Do Arm Blasters Work? Do You Actually Need Ones?

Many fitness enthusiasts have, at one point, considered using an arm blaster to enhance their workout and target specific muscles.

But, a lot of questions discourage them: do arm blasters work? Are arm blasters worth it? Are arm blasters safe? What does an arm blaster do exactly? Are arm blasters meant for everyone? How to use the arm blaster? Which muscles do arm blasters target?

These are valid and crucial questions that provide a glimpse into the function, usage, and mystery behind this popular wearable fitness tool—arm blasters. 

In this article, we will unveil the secret behind arm blasters. We will learn its meaning, pros, and cons. We’ll also discuss who can and who shouldn’t use arm blasters and the steps to use them.

What Is an Arm Blaster?

An arm blaster is a piece of equipment with a strap wrapped around the back of the neck and a curved metal frame that supports the elbows. It acts as a barrier that keeps the elbows from swinging backward during workouts. It increases the activity of the biceps muscles.

An arm blaster works by limiting the range of motion of the upper arms, shoulders, and elbows, producing stabilizing effects for the arm muscles.

Most arm blasters come with adjustable straps and paddling, providing extra comfort and utility. In addition, they’re produced to be compatible with people of different sizes and shapes.

1. Who Can Use Arm Blasters?

Arm blasters are suitable for those who have reached a plateau in their training and growth and are exploring ways to spice up their program. They’re also perfect for those who want to improve their curl technique and posture.

Arm blasters are good for those desiring to improve their muscular engagement and activation during a bicep blaster workout.

In addition, you should use an arm curl blaster if you experience pain and aches during regular curls. It reduce stress on your joints and encourages proper techniques and isolation of the biceps.

2. Who Shouldn’t Use Arm Blasters?

Those just starting their programs or training shouldn’t use an arm blaster for biceps because they may find it uncomfortable. In addition, various alternatives and free exercises produce similar effects to arm blasters.

If you have a small space in your gym or don’t have an option to store it, you shouldn’t use/perform arm blaster exercises. 

Does The Arm Blaster Really Work?

Here are some benefits of arm blasters:

✅ Promotes Proper Technique and Form

When fatigue kicks in, the body requires assistance from its secondary muscles to perform the task. This also occurs during lifting heavy loads.

Arm blasters only target specific muscles, such as the biceps. This prevents reliance on secondary muscle groups, resulting in proper technique and form.

✅ Enhances Posture

When performing curls, many trainers lean backward to gather momentum and swing up the weight. This poor posture adds unnecessary stress on the lower back, taking the emphasis off the biceps or triceps.

Studies show the importance of proper posture in performing exercises.

By forcing you to recruit the necessary muscles, arm blasters promote proper posture during curls. 

✅ Prevent Injuries 

Unnecessary stress on the lower back can increase fatigue and injuries.

Research has proven that physical stress plays a role in the occurrence of injuries.

Arm blaster for biceps reduces the stress placed on the lower back and the involvement of secondary muscle groups. This decreases the risk of injuries.

✅ Biceps and Triceps Isolation 

Isolation of the biceps and triceps are the most prevalent reasons people perform arm blaster exercises.

By preventing excessive swinging and poor posture, arm blasters promote the activity of the biceps and triceps muscles. This improves muscle activation, strength, and growth. 

Studies show that the incline dumbbell curl effectively engages the biceps muscles.

✅ Improves Mind-Muscle Connection 

The mind-muscle connection plays a crucial role in muscle growth. By allowing you to concentrate fully on your biceps and triceps, an arm blaster improves your mind-muscle connection and promotes muscle engagement. 

✅ Improves Pump Effect

The pump is a mechanism where the body flushes the muscles with extra blood and supplies nutrients and oxygen to support the muscle cells. The pump affects muscle growth. 

Some factors, such as improving the quality of exercise repetitions, determine the degree to which muscle groups are pumped. 

By supporting greater isolation of the biceps and encouraging proper form and posture, arm blasters improve the pump effect. 

Clinical trials show that exercises focused on achieving a pump through repeated repetitions with shorter rest periods produces a positive impact on muscle hypertrophy that is synergistic to heavy compound lifting. 

3 Disadvantages of Arm Blasters

Despite its benefits, arm blasters have their drawbacks. Here are some disadvantages of incorporating arm blasters into your workout:

❌ Feels Uncomfortable 

Performing normal biceps curls allows a greater range of motion and freedom and offers a high degree of comfortability. Nonetheless, because of this comfortability, they’re often performed wrongly.

Using an arm blaster eliminates freedom of movement and can feel uncomfortable.

❌ Difficulty to Load

Arm blasters make smaller loads feel difficult. This is one of the most crucial reasons that make the arm blaster a good workout tool. This is because the difficulty of loading prevents cheating and forces you to maintain the correct posture and technique.

If you have a goal to lift heavier loads, it may not align with your goals.

