Best Exercises to Strengthen Wrists

The wrist is one of the complicated joints of hands connected to the forearm. It is a combination of joints and bones. The wrist bones comprise of ulna, radius, distal ends, carpal bones (eight), and metacarpal bones (five).

Forearms, extensors, flexors, supinator’s, and pronators muscles are essential to gain wrist strength.

When you move your palm toward your forearm is called wrist flexion.

Whereas moving you are the backhand toward your arm is called a wrist extension. When you flip your palms upward is called supination and pronation is palm down.

Why is wrist strengthening workout important?

The ligaments and muscles of your hands and forearms help you to move your hands in different directions, but also it prevents you from rubbing your forearms and wrist bones.

Having wrist and forearm weak muscles can cause to affect daily activities and result in injuries.

Here are the possible injuries which can be prevented by wrist strengthening.

Wrist Tendonitis: Tendons inflammation around your wrist joint are possible. Stretching your wrist tendonitis can help to ease the problem.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: This happens when your median nerve is squeezed as it moves by the wrist area. Light lifting and gripping workout can help it.

Boxer’s Fracture: It is a bone fracture which forms the knuckles. These are essential bones connected to all your five fingers and wrist. Doing flexion, wrist extension, grip strengthening, side to side movement, and stretching can help you.

Colles Fracture: It is a fracture of the radius bone of your forearms close to the wrist. You can do post recovery exercise therapy such as pronation and supination of the wrist and grip workout can help.

Smith’s Fracture: It is a distal radius fracture. It can happen with Colles fracture. It can be corrected with grip exercise, flexion, and extension.

Wrist strengthening exercises can also help in recovery after shoulder, elbow, or wrist surgery. Strong wrists also help lift weights, which is needed to build upper body strength and toned arms, chest, and back. Let’s start with the wrist strengthening exercises.

1.Wrist Circles

Wrist circle workout point bones such as extensors, wrist flexors, supinators, and pronators.

How to perform wrist circles?

• You can do wrist circle exercise in sitting or standing posture but keep your spine upright, look ahead, and roll behind your shoulders.
• Keep your elbows straight and turn your wrist lefts side. Then move them upward to turn right side and flex down. Repeat this workout for 10-times.
• Reverse each direction and continue doing 10-times.

Reps and Sets

• Perform 3-sets of 10 reps in every direction.

2.Wrist Curl Workout with Dumbbells

The wrist curl focuses on extensors, flexors, pronators, brachialis, and supinators.

How to perform wrist curl with dumbbells?

• You can sit on a chair or bench by keeping your legs to shoulder-width. Take a dumbbell in both hands and keep your forearm on your thighs in a way that palms are facing up. Avoid resting your wrists on the knees. It is your opening point.
• Lay your forearms, twist your wrists near forearms. Wait in this pose for one minute.
• Slowly stretch your wrists backward and lowering to the ground.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 3-sets (10-reps)

Note: Avoid using heavyweight in the initial stage to prevent wrist injury. You can also wear wrist support if required.

3.Reverse Wrist Curl Workout with Dumbbells

Reverse wrist curl workout focuses on wrist bones such as flexors, pronators, extensors, and supinators.

How to do wrist curl using dumbbells?

• Do this work out by sitting on the bench/chair. Position your legs separate to your shoulder width.
• Take a dumbbell in your right hand and put your right forearm on the right-side thigh and your palm.
• Do not put your wrist on the knees.
• Put your left palm on the left side knee for getting support. Like this, you need to start the exercise.
• Put your forearm motionless, gently move your palm upward and to your body. Wait for one moment.
• Slowly take your right hand downward, which should face the ground.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 3-sets (10 reps) with each hand.

Note: This workout movement is light, but it can be difficult. Make sure not overextend your wrist. Focus on the bottom movement to avoid hyperextension. In simple words, do not make your wrist totally relax.

The workout offers a rare case in which one equipment is specifically suggested over another; it means the barbell is more preferred than the dumbbell.

Lifting heavy weight dumbbells can cause injury. Using barbell can be safe in place of dumbbells. However, advance weight lifter goes for dumbbells because they have a strong ability to manage.

Things to remember

The exercise involves forearm may cause a high risk of injury, sprains, or strains. Perform a strict level of lightweight exercise in starting stage to prevent problems. Increase your weight as you feel strong and comfortable.

4.Wrist Flexion Exercise with Resistance Band

This workout focuses on extensors and wrist flexors.

How to perform Wrist Flexion workout?

