Photo Credit: Akeeris
We lift dumbbells to work on our biceps, we squat to define our quads and hamstrings, but what about you wrists? Do you ever really focus on this small yet vital muscle area in the weight room? If not, you definitely should reevaluate. As you age, small motor skills can become increasingly difficult if proper strength isn’t maintained. Opening jars, holding onto certain objects, or even opening a heavy door can become issues if you don’t properly maintain your wrist muscles. Try adding the following exercises to your workouts to grow or retain your wrist strength.
Hammer Rotation – Take a hammer from your toolbox or shed and grip with one hand at the bottom, with the mallet side straight in the air. Rotate your wrist to the right side, stopping when the hammer is parallel to the ground. Slowly rotate your wrist back to the starting position. Now rotate your wrist the opposite way (left), and stop again with the hammer is parallel to the ground. Return back to the starting position. Repeat this exercise several times with one wrist, and then with the other.
Rice Pit – Fill a medium-sized bucket with dry rice. Dry rice can usually be bought in an extra-large bag at the grocery store for a reasonable cost. Once the dry rice is in the bucket, dig both of your hands into the rice covering your whole hand. Start by making the twisting motion, rotating both hands in as if you were turning off a sink faucet. Leave your hands fully submerged the entire time you are twisting. After one minute, change the direction of your twists, and rotate your hands out for a full minute. For the last two exercises, take your hands out of the rice but still keep your nails and fingertips submerged. Pretend that you are playing the piano and flick the rice with “piano fingers” for one minute. Finally, squeeze your four fingers to your thumb repeatedly for a full minute. Each exercise should be done with good tempo and leave your wrists feeling the burn!
Wrist Winders – Take a short piece of PVC pipe and tie a 4-foot rope around the PVC pipe with a 5 pound weight attached to the bottom. Start with the device/rope totally unwound, and the weight touching the ground. Holding the contraption out in front of you at shoulder height with your arms straight, grip the PVC pipe with an overhand grip (like you are about to do a pull-up) and twist your hands back and forth. Alternate which hand holds the PVC pipe and which hand is rotating around to wind up the device. The rope and weight should start to slowly wrap around the PVC pipe, eventually reaching the top. Your arms will feel like Jell-O after just one rep!
Working these different wrist exercises into your regular exercise routine will get you the strongest wrists muscles you’ve ever had! So instead of struggling or becoming frustrated with everyday tasks, keep your wrists healthy and ready for the daily wear and tear of activities.