❌ It Costs Money and Needs to Be Carried to the Gym

Unlike other workout tools, most commercial gyms don’t have arm blasters. Therefore, you need to purchase them with money. Since they can’t fit into a gym bag, you may have difficulty carrying them to the gym.

How to Use the Arm Blaster?

Here are the steps to use the arm curl blaster:

1. Adjust the Strap to a Correct and Comfortable Height

Failing to do so will affect your results and increase the risk of injuries.

If your arm blaster is positioned too high, your triceps and chest will interfere with your workout, increasing the angle and placing stress on your chest and elbows. 

Position the elbow pads a little above your elbows when your arms are down

Suppose your arm blaster is positioned too low. In that case, your elbows will move into the elbow pads higher as you perform the curls, forcing the arm blaster into your stomach and giving a flimsy and uncomfortable feeling.

2. Concentrate on the Weight

Many people see the arm blasters as a workout tool to perform ‘cheat curls.’ Since it allows you to focus on your form and technique, you need to use a lower weight as other curls. 

Since arm blasters force your elbow forward and engage the inner head of your biceps, you don’t need too much weight. Excess weight will move your elbows into the arm blaster and press it into the stomach. This can make you feel uncomfortable and unable to breathe.

3. Concentrate on Your Form and Engage Your Abs

When dropping the weight, engage your abs to reduce the pressure the arm blasters apply on your stomach.

Best Arm Blaster We Recommend

CHECK PRICE ON ROGUE

Rogue Arm Blaster is our recommended arm blaster. Coined from the 1970s classic, this accessory has two neck strap options: nylon and leather straps with adjustable lengths. The adjustable length lets you set the arm blaster at your desired and comfortable height.

Produced with high-quality 0.25″ thick laser-cut formed aluminum, this piece of equipment is made to withstand the longest bicep curl workouts. With its uniquely designed metal portion, you can enjoy a consistent and proper form when performing curls.

FAQ

Where Should an Arm Blaster Sit?

An arm blaster typically sits against the upper abdomen. This allows you to place the back of the upper arms against the metal plates and experience its effects.

What Exercises Can I Do With an Arm Blaster?

You can do exercises such as supinated dumbbell curls, side curls, EZ bar curls, banded curls, barbell curls, reverse curls, and dumbbell curls with an arm blaster.

To get the best results, it’s advisable to only perform arm blaster exercises with it.

Is an Arm Blaster the Same as a Preacher Curl?

No. An arm blaster and a preacher curl are entirely different workout equipment. They have their pros and cons. However, you should consider your personal preference, fitness levels, workout goals, and equipment availability when choosing one.

Conclusion 

An arm blaster is a piece of equipment that acts as a barrier and prevents the elbows from swinging back during an arm blaster workout. They promote proper form, posture, and techniques. By limiting the range of motion, it engages the biceps muscles.

It improves the pump effect and mind-muscle connection and reduces the risk of injuries. 

Difficulty loading and feeling discomfort are some disadvantages of arm blasters. 

To use an arm blaster, you need to find the correct and comfortable height, focusing on the weight and form.

Rogue Arm Blaster is our recommended arm blaster. Produced with thick, durable, and strong materials, this product features two neck strap options and adjustable lengths. 

Have you used an arm blaster before? How was the experience? Did it help you achieve your goals? Did you find it uncomfortable? We will be expecting your feedback in the comments.

References:

1. Schoenfeld, Brad J. Ph.D., CSCS, CSPS, NSCA-CPT1; Contreras, Bret MA2. The Muscle Pump: Potential Mechanisms and Applications for Enhancing Hypertrophic Adaptations. Strength and Conditioning Journal 36(3):p 21-25, June 2014. | DOI: 10.1097/SSC.0000000000000021.
2. Oliveira LF, Matta TT, Alves DS, Garcia MA, Vieira TM. Effect of the shoulder position on the biceps brachii EMG in different dumbbell curls. J Sports Sci Med. 2009 Mar 1;8(1):24-9. PMID: 24150552; PMCID: PMC3737788.
3. Mann, J. Bryan1,2; Bryant, Kirk R.3; Johnstone, Brick3; Ivey, Patrick A.2; Sayers, Stephen P.1. Effect of Physical and Academic Stress on Illness and Injury in Division 1 College Football Players. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 30(1):p 20-25, January 2016. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001055.
4. Wilson GJ, Murphy AJ, Walshe A. The specificity of strength training: the effect of posture. European journal of applied physiology and occupational physiology. 1996;73(3-4):346-52. doi: 10.1007/BF02425497. PMID: 8781867.
5. Schoenfeld, Brad J. PhD, CSCS, CSPS, NSCA-CPT1; Contreras, Bret MA2. The Muscle Pump: Potential Mechanisms and Applications for Enhancing Hypertrophic Adaptations. Strength and Conditioning Journal 36(3):p 21-25, June 2014. | DOI: 10.1097/SSC.0000000000000021.
6. Photos by Rogue Fitness, https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-arm-blasters.