Wrist Strength

[ianders1]

If Block Weights=Hand Strength, What=Wrist Strength?

Using block weights, grippers, and plate pinches, I've built up decent hand strength, but my wrists don't seem to be going anywhere and are definitely a weak point. What do you guys recommend?

Here's what I've tried so far and some of observations:

Plate Curls - If anything equals wrist strength, I think it may be this. Right now, though, I have a harder time holding the 2 tens together than I do curling the weight. I guess I'll just have to duct tape them together or something for now until I can ge the 25. I've tried slowly lowering the 25, but do you think there's any value to that? Also, I'm not limited by bicep strength at all.

Sledge Work - for some reason, this really seems to bother my carpal tunnel/tendinitis condition and places too much strain (=pain) on my wrists to do much good.

Wrist curls - even at my gym, there really isn't a good padded surface to do these on and I don't have the bars or weights at home.

Stacking Bricks - this seems works well, but after nearly breaking some toes the other night when I dropped them, I think I'll have to be more careful

Wrist Roller - I really like this, but it seems to work the forearms more than wrists.

I'm really frustrated with this lagging area, but I'm sure you guys can (once again) give me some great advice.

[cjcocn]

I'd suggest plate curls and sledgehammer work.

Start off at a comfortable point with the plate curls and work your way up once your wrists have had time to adjust to a more wrist-focussed movement.

As for your problems with the sledgehammer movement, try a lighter sledgehammer and/or move your grip closer to the head of the sledgehammer, again working your way up as your wrists adjust. There is a calculation somewhere on this board (in one of the threads) that will allow you to determine the force required to lift the sledge based on the weight of the head and your holding distance from it. I merely taped up my handle after arbitrarily choosing my holding points, but if you want to more precisely calculate your increments you could use the formula. You can also check out my thread (CJ's Grip Journey) below and you can read about some of the movements that I am doing right now with the sledgehammer.

Also, if you have access to a welding unit or know someone who does, you can make up an adjustable test weight. They can be used hammer curl style and will help to build up your wrists. If you want to see a pic, PM me your email and I will send one to you.

In general, if you feel that your wrist are lagging then start off kinda easy until you determine a good weight for yourself, then build up from there giving the wrists enough time to adjust w/out risking injury (heheheh ..... bet you already knew that!).

Good luck!

CJ

[odin]

Sledge Work - for some reason, this really seems to bother my carpal tunnel/tendinitis condition and places too much strain (=pain) on my wrists to do much good.

Wrist curls - even at my gym, there really isn't a good padded surface to do these on and I don't have the bars or weights at home.

If my memory serves me correctly, Slim "The Hammerman" has suffered from at least 28 different stress fractures, etc.'; I think I read this in book about "The Mighty Atom".

I think certain types of sledge work would be risky without very gradual progression.

About the wrist curls, does doing them with your wrists over your knees irritate your RSI/CTS, or...? I prefer them over my knees; right know I do them facing the standards on a decline bench so I don't have to lift it off the floor each time (the gym is too crowded to justify use of the power rack)..

BTW, have you worked any more on the hand exercise chart, just curious.

[br765]

Try using a clamp on the 2 10's to hold them together. It will keep them from moving enough that you can concentrate on your curl more.

The best way I have found to do wrist curls is to just use a flat bench. Straddle the bench sitting in the middle. Take the bar and bend over so your forearms are resting flat on the bench between your legs. This gives you a very stable way to work them. If this doesn't make sense PM me and I will post a pic.

I find if I rest my arms on my legs that it moves enough to create some involuntary cheating for the final reps.

[AP]

The calculation is just IP, Inches X Pounds. This is really only usefull for comparing two different sledges. IE a ten pounder from 10 inches away = 100IP should feel the same as an 8 pounder at 12.5inches.

For plate curls, you can wedge a spring collar in two tens to hold them together, works pretty good. Careful with these and Plate WC these gave me serious tendonitis.

But to your question. BENDING = WRIST STRENGTH! To me, bending is one of the fundamental ways to develope grip. I'd say blockweights, bending, and reg bar supporting grip (like dead lockouts/farmers walks) are the three most basic most functional grip exersizes. I don't know the effect of bending on CT though...

