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Did you know that grip strength is one of the best predictors of overall health and longevity? And did you know that playing a musical instrument can help build and maintain it? Discover how making music strengthens your hands, brain, and even your future well-being—plus, a fun story about how piano lessons helped a young athlete palm a basketball and a confession from my childhood. Your (or your child’s) musical pursuits might be doing more than you ever imagined!
I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore the ways music can make our lives better. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.
Today’s tip is related to something you might not expect—grip strength. What does grip strength have to do with music? And why should anyone care about it? Here’s why.
Grip strength is more than just a measure of how firmly you can hold onto something—it’s actually a key indicator of overall health and longevity. More and more studies are coming out showing that weaker grip strength is linked to higher risks of heart disease, mobility issues, and even cognitive decline. In fact, some researchers consider it one of the best predictors of long-term health and a “biomarker of aging,” revealing more about your body’s resilience than you might think!
Generations ago, activities that built dexterity and strength in our fingers, hands, and wrists were built into our lives — climbing trees, household chores, gardening/yardwork/farmwork; cream was whipped by hand; clothes were sewn and washed by hand; and those heavy cast iron pans were commonplace. I am all for today’s modern conveniences, from the mini food processor that chops my onions to the ability to grab pre-picked/washed/stemmed organic berries at Costco that were flash-frozen at their peak moment of ripeness. But this progress has significantly diminished our collective grip strength.
But here’s where it gets interesting—playing a musical instrument is an excellent way to develop and maintain grip strength! Whether you’re pressing piano keys, plucking guitar strings, or working the bow of a violin, you’re engaging the muscles of your hands, wrists, and forearms in ways that build small motor control, endurance, and agility. And this isn’t just true for professional musicians—amateurs and beginners reap the benefits too.
Building grip strength through music isn’t just about physical health; it also strengthens neural connections, improving coordination and dexterity – a win-win for physical and cognitive health. And because making music is an engaging, creative (often social) process, you’re likely to stick with it longer than, say, squeezing a stress ball or using a hand gripper.
I started playing the piano in first grade and haven’t stopped playing since. And I’ve always noticed that my hands are significantly stronger than my non-musician peers. As a kid, growing up between two brothers, I remember torturing one of them by grabbing his hand as though I was shaking it, and squeezing so hard he begged me to stop and agreed to do anything I demanded (sorry, Paul!). And a former piano student of mine was an avid basketball player, but hesitant piano player. I’ll never forget him showing up to a lesson one day and exuberantly informing me that he was now able to palm the basketball – something he had never been able to do before and correctly realized his increased hand strength was due to the piano lessons that he suddenly had a newfound respect for and interest in. He went on to be a star basketball player in our state and play Division I in college.
So if you’re looking for a fun, expressive, artistic way to boost your health and longevity, consider picking up an instrument. Your hands, your brain, and your future self will thank you!
For more resources on this topic, check out the links in the episode notes.
If you’ve experienced the benefits of a musically strengthened grip, I would love to hear about it.
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.
I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.
Connect/Other Resources
- Why Your Grip Strength Matters, and How to Improve It
- The Resetter Podcast with Dr. Mindy Pelz: Interview with Katy Bowman
- Ep. 76: What are the benefits of being an adult (even “old”!) beginner? With New York Times bestselling author Tom Vanderbilt
- View all Microhance episodes
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