Sore Hands...suggestions?

[sideburns]

Hey guys. Pretty new to this, and wondering what to do...or if this is completely normal...

Now I KNOW that I should be sore...that's obvious...just like any other weight training...

But, should the back of my hands be sore from gripper training? The backs of my hands, and my wrists are pretty damn sore today, and my wrists are actually kind of painful...now I attribute the wrists to carpal tunnel...but what could I do about the hands? Should I be doing some extensor work? What can I use that's cheap/free to do that? Also, are there any grip traning exercises that can help with carpal tunnel that you guys know of?

[Cannon]

Hey guys. Pretty new to this, and wondering what to do...or if this is completely normal...

Now I KNOW that I should be sore...that's obvious...just like any other weight training...

But, should the back of my hands be sore from gripper training? The backs of my hands, and my wrists are pretty damn sore today, and my wrists are actually kind of painful...now I attribute the wrists to carpal tunnel...but what could I do about the hands? Should I be doing some extensor work? What can I use that's cheap/free to do that? Also, are there any grip traning exercises that can help with carpal tunnel that you guys know of?

Rubber bands are free for extensor work. I personally like doing sets of 10, adding 1 band at a time until I don't get 10 reps. Then I do a few attempts with all those bands on there, just giving it all I've got. Probably a little misguided, but I like how it makes my extensors feel.

Also, many folks advocate contrast baths (there's lots in search) and I think Heath might have recommended a cooler full of ice water for 2 mins in, 2 mins out, something like that. I probably got the time wrong, but do it so it feels goooooood.

[sideburns]

Hey guys. Pretty new to this, and wondering what to do...or if this is completely normal...

Now I KNOW that I should be sore...that's obvious...just like any other weight training...

But, should the back of my hands be sore from gripper training? The backs of my hands, and my wrists are pretty damn sore today, and my wrists are actually kind of painful...now I attribute the wrists to carpal tunnel...but what could I do about the hands? Should I be doing some extensor work? What can I use that's cheap/free to do that? Also, are there any grip traning exercises that can help with carpal tunnel that you guys know of?

Rubber bands are free for extensor work. I personally like doing sets of 10, adding 1 band at a time until I don't get 10 reps. Then I do a few attempts with all those bands on there, just giving it all I've got. Probably a little misguided, but I like how it makes my extensors feel.

Also, many folks advocate contrast baths (there's lots in search) and I think Heath might have recommended a cooler full of ice water for 2 mins in, 2 mins out, something like that. I probably got the time wrong, but do it so it feels goooooood.

Looks like I'll have to go searching for some rubber bands...ahah. You know...you never think you'll use em...so you throw out the ones you see laying around...then one day it's like "hey you could just use some rubber bands"....pfft. Good goin, me.

Thanks for your reply.

[Cunny]

Are you just working grippers?

[sideburns]

Areyou just working grippers?

No. I just started back up again this week. I've trained only grippers and pinch lifts this week..I'm looking to expand to extensors, bending, and maybe even holds...

But, I've been trying to take it easy on my hands...cause last time I got too excited about feats and hurt myself.

Any exercises I can easily add to my routine that will be easy on my hands?

EDIT: Wow, I'm using some rubber bands from upstairs...and they are making my wrists feel better already...might just be the bloodflow, but it's nice. Um...question though? How do you guys keep your wrists straight? It feels a bit like my wrist is moving around and makes a click when I do the reps....

Might have to pick up the IM set of bands...would be much easier...

Edited April 24, 2007 by sideburns

[Alawadhi]

Do pinch, Block wieghts, Grippers, thick bar, opening you hands rapidly in sand, and overall body training. You will do better gains and most likely get much much lesser chance of injury.

[sideburns]

Do pinch, Block wieghts, Grippers, thick bar, opening you hands rapidly in sand, and overall body training. You will do better gains and most likely get much much lesser chance of injury.

Oh, that's a good one...sand....that'd be pretty easy on the hands I'd suppose...

Any recommendations to substitute for a thick bar? I don't have much of a budget as of now...maybe in the future, but you know...

