Exercises to strengthen your wrists are essential in this modern, technology-driven world. Your wrist is constantly engaged in a variety of activities, such as scrolling on your phone or doing office work on your laptop. Repetitive strain can tire your wrist and require attention. That’s why it’s important to give your wrist the care and strength it deserves. Here are a variety of exercises designed specifically to strengthen your wrists. This helps fight fatigue and promote long-term wrist health. Get your wrists ready for the coveted attention with these best wrist exercises.
Benefits of doing wrist exercises
Before we dive deeper into wrist exercises, let’s first look at the benefits they provide.
1. Improved balance and stability – Strong wrists provide a solid base for your hands and arms, improving your balance and overall stability (1). This stability is essential for activities such as weightlifting, sports and yoga.
2. Reduce the chance of wrist injuries – Weak wrists are more prone to fractures, sprains and strains. So strengthening your wrists helps with flexibility and injury prevention.
3. Improved grip – Stronger wrists usually improve grip strength. This helps with activities like weightlifting, rock climbing, sports in general, and even simple daily tasks like cooking and writing.
4. Relieve wrist pain – Special exercises to strengthen wrists help people with wrist pain and discomfort (2). In some cases, it may slightly help people with carpal tunnel syndrome and arthritis by enhancing the overall function of the wrist (3, Four).
5. Build upper body strength – Exercises that strengthen your wrists also work your forearm and hand muscles. This workout therefore enhances the overall strength and coordination of the upper body.
6. Increase movement and flexibility – Wrist flexibility and range of motion can be improved with regular stretching and strengthening exercises (1). Without this flexibility and strength, the arm is prone to injuries such as pain and tendonitis.
7. Promotes bone and joint health – Exercises that increase wrist strength promote bone density and joint health. Frequent exercise adjusts your bones and makes them denser. This also helps prevent diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
8. Improves blood circulation – Exercises that involve brisk movement of the wrist increase blood flow, delivering vital nutrients and oxygen to the wrist muscles and surrounding tissues. Improved circulation can promote healing and overall wrist health.
9. Rehabilitation process – These exercises are very important for anyone recovering from a wrist injury or surgery. These exercises help rebuild strength, increase flexibility, and use the wrist correctly (Five).
10. Relieve stress – Most physical activity triggers the release of endorphins, which improves mood and reduces stress. Therefore, wrist exercises may also have an overall positive impact on mental health (6).
Exercises to strengthen your wrists are easy to do at home, in the gym, or even during work breaks. Most of these exercises can be performed with minimal equipment or no equipment at all. Therefore, people of all fitness levels and ages can benefit from the exercises below.
exercises to strengthen wrists
Wrist stability and strength are determined by more than just the muscles that move the wrist. It also depends on the muscles that cross the wrist line and end at the fingertips. With these factors in mind, we’ve curated a comprehensive list of 15 exercises to strengthen your wrists.
simple wrist exercises
ball squeeze
Things necessary – This easy exercise can be done with a squeeze ball or stress ball. Alternatively, you can use a soft or medium firm putty.
target – Wrists, thumb flexors, fingers.
step
- Sit comfortably before picking up the patty or ball.
- Then draw a circle with your finger and thumb.
- Squeeze as tightly as possible and hold for 3-5 seconds.
- Slowly release your hands and repeat this process 10 times.
tennis ball practice
Things necessary – For this you need a tennis ball and a sturdy surface like a table.
target – Wrist extensors and flexors.
step
- Place the tennis ball on a hard surface. Then place it directly on your palm under your wrist.
- Keep your fingers apart and your hands moving throughout this technique.
- Slowly roll the ball slightly under your forearm and return it to your wrist. The amount of pressure applied is under your control.
- Avoid putting too much pressure on the joint as it can cause pain and numbness.
- Repeat this for 5-10 minutes.
prayer stretch
target – Wrist, forearm and hand muscles.
step
- First, bring your palms together in front of your chest near your chin.
- When you feel a slight to moderate tension under your forearm, slowly lower your hand toward your waistline.
- Also, bring your palms together near your stomach.
- Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat 2-4 times.
wrist flexor stretch
target – wrist, fingers, forearm
step
- Keep your palms facing up as you extend your arms.
- Bend your wrists and bring your hands to the ground.
- Slowly extend your wrist with your other hand until you feel a slight to moderate tension in your forearm.
- Hold for 15-30 seconds and repeat 2-4 times.
steeple stretch
target – Wrist, forearm, hand and back muscles.
step
- Begin this exercise in a prayer position with your head high.
- Then spread your thumbs and fingers to a comfortable range.
- Open your palms while squeezing your thumbs and fingers together.
- then put them back.
- Repeat this several times a day.
wrist circle
target – Wrist flexors, biceps, triceps, shoulder muscles
step
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Place your hands in front of your chest and bring your wrists together.