• You can do this work out by sitting on a chair.
• Tie a resistance band tube around the right palm and put your foot on the other side on the band on the ground with the right food.
• Keep your right elbow on right side thigh with the palm facing upward. Like this, you can start the workout.
• Turn your fist down toward the ground. Stay in this move for one second.
• Bend your wrist upward to your body.
• Perform this workout for 10-times.
• Repeat the workout with the left hand by a wrapping resistance band.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 2-sets (10 reps) with both hands.

5.Wrist Extensor Workout with Resistance Band

The wrist extensor workout target extensors and flexors.

How to do Wrist Extensor Workout?

• Sit on a seat, using right palm take a resistance band tube, and put feet on the opposite end with your right foot.
• Keep your right elbow on your right-side thigh, with the palm facing the ground. This is the beginning position.
• Flex your clench hand upward to your body. Hold this posture for a moment.
• Broaden your wrist down toward the ground.
• Do this work out 10-times and after that take the resistance band in your left hand and repeat.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 2-sets (10 reps) with each hand.

6.Wrist Roller Workout with A Dumbbell

The wrist roller workout focuses on extensors and flexors.

How to do wrist roller workout using dumbbell?

• Take a dumbbell in both hands. Keep your legs apart to hip-width. Keep your elbows slightly bent, and palms facing toward your body.
• Bend your left wrist and stretch your right wrist. While doing so, you will turn the dumbbell inward.
• Perform this workout 10-times.
• Turn the direction. Stretch your left wrist and bend your right wrist. While doing this movement, the dumbbell will move outward.
• Perform this workout10 times.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 2-sets (10 reps) in each direction

7.Dumbbell Seated Supination-And-Pronation

The dumbbell seated workout target wrist supinators and pronators.

How to perform dumbbell seated workout?

• Sit on a chair near study of the dining table.
• Take a dumbbell in your right hand and put your wrist at the edge of the table and your palm should face to the ground.
• Gently move your palm upward to the ceiling without moving your elbow.
• Stay in this position for one second.
• Turn your palm slowly toward the ground.
• Perform this workout 10-times and repeat the same with the left hand.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 2-sets (10 reps) with each hand.

8.Dumbbell Radial-Ulnar Deviation

This workout target extensor carpi ulnaris, flexor, and extensor carpi radialis (forearm muscle).

How to Perform Dumbbell Radial – Ulnar Deviation?

• You can perform this workout by sitting or standing position.
• Take a dumbbell in your right hand similar like you would hold for hammer curls.
• Position your hand stretched at the shoulder level and left a hand on your left side thigh.
• Bend your wrist upward without flexing your elbow toward the body.
• Be in this position for one second.
• Gently lower down the wrist so that your knuckles face to the ceiling.
• Repeat this workout for 10-times and do again for the left hand.

Sets and Reps

Perform 2-sets (10 reps) with each hand.

9.Dumbbell Radial – Ulnar Deviation

The dumbbell radial workout target on flexor-extensor carpi ulnaris (skeletal muscle near forearm) and flexor and extensor carpi radialis (muscle in the forearm).

How to perform dumbbell radial-Ulnar Deviation Workout?

• Stand or Sit by holding a dumbbell in your right hand similar like you would perform hammer curls.
• Stretch your hands to your shoulder level and keep the left hand on left thigh.
• Bend your wrist upward to your body without flexing your elbow.
• Stay in this pose for one second.
• Gently lower down your wrist to point the knuckles toward the roof.
• Perform this workout 10-times.
• Continue for your left hand.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 2-sets (10 reps) with each hand.

10.Barbell Reverse – Wrist Curl Exercise

The wrist curl workout with barbell reverse focuses on wrist extensors and flexors.

How to Do Barbell Reverse – Wrist Curl Workout?

• In a sitting position, hold a barbell in your hand.
• Your palm should face upward and keep rolling your shoulder back.
• Keep your legs apart to your shoulder width and put your forearm on the thighs. Like this, you have to begin the workout.
• Stretch your wrist down to the ground without rolling the barbell. Be in this position for one second.
• Bend your wrist upward to your body and repeat the workout for 10-times.

Sets and Reps

• Perform this workout in 3-sets (10 reps).

11.Wrist Exercise Using Tennis Ball

This wrist workout involves using a tennis ball which target muscles of extensors and flexors.

How to perform wrist workout using Tennis ball?

• Keep right forearm on the table and hold a tennis ball in your right hand.
• Squeeze the tennis ball for 5-times and release.
• Do this exercise for 10-times and practice again for the left hand.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 3-sets (10 reps)

12.Wrist Strengthening Stretches

This wrist exercise focus on strengthening stretches by targeting extensors and flexors.

How to Perform Wrist Strengthening Stretches?