[Autolupus]

For extensor work rubber bands are cheap, got a bag of 55 3.5"X0.5" for 99p, you can double/treble up as you need.

There's some good info on Scott Styles' site: http://www.gripfaq.com/Hand_Health/

...and for active recovery try stress balls, baoding/ben wah balls and powerballs http://www.powerballs.com/index.php

Powerballs probably seem a little pricey but are really great tools for warm-up/cool-down and active recovery, if you get one go for the Pro, the counter helps you gauge everything so much better.

Oh...and don't forget to let your body rest and recuperate properly, that's when it gets stronger!

[Autolupus]

A cheap way of thickening your bars is to wrap them in cardboard and duct tape it fast.

[MalachiMcMullen]

If its the back of your hands and your wrist also hurts more than usual then it's for sure extensors. Ever see the lines on the back of your hands when you move your fingers? Those are your extensor tendons and other than skin there the only things that could be sore above joints n' such. Never train the abductor and flexor muscles(closing) without training the extensors(opening) or you'll get a musclular imbalance that will hinder and possibly halt your progress. Reverse curls are another good extensor excercise but I don't know how they would feel with carpal tunnel. As said above do as many different grip excercises as you can and you'll see faster results. Good luck!

[sideburns]

For extensor work rubber bands are cheap, got a bag of 55 3.5"X0.5" for 99p, you can double/treble up as you need.

There's some good info on Scott Styles' site: http://www.gripfaq.com/Hand_Health/

...and for active recovery try stress balls, baoding/ben wah balls and powerballs http://www.powerballs.com/index.php

Powerballs probably seem a little pricey but are really great tools for warm-up/cool-down and active recovery, if you get one go for the Pro, the counter helps you gauge everything so much better.

Oh...and don't forget to let your body rest and recuperate properly, that's when it gets stronger!

You mean the small shiny version of what's in your avatar that you move around? ahah. I have some of those I've been using...and I have this pink gelly "Koosh" ball that I've been squeezing as a sort of therapy...

Thanks for your reply.

[Alawadhi]

A cheap way of thickening your bars is to wrap them in cardboard and duct tape it fast.

I agree.

[sideburns]

A cheap way of thickening your bars is to wrap them in cardboard and duct tape it fast.

I agree.

Sounds simple enough...thanks.

[knyaz]

dont do grip for a week, but go ahead and do contrasts baths a few times a day and use tiger balm lotion its the best

[crobb1320]

i agree with taking some time off,get healed up,do the baths though,when you go back do the extensor work etc.

[sideburns]

i agree with taking some time off,get healed up,do the baths though,when you go back do the extensor work etc.

Thanks. I just did a bath...feels REALLY good for a while...then they get a bit sore again...I gotta get some buckets and do this better....it feels really good.

Thanks for all your advice.

I won't be doing any more grip until I'm 100% again...I learned the first time...my hands will just end up hurting for months...

[verdigriz]

Just adding to whats already been said...wearing gloves when you sleep helps maintain bloodflow, taking anti-inflammatories just before training has helped me alot (if you dont mind taking them that is). Also Jim (cant remember his full name but hes from denmark or sweden I think and a COC, sorry jim if I got it wrong) had an excellent cheap exercise for extensor work. Its basically getting a bath towel or similar and tying a weight to the end of it and then placing the towel over your outstrecthed hand with the weight dangling and opening and closing your fingers. I know thats not the best description but Jim did have a vid link somewhere, maybe someone else knows where it is. And just to add what others have said...take the time to heal with active recovery and then get back into it, all the best.

[sideburns]

Just adding to whats already been said...wearing gloves when you sleep helps maintain bloodflow, taking anti-inflammatories just before training has helped me alot (if you dont mind taking them that is). Also Jim (cant remember his full name but hes from denmark or sweden I think and a COC, sorry jim if I got it wrong) had an excellent cheap exercise for extensor work. Its basically getting a bath towel or similar and tying a weight to the end of it and then placing the towel over your outstrecthed hand with the weight dangling and opening and closing your fingers. I know thats not the best description but Jim did have a vid link somewhere, maybe someone else knows where it is. And just to add what others have said...take the time to heal with active recovery and then get back into it, all the best.

lol...gloves to bed would be weird for me...I sleep funny...and I sweat in my sleep most of the time...even if it's cold...maybe I'll try it soon, though...

