8 Exercises to Loosen Up Your Wrists
You might not think about them much, but your wrists are absolutely essential for tons of everyday movements. From typing on a computer’s keyboard to pressing your whole bodyweight to the floor for push-ups or yoga to stabilizing your grip on your handlebars to propping up a dumbbell for front squats, you’ll be depending on your wrists to be strong and mobile enough to handle the job.
You’ll have a hard time working through a sprained wrist from a fall on outstretched hand (FOOSH) injury, which could set you back for weeks—but you might also struggle with general flexibility of the joints even without any accidents, which may be causing wrist pain when you ride. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to work to strengthen the joints by emphasizing flexion and extension.
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Trainer Charlee Atkins, C.S.C.S. understands how important wrist mobility can be for everyone, whether they’re flowing through yoga poses or sitting at a desk. She says she uses this series of exercises before yoga sessions, and encourages her clients to do the same. All you need for the movements are a clean, stable surface to press down on and a light dumbbell.
Perform each exercise for 30 seconds at a time, emphasizing controlled movements.
Lateral extension rock
Wrist circle
Wrist extension
Wrist flexion
Lateral flexion rock
Wrist flexion curl
Wrist extension curl
Handstand walk
Whenever you perform these exercises, be sure to work slowly, emphasizing your full range of motion. You might feel some discomfort, but stop if you experience any pain. Add this to your warmup before yoga classes or just about any type of workout, or to your morning routine if you’re struggling with your wrist mobility.
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