danielemerson Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 To all, I am new to the forum and just seeking some advice. I am 18 years old abt 5"9' and weight 147lbs. I can close CoC#1 easily and for many reps, I can also close the #2 after warming up. Currently I am working toward #3 and hope to achieve it some time between now and April 2010 (when i'll be 20). I have always had a good functional grip from a young age, mainly the ability to just never let go. Recently I have become fascinated by strongman events and have been trying to get stronger. I regularly deadlift 255lbs for reps and add abt 50lbs to it using chains, and do some clean and jerks. I also do some pressing and obviously some gripper work. This has left my wrists all beat up. Beforehand I would push myself too far and be too eager to pick up weights, and this over eagerness has just left me weaker!! My hands are stronger from all this training but my wrists are spent. I few months back I heard about phonebook tearing, so I took our small phone book and tore it. I used all my strength and it felt great, but my wrists were spent, and since then, whenever I attempt to tear an identical book I can't! I also wanted to get into nail bending and started out using thumbs to bend keys, and now I am too concerned abt wrists to continue. I am looking to get a light block weight and strengthen my wrists, I am currently using the ironmind extension bands as these relieve the pain and I do some wrist curls. What do you all recommend? I am only 18 and want to be stronger as time goes by, not crippled by my stupidity. Many thanks Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Sam Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Stay away from phonebooks, i injured my thumb and indexfinger trying the same. The tork was to much for my tendons Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Your wrists will get used to the stress of grip training once you've been at it seriously for a few months. You wont be "crippled" in any sense so long as you go after this smart, that goes for all sports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielemerson Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 Your wrists will get used to the stress of grip training once you've been at it seriously for a few months. You wont be "crippled" in any sense so long as you go after this smart, that goes for all sports. Thanks, but what do you do when your wrists are sore? I just got some tiger balm as I hear that it helps, I am also trying out wearing gloves at night to increase blood circulation through hand and wrists. Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 I just stop doing whatever it was that made my wrists sore in the first place. My wrists are sore right now as a matter of fact. I've been doing heavy levers these past few weeks and my hands are completely wasted. I'm just going to not do any gripwork again until they feel good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Volko Krull Posted February 28, 2009 Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hi Daniel, continue to do your wristcurls, those are a great exercise for the simple wrist flexion movement ! I would advise you not to use a barbell but a solid pipe on which you can slip the plates, so you have them between your hands instead of outsides. That works just great ! Do a few month going all the way to 20 repetitions with a moderately light weight, then slowly reduce to as little as one or two reps. I already had athralgia because I underestimated the force wristcurls can apply. Break into them carefully and you will develop a strong wrist for shure. Wristcurls are for the flexion with closed fist, but do practically nothing for flexing the wrist with open hands which is very imporant for strongman feats and phonebook ripping. Do platecurls and also platewristcurls ! These two, together with simple wrist curls, I believe to be the three BEST wrist exercises ever. Of course your wrist can do other movements to. Support heavy barbells, mix in some armwrestling-specific wrist turning training like turning over a stick with a weight on one end, and hold some heavy axes and hammers out. You will never be crippled if you just listen to your soreness, watch out when it leaves off and then start to break into wrist training. best regards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danielemerson Posted February 28, 2009 Author Share Posted February 28, 2009 Hi Daniel,continue to do your wristcurls, those are a great exercise for the simple wrist flexion movement ! I would advise you not to use a barbell but a solid pipe on which you can slip the plates, so you have them between your hands instead of outsides. That works just great ! Do a few month going all the way to 20 repetitions with a moderately light weight, then slowly reduce to as little as one or two reps. I already had athralgia because I underestimated the force wristcurls can apply. Break into them carefully and you will develop a strong wrist for shure. Wristcurls are for the flexion with closed fist, but do practically nothing for flexing the wrist with open hands which is very imporant for strongman feats and phonebook ripping. Do platecurls and also platewristcurls ! These two, together with simple wrist curls, I believe to be the three BEST wrist exercises ever. Of course your wrist can do other movements to. Support heavy barbells, mix in some armwrestling-specific wrist turning training like turning over a stick with a weight on one end, and hold some heavy axes and hammers out. You will never be crippled if you just listen to your soreness, watch out when it leaves off and then start to break into wrist training. best regards Hey thanks very much for the very helpful response. My wrists have been feeling a bit better so I did some small card tearing, phonebook ripping and a few pinch lifts (actually lifted a good weight that i hadn't before) and I backed offf before any soreness. Tiger balm seems to work quite well and also just rest. I think my general wrist and hand soreness could also be aggravated by my blackberry as I type on it a lot. I also am doing sets of finger curls and I have put away my 'twist yo wrist' as I feel this probs only aggravates things. Thanks for all the advice, I'll be searching for a pole that I can put my plates on. Many thanks Daniel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knyaz Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 do rehab work , hot cold contrast baths , chinese theraphy balls just get the blood flowing - always helps me out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP Posted May 8, 2009 Share Posted May 8, 2009 Careful with the cleans, when you rack the weight at the top it should be supported by your shoulders and chest not by your hands. Your elbows should be up and your grip should be open with only your fingers on the bar. Rack position A bad rack will jam up your wrists, they will get better though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobthis Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 (edited) yea i seem to have a similar maybe the same problem, excpet ive never done any direct grip work. does any 1 have any recommendation for some one who just wants their wrists to be strong enough and less injury prone for weightlifting not speficially for grip work. In addition to wrists getting sore. particuarly my thumb but also my hand in general always feels i guess tense if i was to use a word to describe it. Like its an effort to stretch my hand out (like when going to do a handstand or something) they tend to want to go clenched rather than opened. but its more than slightly uncomfortable to open it up. On top of this if i try to put my hands in a planche push up position my arms to wrist become super tense and weak and i lose strength in my arms and its very uncomfortable. but yea as you can see my wrists and forarms are a nuisance. any advice would be greatly appreciated Edited June 1, 2009 by robbieD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.