[judoboy]

for me, contrast baths work very well at chasing out aches and pains. prevention is way better than cure; do a proper warm-up and stretch after training grip. i tend to follow grippers with some light extender stuff, usually just using my hand as resistance.

wearing gloves to bed seems odd to me too, but i appreciate that it will help blood flow.

[dimmers]

I think anyone just taking up grippers/grip training/weights/running/ whatever.... (the list can go on) should really start off slow and ease into it. With any sport or training you do, you have to start off slow. You can't expect to go out out and run a sub 5 minute mile if you've never gone jogging before. Just like you'll never squat 500lb+ straight away if you've never even heard of a squat.

Just because grippers look harmless (and some other areas of grip training) you should always treat it with caution and start off slow. It's so easy to damage your hands when training if you're not use to it which could end up causing you weeks/ months/ years of pain.

please check out http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=12608

also in response to your statement "Now I KNOW that I should be sore...that's obvious...just like any other weight training..."

please read the following from (http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/articles_training-myths.htm)

Myth #3: The best indicators of a good workout are how tired you are after the workout and how sore you are the next day.

This is a myth my most dedicated athletes still have a tough time dismissing. Most hard-working individuals equate a good workout with being exhausted and sore. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had athletes say, "You didn’t even make me puke" after a workout. My response is usually, "I didn’t make you puke because I didn’t want to make you puke. Making you puke would be easy. Getting you stronger, faster and more flexible actually takes some work."

Puking is one of the most catabolic things you can do to your body. If your goals are increased muscular strength and/or muscular hypertrophy, you should do everything possible not to puke during your training!

Fatigue is another popular indicator people use to rate the productivity of their workouts. Remember that the goal of your training session should dictate how you feel after your workout. For example, if you’re going to perform a plyometric workout with the goal of improving your vertical jump, you shouldn’t be exhausted after the workout.

Actually, a properly designed plyometric workout should stimulate your neuromuscular system and you should feel better than when you started the workout. On the other hand, it’s good to be exhausted after a tough practice that was designed to get you in "game shape" for your given sport.

Finally, I’ve never read any research that links post-exercise soreness to strength gains, hypertrophy gains or improved athletic performance. Who the hell wants to be sore anyway? Think of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) as an unfortunate side effect of training, not a goal of training.

Remember that it’s easy for a coach to make an athlete tired, but it takes a true professional to get an athlete stronger, faster, more flexible and better conditioned.

Edited April 25, 2007 by youdimmers

[superfeemiman]

I think anyone just taking up grippers/grip training/weights/running/ whatever.... (the list can go on) should really start off slow and ease into it. With any sport or training you do, you have to start off slow. You can't expect to go out out and run a sub 5 minute mile if you've never gone jogging before. Just like you'll never squat 500lb+ straight away if you've never even heard of a squat.

Just because grippers look harmless (and some other areas of grip training) you should always treat it with caution and start off slow. It's so easy to damage your hands when training if you're not use to it which could end up causing you weeks/ months/ years of pain.

please check out http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=12608

also in response to your statement "Now I KNOW that I should be sore...that's obvious...just like any other weight training..."

please read the following from (http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/articles_training-myths.htm)

Myth #3: The best indicators of a good workout are how tired you are after the workout and how sore you are the next day.

This is a myth my most dedicated athletes still have a tough time dismissing. Most hard-working individuals equate a good workout with being exhausted and sore. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had athletes say, "You didn’t even make me puke" after a workout. My response is usually, "I didn’t make you puke because I didn’t want to make you puke. Making you puke would be easy. Getting you stronger, faster and more flexible actually takes some work."

Puking is one of the most catabolic things you can do to your body. If your goals are increased muscular strength and/or muscular hypertrophy, you should do everything possible not to puke during your training!

