Wrist muscles aren't exactly high on the list of muscles people want to show off; the biceps, the pectorals, the abdominals are much more "popular". However, they must not be overlooked: strong wrists are indispensable in manual work, in sports and in everyday life. It also cannot be denied that being able to look another person in the eye and offer them a confident handshake is immensely satisfying! Start exercising early to strengthen your wrists and forearms to be able to perform these important activities.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: At the Gym
Step 1. Start with wrist curls, as these are the "core" exercises for building strength
Curls are the foundation of a good wrist workout. To perform them you need a dumbbell with weights or a barbell to exercise both arms at the same time.
- Sit on a bench or bicep rack. Grab the handlebar with the palm of your hand facing up. Using only the strength of the forearm, raise the weight as much as possible upwards by bending the wrist without involving the elbow. Lower the dumbbell to the starting position and repeat the sequence. It also trains the other wrist.
- Do three sets of 15 reps or until you feel pretty fatigued. Unless otherwise specified, this is the recommended serial number for each exercise explained in the article.
Step 2. Do reverse curls to train the opposite wrist muscles
Reverse curls are just what the name itself indicates: normal curls but done backwards. You can get the most out of this exercise if you do it right after a series of normal wrist bends, so you train all the muscles.
Sit on a bench. Rest one forearm on the thigh so that the hand extends beyond the knee. Grab a dumbbell with your palm facing down. Let the tool hang down and then, with only the strength of the forearm muscles, raise it to knee level. Return your hand to the starting position and repeat the lift. Perform the exercise with both hands
Step 3. Try finger curls for a wider range of execution
This variant allows you to move much wider than the standard exercise, but requires some attention. If you are distracted, you will make the tool fall to the ground. Again you need a dumbbell with weights or a barbell (if you want to exercise both wrists at the same time).
- Stay upright with your arms relaxed down. Hold a dumbbell and bring it to waist height. Release the grip so that the tool slides towards the fingertips. Close your fingers to grab the handlebar and then lift it with only the involvement of the forearm muscles. Let it return to your fingertips and repeat the movement.
- You can also rotate your wrists and perform an opposite movement, just like in reverse curls.
Step 4. If you want to try a difficult exercise, try the rotations
It might seem like an out-of-the-ordinary workout, but if you can do it consistently, it is very effective in strengthening your wrists. For this exercise you need a stick or bar (such as a broomstick or a barbell without weights). Tie a modest weight (2.5-5 kg) to the end of one rope and tie the other in the center of the stick.
- Hold the stick in front of you with the weight dangling. The palms of the hands should be facing down. Start spinning the stick with your arms; the rope should roll up and the weight should go up. Stop when it touches the stick and then carefully unwind the rope to bring the weight back to its starting position. Do not stop and do not let your arms fall downwards throughout the exercise.
- Repeat the movement 3-5 times or until you are tired enough.
Step 5. Try the two-handed grip
This is a very difficult exercise that involves the use of quite heavy disc weights and is suitable for those who are already strong enough and want to improve. Since discs can cause serious injuries if dropped, you should limit yourself to the exercises described above until you are well trained.
- Place two disc weights of the same size in front of you on the floor, so that their thickness is facing upwards. The two discs must touch. Grab them on the top; the thumb must be on one face of the pair of discs and the remaining fingers on the other. Lift the weights off the ground and bring them to hip height as if you were doing deadlifts. Pinch the two weights together so they don't slip, hold the position for 30 seconds (or as long as you can) and then bring them back to the ground.
- Repeat 3-5 times or until you are fatigued enough.
- Keep your feet wide apart as you perform this exercise. If you keep them together, there will be a better chance that the discs will hit them when they fall.
Step 6. Use "grip" exercises to indirectly improve your wrist strength
There is a wide variety of exercises that are not directly designed for the wrist muscles, but which involve them nonetheless. If you really want to improve the strength of your forearms, try to include them in your weekly training routine for more opportunities to work this part of the body. Below you will find a short list of these exercises that require a good grip and therefore also strain the wrists / forearms (you will notice that all involve grabbing a bar or handle to move weights):
- Pull ups.
- Pull-ups with reverse grip.
- Curl for the biceps.
- Deadlifts.
- Rowing machine.
- Machine exercises for the lats.
- Chest machine exercises.
- Fly exercises.
- Shoulder machine exercises.
Step 7. Don't forget about stretching to improve flexibility
Just like any other muscle you train in the gym, those in the wrist must also be stretched to ensure elasticity and improve functionality. Additionally, a wrist stretch is the best way to prevent painful conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome which develops over time as the body ages. Here are some stretching exercises:
- Prayer position: start by placing your palms against each other in front of your chest. Lower your hands slowly while maintaining contact with each other until your forearms form a straight line. The position should be similar to that of prayer and you should feel a certain stretch in the forearm muscles. Hold the position for 30 seconds and repeat it several times for maximum benefit.
