One of the physique goals that’s common among almost ALL lifters is building big, strong arms. But creating an awesome set of guns goes beyond mere vanity — it’s vitally important for any serious physique athlete.

Here are 4 reasons why every lifter NEEDS big arms.

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Physique Balance

If you’re at all interested in looking good in or out of your clothes, then you need to strive for building a very balanced physique. To do this, you have to develop ALL of your body parts to the best of your ability.

If you spend all your time doing squats, bench presses, and rows, you will go a long way toward getting “big all over” but there is a good chance that your arms will begin to lag behind. Those compound moves will give your arms a lot of indirect stimulation, but direct arm work will make sure your arms keep pace with the rest of your body and won’t get lost next to your swelling chest and back.

Structural Integrity

Closely related to a balanced physique is the idea of structural integrity. Simply put, if you overdevelop OR neglect any particular muscle group, you risk a strength imbalance that can lead to injury. In the case of weak arms, that could mean torn biceps or triceps as your arms struggle to keep up with the big poundages demanded by your chest and back.

Bigger Lifts

On the other side of the same coin, weak arms can also limit the weight you can use on any compound movement. If your triceps are puny, for example, then you have little hope of punching up really big bench press numbers, and stringy bis will doom your chin-up efforts before they even get started. Making your arms big and strong, though, will translate into bigger numbers on ALL your lifts and better overall growth.

Self Esteem

Whether you want to admit it or not, one of the reasons you lift weights is to look good. And, along with maybe chest, arms are usually the most visible indicator that you’re serious about the iron. If you’re willing to put in the hours and effort to build up your body, then it’s important for your self esteem that you have something to show for all that work. Big arms are a big part of your self-fulfillment as a lifter.

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There is nothing that quite compares to the feeling of your pumped up arms stretching the sleeves of a t-shirt, and it’s one of the simple pleasures that makes lifting so enjoyable. Beyond the sheer joy of having big guns, muscular arms are important for every lifter and a strong motivator to keep training hard.