• Bend down and sit on your heels.
• Stretch your both hand in your front side and keep your hand to shoulder-width.
• Bend your palm where your fingertips face the ground.
• Putting your wrist bent, keep the back of your palms on the ground.
• Put some light pressure and be in this pose for 30 seconds.
• You can clench your palm and release your palm while holding this position.
• Put your palms on the ground and be in this position for 30-seconds.
• Release and move your hands.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 2-sets (30-second) hold for both hands separately.

13.Plate Pinch Exercise for Wrist Strengthening

This workout target extensor and flexors of wrist parts.

How to perform Plate Pinch Workout for Wrist?

• By sitting on the bench, put your legs apart to shoulder-width.
• Keep your forearms on your thighs.
• Use a weight plate with three fingers (index finger, middle finger, and thumb in each hand.
• Grip the weight plate with your fingers for ten seconds and release.
• Continue repeating.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 3-sets of 3-reps.

14.Wrist Grip Strengthening Exercise

The wrist grip workout helps to strengthen the wrist bones and muscles. It targets extensors and wrist flexors.

How to perform wrist grip workout?

• You will need a hand grip tool for performing wrist grip workout.
• Take the tool and compress it.
• Make hand free and squeeze the tool again.
• Perform the same for other hands.

Sets and Reps

• Perform this workout as 2-sets of 10 reps.

Wrist Exercise – Putty

The wrist workout using putty focus on supinators, pronators, extensors, and flexors.

How to Perform Wrist Workout with Putty?

• Hold a putty ball in your left arm.
• Squeeze the putty with your right thumb and finger and press its way.
• Release the squeeze and move some putty and squeeze it again until its edges are squeezed.
• Repeat the same workout with other hands also.
• Then roll a putty ball with a rolling pin.
• Keep your palms on the surface or table on which putty is using. Keep your thumbs on the putty.
• Squeeze the putty in the center of both thumbs and move them out.

Sets and Reps

• Perform one set of 2-exercises

15.Wrists Foam Rolling

The foam rolling for wrist target forearm and wrist muscles.

How to Perform Foam Rolling for Wrists

• Using a cricket or tennis ball, practice this workout massage.
• Keep the wrist on the top of the ball and let your palm face down.
• Put some pressure and roll your forearm and wrist in a circular motion.
• It will help you to massage the muscles and support the rapid recovery of muscle injury.
• Repeat the same workout for the other hand.

Sets and Reps

• Perform 2-sets of 10 circular movements with each hand

16.Wall Flexor Stretch

The wall flexor stretch extends the flexor muscles of the wrist.

How to Perform Wall Flexor Stretch?

• Begin with standing position by keep your right side facing toward the wall.
• Extend your right arm outward and put your right hand on the wall, straight to your shoulder.
• Keep your arm straight with a micro-bend at your elbow.
• Move your hand to point your fingers forward and feel the stretch upward the forearm and wrist.
• Slowly turn your chest lightly apart from the wall and feel a deep sensation of stretch.
• Be in this position for 20-30 seconds and repeat the same for the other side.

Sets and Reps

• 30 sec per side

17.Gorilla Pose

The gorilla pose is a yoga workout such as push-ups, plank. It helps to massage palms and reduce the wrist joint tension.

How to perform Gorilla pose exercise?

• Begin with standing up with a high spine and a slight curve in the knees.
• Fold forward by exhaling with a flat back and take your hands to the floor, twisting your knees as much as possible for you.
• Turn over your palms so the tops of your hands are touch to the ground and your fingers should point towards your feet.
• Push your hands under your feet, drawing your toes upward to touch your wrists. Again, twist your knees as much as possible to get here.
• Keep your shoulders apart from your ears and contract your abs.
• Shift your weight towards your toes, using light pressure over the palms and loosening tension in your wrists.
• Be in this position for 30 seconds, then free.

Sets and Reps

• 30 sec

18.Forearm Self-Massage

Doing self-massage is the best way to release active points in your muscles. Applying pressure on trigger points helps to relieve the pain. Most of the trigger points found on the flexors and extensor muscles. Therefore, releasing these points assist in relieving pain and tension in the wrist and elbow.

• Begin with massaging left palm with coconut oil or almond oil on your right forearms.
• Take your right forearm with the left hand and keep your left hand in a position to have your thumb on top.
• Work on the forearm to tension points. Hold down tension points for 20-30 seconds, then keep moving down your forearm until you get another spot.
• After massaging the whole inside of your right forearm, begin to back up at the top, massage your top of the forearm.
• Keep doing for both arms.

The above wrist workouts are best to strengthen your wrist muscles and prevent injuries while doing daily activities and other exercises. These are a very simple workout to perform anywhere. These exercises will make your lift 15-pound dumbbell easily.