- Then move your wrists up toward your chest, then toward the ground, and finally back to the starting position.
- Keep your wrists in contact.
- repeat it a few times
wrist walk
target – Wrist, forearm and shoulder muscles.
step
- Approach the wall and stand with your forearms straight.
- Make sure your palm is facing the wall and your fingers are pointing up.
- Walk your wrists along the wall as far as you can, keeping your palms pressed against the wall.
- Then rotate your hand so that your fingertips point downwards.
- Then keep your palms against the wall and repeat walking with your wrists back.
- Repeat it 5-10 times.
Enhanced grip
Things necessary – You will need a hand gripper for this.
target – Wrist extensors, flexors, palms, fingers
step
- Sit with your forearms bent at 90 degrees.
- Hold the hand gripper with your palm facing inward.
- Carefully squeeze and release.
- Also, don’t move your arms. Only your hands should.
- Switch hands and repeat the same action.
- Repeat this 8 to 10 times, alternating between hands.
exercise with equipment
flexion of the wrist
Things necessary – For this, choose a suitable dumbbell weight (approximately 1-3 lbs) that suits you.
target – wrist, forearm and hand muscles
step
- Place your right forearm on the table while holding the dumbbell.
- Drop your hand off the table with the palm of your hand holding the dumbbell facing up.
- Keep your wrists fully flexed and the rest of your body still. Try holding it down for 2-3 seconds.
- Now smoothly return to the starting position.
- Repeat it 10-15 times.
- After completing the desired number of repetitions, switch sides and perform the exercise again.
wrist curl
Things necessary – This wrist exercise can be done with small dumbbells or barbells.
target – Mainly wrist flexors.
step
- Lean forward while sitting on a flat bench.
- your palm up When holding a dumbbell or barbell with an underhand grip.
- Try to keep your forearms on the bench or on your knees.
- As you exhale, curl the weight up using only your wrists.
- Then, as you inhale, slowly lower the weight to a comfortable level.
- Do this sequence 10-15 times and repeat with the other arm.
reverse wrist curl
Things necessary – mini dumbbells or barbells
target – Mainly wrist extensors.
step
- Lean forward while sitting on a flat bench.
- your palm down When holding a dumbbell or barbell with an underhand grip.
- Try to keep your forearms on the bench or on your knees.
- As you exhale, curl the weight up using only your wrists.
- Then, as you inhale, slowly lower the weight to a comfortable level.
- Do this sequence 10-15 times and repeat with the other arm.
Ideally, reverse wrist curls are performed alongside wrist curls to evenly develop wrist extensors and wrist flexors.
Ulnar deviation
Things necessary – mini dumbbell
target – Wrist muscles such as flexor carpi ulnaris and extensor carpi ulnaris.
step
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in your right hand.
- put your arms by your side, Straight.
- Then rotate your wrists to lift the weight (just your wrists, not your arms).
- Hold for 5 seconds and slowly withdraw your hand.
- Repeat this 5-10 times on each side.
radial deviation
Things necessary – mini dumbbells
target – flexor carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis.
step
- Stand up straight with a dumbbell in your right hand.
- put your arms by your side, upward.
- Then rotate your wrists to lift the weight (just your wrists, not your arms).
- Hold for 5 seconds and slowly withdraw your hand.
- Repeat this 5-10 times on each side.
Radial deflection training and ulnar deflection training are usually done together to improve wrist mobility.
supination of the wrist
Things necessary – Dumbbells and table.
target – wrist supinator
step
- Sit with your forearms on the table. Make sure your hands and wrists hang over the edges.
- The ends of the dumbbell should be held in your hands like a hammer.
- Then slowly rotate your wrist and hand to palm facing up.
- Hold this position for a few seconds and carefully rotate your hands upwards until the dumbbells are straight again.
wrist pronation
Things necessary – Dumbbells and table.
target – wrist pronators
step
- Sit with your forearms on the table. Make sure your hands and wrists hang to the sides to strengthen the wrist pronators.
- Hold a dumbbell with one end facing up.
- Slowly rotate your hand so that your wrist and palms facing the ground.
- Hold this position for a few seconds and carefully return your hands to the starting position with the weights facing up.
Wrist supination is the act of turning the wrist over so that the palm faces upward. Pronation of the wrist, on the other hand, refers to the palm facing down. These are usually done together as exercises for the weaker wrist. Try to do 2-3 sets of 10-15 repetitions each.
Conclusion:
Exercises to strengthen your wrists are essential to your daily activities. It is especially beneficial for athletes looking to improve their performance. The benefits range from improved stability and grip strength to reduced risk of hand injury. So make these stretching and strengthening exercises a part of your daily routine.
