5 wrist exercises everyone should do
What's the story
Wrist flexibility and mobility are important for daily life, sports, and different forms of exercise.
Improving them can help prevent injuries and boost performance in tasks requiring wrist strength.
Here are five exercises to improve wrist flexibility and mobility. These can be easily integrated into your routine, requiring minimal equipment and offering maximum benefits over time.
Rotations
Wrist rotations for improved flexibility
Wrist rotations are a simple but effective way to increase flexibility.
Start by extending your arm in front of you with the palm facing down.
Slowly rotate your wrist clockwise in a circular motion for 10 repetitions, then switch to anti-clockwise for another 10.
This exercise loosens the joints and muscles around the wrist to promote better range of motion.
Prayer stretch
Stretching with prayer position
The prayer stretch works wonders for flexibility and mobility.
Begin with placing your palms together in front of your chest, with elbows at shoulder height.
Slowly press your hands together and lower them towards your waist until you feel a stretch in the wrists and forearms.
Hold for 15 seconds before releasing.
Curls
Strengthening with wrist curls
Wrist curls target the muscles that help in wrist movement, improving strength and flexibility both.
Just sit on a chair or bench, hold a light dumbbell or something similar in hand, rest your forearm on the thigh or a flat surface with the palm facing up.
Curl the weight upwards slowly using just your wrist before letting it down after 10 repetitions per hand.
Flexor stretch
Flexor stretches for enhanced mobility
Flexor stretches aim at improving mobility by working on certain muscle groups around the wrist area.
Extend one arm straight out with fingers pointing upwards like signaling "stop".
With the opposite hand, gently pull back on those fingers until you feel tension along the underside of your forearm.
Hold this position briefly before switching sides.
Extensions
Extension exercises using resistance bands
Using resistance bands can make extension exercises even more challenging to increase mobility even further.
Secure one end underfoot while holding onto its other end tightly within grasp.
Extend arms outwardly so they remain parallel against ground level throughout each repetition cycle, ten times per side.