- Exercise for the flexor carpus muscle: stretch one arm in front of you with the palm facing up. Try to point your hand down by bending your wrist "backward"; do not rotate the arm. Apply light traction with the other hand until you feel a moderate stretch. Hold the position for 30 seconds and then switch hands.
- Exercise for the carpal extensor muscle: stretch one arm in front of you with the palm of your hand facing the bass. Point your fingers to the floor by bending your wrist. With the other hand apply a slight traction until you perceive a moderate stretch. Hold for 30 seconds, then switch hands.
Method 2 of 2: At Home
Step 1. Use both hands for jobs that usually involve only one
For most people, the wrist of the dominant hand is stronger than the other. If you try to use your non-dominant hand for certain tasks as well, you will be surprised at how difficult it can be! Be persevering and over time even the weakest pulse will become strong and the work will be easier. Here is a series of tasks you can start with your "non-preferred" hand:
- Brush your teeth.
- Write.
- Use the computer mouse / touchpad.
- To eat.
- Mix.
Step 2. Try squeezing a stress ball or specific spring loaded forceps
You will have noticed many of these items in gym training rooms, in very stressful places (like offices) and other places. They come in different shapes and sizes, but the basic concept is the same for everyone: grab the object, squeeze it with constant force, release your grip and repeat. This is all there is to it!
This is a good exercise to do when you have one hand free. For example, it is not difficult to exercise your wrist while you are telephoning or reading a book
Step 3. Try a golf exercise
Are you planning to tackle an 18-hole course in the near future? Dust off your old golf sticks to practice and improve the strength of your wrists for the full range of their movement. You can also use any long, stiff object that you can handle just like a golf club (such as a broom).
- Stand with one arm at your side and grab the stick by the end. With your wrist alone, slowly bring the tip of the stick towards the ceiling and then lower it again. Repeat the movement until you feel that the forearm "burns".
- If you want to increase the effort, start with a light stick and then gradually increase the weight.
Step 4. Do wrist rotations
This kind of exercise is performed without a lot of resistance and is great during a short break at work or in those situations where you cannot try your hand at a complex workout (for example in an airplane). It is also practiced in some physical therapies; however, do not underestimate this, even if you are perfectly fit, because the rotations of the wrist are great for relaxing this joint when you feel it "contracted".
Stand or sit with your hands in front of you and palms towards the floor. Move your wrists slowly to the left, making a circle, and then to the right. If you wish, you can also open and close your fist during the exercise to broaden the movement. Once any stiffness has melted away, turn your wrists and start over
Step 5. Try using a resistance band
These are large bands of rubbery material that are used during physical therapy sessions, but they are great for building muscle strength, even if you don't need to rehabilitate after an injury. You need a sturdy band for these exercises, which you can buy at sports or orthopedic stores. Two exercises to strengthen the wrist muscles are described below:
- Wrist pushups: wrap the elastic band around the fingers of one hand, stand with your arm at your side. The elbow should be bent 90 degrees and the palm of the hand should be facing you. The other end of the band must be anchored under the foot or fixed to the ground. Bend your wrist upwards as much as possible, then relax it and then repeat. The forearm must be stationary throughout the exercise, which is very similar to that described in the previous section.
- Wrist extensions: the exercise is identical to flexion except for the fact that the palm of the hand is facing down.
Step 6. Try the "rice bucket" exercise
It is an anomalous training that has little in common with those described so far, but it is very simple to perform and quite effective (in fact some baseball teams recommend it to players to strengthen the wrists). All you need is a container that is large and deep enough to hold both hands without them touching and enough rice to "bury" them completely.
- Pour the rice into the container. Insert your hands until your wrists are level with the rice surface. Then perform the movements described below until you feel a "burning" sensation. The resistance opposed by laughter will surprisingly train the muscles in your wrists.
- Close your hands into fists and rotate them back and forth in circles.
- Open your hands and rotate them back and forth by drawing circles.
- Open and close your hands as you keep them submerged in rice.
- Move your hands up and down.
- Bend your wrist upwards with your palm facing the ceiling.
- Bend the wrist up while the palms are facing forward.
Advice
- Push-ups involve nearly all of the upper body muscles, including the wrists.
- Lightly punch a medicine ball several times.
- Use two dumbbells at a time or a barbell to speed up your workout.
- Assign a personal trainer to assist you with strengthening exercises for the wrists and for each part of the body. He will be able to give you many useful tips and teach you secrets on how to get stronger faster.
- Start with light weights to avoid injuries.
- Drummers have very strong wrists and hands. You don't have to buy a battery, of course, but tapping a pencil or stick against a surface can be a great help.
Warnings
- Do not overdo the training.
- If you feel pain or achiness, don't push yourself any further. You run a serious risk of injury, not just in wrist exercises, but with any type of training.
- Don't put on weights too quickly, you could get hurt.