Fatigue is another popular indicator people use to rate the productivity of their workouts. Remember that the goal of your training session should dictate how you feel after your workout. For example, if you’re going to perform a plyometric workout with the goal of improving your vertical jump, you shouldn’t be exhausted after the workout.

Actually, a properly designed plyometric workout should stimulate your neuromuscular system and you should feel better than when you started the workout. On the other hand, it’s good to be exhausted after a tough practice that was designed to get you in "game shape" for your given sport.

Finally, I’ve never read any research that links post-exercise soreness to strength gains, hypertrophy gains or improved athletic performance. Who the hell wants to be sore anyway? Think of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) as an unfortunate side effect of training, not a goal of training.

Remember that it’s easy for a coach to make an athlete tired, but it takes a true professional to get an athlete stronger, faster, more flexible and better conditioned.

I don't think sideburns meant that soreness helps indicate a good workout, just that working something hard will most likely make you soret. Either way, Joe Defranco knows his stuff.

[sideburns]

I think anyone just taking up grippers/grip training/weights/running/ whatever.... (the list can go on) should really start off slow and ease into it. With any sport or training you do, you have to start off slow. You can't expect to go out out and run a sub 5 minute mile if you've never gone jogging before. Just like you'll never squat 500lb+ straight away if you've never even heard of a squat.

Just because grippers look harmless (and some other areas of grip training) you should always treat it with caution and start off slow. It's so easy to damage your hands when training if you're not use to it which could end up causing you weeks/ months/ years of pain.

please check out http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=12608

also in response to your statement "Now I KNOW that I should be sore...that's obvious...just like any other weight training..."

please read the following from (http://www.defrancostraining.com/articles/archive/articles_training-myths.htm)

Myth #3: The best indicators of a good workout are how tired you are after the workout and how sore you are the next day.

This is a myth my most dedicated athletes still have a tough time dismissing. Most hard-working individuals equate a good workout with being exhausted and sore. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had athletes say, "You didn’t even make me puke" after a workout. My response is usually, "I didn’t make you puke because I didn’t want to make you puke. Making you puke would be easy. Getting you stronger, faster and more flexible actually takes some work."

Puking is one of the most catabolic things you can do to your body. If your goals are increased muscular strength and/or muscular hypertrophy, you should do everything possible not to puke during your training!

Fatigue is another popular indicator people use to rate the productivity of their workouts. Remember that the goal of your training session should dictate how you feel after your workout. For example, if you’re going to perform a plyometric workout with the goal of improving your vertical jump, you shouldn’t be exhausted after the workout.

Actually, a properly designed plyometric workout should stimulate your neuromuscular system and you should feel better than when you started the workout. On the other hand, it’s good to be exhausted after a tough practice that was designed to get you in "game shape" for your given sport.

Finally, I’ve never read any research that links post-exercise soreness to strength gains, hypertrophy gains or improved athletic performance. Who the hell wants to be sore anyway? Think of DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) as an unfortunate side effect of training, not a goal of training.

Remember that it’s easy for a coach to make an athlete tired, but it takes a true professional to get an athlete stronger, faster, more flexible and better conditioned.

I didn't say I thought being sore was good...I just didn't say I expected not to be, just because grippers look small and innocent...lol. I know that I'm gonna be sore...there's no way in the world I can do a good workout and not be a little sore. Plus, I have carpal tunnel...it's gonna hurt for a while.

Thanks, though...I am taking it slow, as I've been saying...I don't wanna hurt myself again.

[dimmers]

Sorry if i came across a bit harsh but just want to make sure people train smart and not hurt themselves.

[khfm865]

I would personally recommend 1200mg of ibuprofen a day.

The 400mg tablets are great - take with a meal though.

Cheers

[sixlitre]

How about a jar for the extensors? Find your self a jar, put some change or other weight in it, and open fingers to lift jar. Simple, cheap, and you probably have something laying around the house that will work. Other than that, rest, stretching, contrast baths, and NSAIDs are probably your best bet for the week, and active recovery should be incorporated once you start training regularly. A sock filled with some sand or rice makes a nice cheap and easy squishy toy to pump your hands up. Hope these and all the pointers in previous posts help you stay balanced and injury free.