[burkhardmacht]

If the wristcurls on a flat bench causes pain in the arm or wrist because of your tendinitis (or something like that ;-) try to do wristcurls while standing an curling the barbell behind your butt! Take takes a lot of stess from the wrists.

If wristrollers makes no sense for you: make your own twist yo wrist roller: attach two hockey pucks on the ends of your wristroller - that's a totally different movement - give it a try!

B.

[The Mac]

Wrist Curls with a plate are a true test of finger strength as well.

[amaury]

The complete pack for overall wrist strength :

- Wrist curls

- Reverse wrist-curls

- Sledge hamme work, both directions (foreward and backward).

The Plate curl (and also the wrist-plate curl) is a very functional and quite unique exercise but as The Mac mentioned it works much more than just the wrist : some fingertips strength and some thumb strength are also involved.

IMO you can therefore work your wrist more directly with Wrist-curls (for example).

[foggymountainmuscle]

Reverse arm curls are great. I can tell my lower arm has gotten bigger (hopefully stronger) after some weaver-stick lifting I did a few days ago. Don't forget about bending, and try different barbell/handle widths in your wrist training.

I feel static training is a must too.

[JasonL]

Dont know if anyonw has seen these tapes by Scott Sonnon, Grapplers Toolbox..tape 2 has some exercises for your wrist and ankles that would make anyone cry, they are brutal, but work awesome..

JasonL

[danegarreau]

Personally i like to only do a few exercises to strengthen my wrists and forearms.

Plate Curls:I have been doing this exercise for about a month now and i think this has helped my wrists the most. It is very important to try to add weights in very small amounts(.5 or .25 pounds). This is probebly my favorite exercise for strengthing the wrists.

Bending: any kind of bending you do is going to build up your wrists. The only problem is they are only usable once.

Standing wrist curls: i like to do these either with a fat bar in the front or with a regular bar in the back. they will really pump up your forearms.

[David Ostlund]

Like Michael said, reverse curls work well. Try them with a 2" bar.

[ianders1]

Guys,

Thanks for all of the advice! Using a clamp to keep the plates together is such a simple but brilliant idea that's been staring me in the face since I workout in the garage! I tried the "Quick-Grip" clamps that I have and they worked perfectly. Thanks for the idea, Brian.

Also, I tried the sledge, holding it closer to the handle than I have been, and the strain was much lower, allowing me to get some good work in. I guess I've been trying to go too heavy. I'll try some wrist curls at the gym next time I go on the various benches as well as some reverse curls and see how that works. I don't have access to a thick bar, though.

Thanks again for all the great advice. This is what makes the Gripboard great.

[foggymountainmuscle]

If you've got a towel and some tape you can make any bar a thick bar. Just don't cheat yourself, grab as much cloth, it's easy to want to grab it so you can feel the bar but don't. Keep in mind a 3" towel wrapped bar is only like a 2" metal bar because it compresses.

[Davekline]

Your wrist moves along three different axises. It can move in either direction on any of these three axises. This makes for six different movements.

The wrist curl and reverse wrist curl are ideal for strengthening the muscels involved on one axis. Note that Arthur Jones, a strong proponent of machines instead of free weights, never attempted to make a machine to duplicate or substitute these movements. He considered these two exercises to be two of the best free weight excercises for a variety of reasons and concluded that he could not make a machine that would be substantially better.

The wrist can also be flexed and bent in the plane 90 degrees from the plane used durring the wrist curl and reverse wrist curl, but a traditional dumbell or barbell cannot provide resistance to this action in an effective manor. There is a work around however. NYBB makes a device they term the wrist leverage bar. http://www.newyorkbarbells.tv/0120.html This handle can be used to do a pair of movements to strengthen the muscels involved in moving the wrist on this axis of rotation.

The last axis of rotation is paralell to the radius and ulna. Rotation on this axis is called either pronation or supination depending on the direction. The item I mentioned in the previous paragraph can be used for a pair of excersises to provide resistance to both actions.

Three axises of movement, six excercises, happy lifting.