What It Means When a Guy Hugs You With Both Arms Explained!

If you’ve just had a warm squeeze from a guy with both arms, I bet it felt good, right?

But, from his perspective, when a guy hugs you with both arms what does feel like and mean to him?

There is no one answer to this question, in fact, there are quite a few possible answers.

Here are the 10 most common things it means to a guy when he hugs someone with both arms:

10 Things It Means When A Guy Hugs You With Both Arms

1. He Likes You, a Lot!

Let’s start off with the explanation I know a lot of people reading this will want to hear – if a guy hugs you with both arms it may mean he likes you, a lot.

The use of both arms means he’s bringing you in close, it’s more than a casual or superficial hug.

He wants to touch you, feel your warmth and have a genuine connection.

This is usually a good sign that he’s interested in you and wants to get to know you better.

Related – What it means when he touches cheeks while hugging!

2. He Thought You Looked Like You Needed a Hug

For a more innocent explanation, it might just be that he thought you looked like you needed a hug.

Hugs make us feel good, I’m sure you’ll agree.

In fact, hugs can be a pretty powerful healing tool.

So, if he thought you looked like you needed some love and affection, he may have just gone ahead and given it to you without thinking too much about it.

3. He Wanted to Get Close and Smell You

This isn’t as creepy as it sounds, I promise.

There’s a lot of research to suggest that humans use smell as a way of subconsciously assessing potential partners.

So, if he hugged you with both arms it may be because he wanted to get close enough to have a good sniff.

Of course, this could also just be because he likes your perfume or aftershave.

Either way, he was drawn to you and it’s a sign that he likes you (unless you smelled bad, but I’m sure you didn’t!)

4. He Wanted an Excuse to Make Physical Contact

Another possibility is that he wanted an excuse to make physical contact.

This could be because he’s attracted to you, or it could simply be because he enjoys the warmth and feelings that come with a hug.

If he’s the type of guy who is usually quite touchy-feely, then it may not mean anything more than that.

But, if he’s not usually one for physical affection, you’re right to wonder just how drawn to you he is.

5. He’s in A Good Mood and Sharing the Love Around

Another one of the most innocent explanations is that he’s just in a good mood and is sharing the love around by giving out bear hugs.

We’ve all been there, haven’t we?

Feeling so good that we just want to give everyone a big hug.

Well, if he’s given you a bear hug, it may just be because he’s feeling extra loved up and wants to spread the love!

6. He’s the Type of Guy to Hug All His Friends

If he’s the type of guy who is known for hugging all his friends, then it probably doesn’t mean anything more than that.

He’s just a friendly and affectionate guy – nothing more, nothing less.

So, don’t read too much into it if this is the kind of guy he is, no matter how desperately you’re looking for signs that he’s singling you out.

We can always get a better idea of how people feel towards us by paying attention to how they act around others, keep that in mind.

7. He Wanted to See how You’d React

This one is a little bit more sneaky, but it’s possible that he hugged you with both arms just to see how you would react.

Did you hug him back?

Were you uncomfortable?

What did your body language say?

He may have been testing the waters to see if there was anything between you two.

As I said, a two-arm hug is a firm, meaningful hug, so if you think on your feet you can give off the signals you want by how you react.

8. He Thinks He Will Not See You for A While

If a guy thinks he will not see you for a while, then he may have given you a big hug with both arms to make it a ‘lasting’ hug.

I have a friend who is well known for this. He’ll dish out big, long hugs with both arms whenever he feels like he’s not going to see someone for a while.

I have to say, it feels good when he does!

9. He’s Feeling Down and Needed a Hug

On the flip side of thinking you were in need of a hug, you can’t rule out that the guy who hugged you needed the hug himself.

Hugs stimulate the release of feel-good chemicals like oxytocin and serotonin, so it’s perfectly possible that he was feeling a bit down and in need of some love.

I think we can all agree, that a hug does feel good and can be quite the ‘pick me up’!

10. He Wanted to Tell You Something But Bottled It!

This one also comes from a personal story from a friend, so I thought I’d include it.

My friend told me about a time when he really liked a girl, and he would find any excuse to give her a hug with the hope of being able to ask her out.

But he bottled it over and over, to the point where she actually asked him out eventually!

So, it’s possible the power of his hugs had an impact on her – but it’s more likely to be a number of other factors!

Related – What it means when a guy hugs you tight and when he hugs you goodbye!

How Do You Know If A Hug Is a Romantic One?

When it comes to trying to work out if a hug is romantic, there are a few things you can look for.

First of all, consider the setting.

If you’re at a romantic location like the beach or watching the sunset, then it’s more likely that his intentions are romantic.

Quite the contrast from being surrounded by friends and having him move in for a quick hug, isn’t it?

You can also look at how he’s hugging you.

Is he holding you tight?

Is he stroking your hair or rubbing your back?

Does he use both arms and linger just a tiny bit longer than you’d expect?

If he’s doing any of these things, then there’s a good chance his hug is romantic.

Finally, consider how he looks at you.

If he’s looking into your eyes with a soft, loving expression, then it’s pretty clear that his feelings for you are more than just a friend giving another friend a quick hug!

Is It Normal for Guys to Hug with Both Arms?

Yes, it is perfectly normal for guys to hug with both arms!

In fact, it’s actually quite common.

When they’re hugging friends, family, and other people close to them.

It’s not so common when hugging a stranger, those hugs tend to be the type where a guy leans in and uses one arm.

So, if you’re wondering why a guy hugged you with both arms, I hope the above points help you better understand his motivations.

At the very least, it’s a good sign that much we do know for sure.

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Image credits – Photo by Tani Eisenstein on Unsplash