and glutes.
How do I get better at arm bars?
Start with lighter weight, or even no weight, as you build up proprioception in your stabilizer muscles. The key with arm bars is to create a stable foundation in your shoulders. Eventually, you should be able to keep the kettlebell raised for up to 30 seconds on each rep. When you feel ready, add dynamic movements like presses, but don't go crazy with the range of motion. Since this movement is geared more towards strength and mobility, you can do this exercise daily.
Do kettlebells make your arms bigger?
The primary function of kettlebell arm bars is to strengthen and stabilize the shoulders. While it may not be the exercise to get bigger arms, it is the gateway to building arm muscles efficiently.
This article has been reviewed by our editorial board and has been approved for publication in accordance with our editorial policy.
