WRIST STRENGTHENING DRILLS

by Harvey Kurland, M.Sc.

WRIST CIRCLES

Extend your arms in front of you at shoulder-height. Holding your arms steady, make a large circle with your hands. Do 30 reps in one direction and then repeat the drill In the other direction. This should be used as a warm-up.

GRABBERS

Hold your arms in front of you at shoulder-height Open and close your fingers as fast as you can. Begin with 20 repetitions and work your way up to 100. This should also be used as a warm-up.

NEWSPAPER ROLL

Take a page from a newspaper and hold it in one hand. Using only the fingers of your hand, roll the page into a little ball. Do 10 pages with each hand.

GIZMOS

There are a variety of hand-strengthening devices such as tennis balls, rubber bands and hand grips on the market. Do three sets of 30 for each device.

REVERSE CURLS

You will need a barbell for this exercise. Stand with your feet about shoulder-width apart, hold a barbell across your thighs, lift the bar until your forearm touches your biceps, pause, return to the starting position and repeat

FOREARM CURL / EXTENSION

You will need a dumbbell for this exercise. Sit on an exercise bench with your right forearm on your thigh. The dumbbell should hang just over your knee. Keeping your forearm on your thigh, raise the dumb bell as high as you can, pause, return to the starting position and repeat

FOREARM CURL / FLEXION

Assume the same position you had in the previous drill. This time, however, your palm should be facing up. Keep your arm on your thigh, lower the weight as far as you can, pause, return to the starting position and repeat.

NOTES

• Do these exercises two or three times per week.

• Do three sets of eight to 12 reps for strength and three sets of 30 for endurance.

• When It becomes easy to do the prescribed number of sets and reps, increase the sets by one and add five reps.