You’re not alone—try this!
Tender wrists are a common yogi complaint, especially among those practicing the vinyasa styles.
If you’ve pushed it for a while and your wrists are SUPER tender, then go slowly with these exercises. Do them daily but only for about 10 repetitions each.
Eventually you can build up to about 30 repetitions.
I learned them from Ryan Hurst of the GMB Posse, who’s a gymnast and coach, and uses them to strengthen his wrists before working on his handstands. He says he learned them from his coach, Steve Atlas, so now we kinda have a whole lineage thingie going on here.
Personally I was able to totally heal my wrists by doing them daily over the course of a month or so. I didn’t notice the day they stopped hurting, they just did.
Some tips…
- Set up in table position.
- Adjust the amount of weight on your hands by shifting your weight forward or backward. It should be a comfortable amount of pressure.
- Keep a smooth even breath moving during the entire sequence.
- Repeat each movement at least 10 times. Work up to about 30 repetitions.
- The order doesn’t really matter. But if you do them the same way each time, you’ll remember them better.
- These will make a positive difference! Promise.
Below is a pictorial guide with instructions for each of the exercises, followed by a short video that leads you through them. At the end of the article, get your free downloadable cheatsheet to help you remember them all (and get our future free goodies as well).
#1) Finger pulses
This one seems like it’s not doing anything but I did it anyway. For all I know, it might be the most important one.
Pulse lightly on your fingertips, thumbs not touching the floor.
#2) Side rollers
Roll across the base of the knuckles.
#3) Heel ups
Fingers facing straight forward, away from knees, start with palms down.
#4) Arm rotations
Fingers facing straight forward, away from knees, rotate your entire arm.
#5) Walrus rock
Fingers pointing directly out to the sides, rock to one side, pressing off of the “away” palm.
#6) Wrist rocks (fingers backward)
With the palms down and fingers facing rear or towards knees, gently sit back as far as is comfortable.
#7) Wrist rocks
With the palms up, fingers facing rear or towards knees, gently sit back to deepen the stretch.
#8) Elbow rotation
With fingers spread like the Vulcan salute (Ryan’s special way of doing it) and wedged around knees to restrict the movement of your hands, spin your elbows/arms.
#9) Wrist rocks (fingers forward)
Now turn your fingers forward, and rock forward and back, keeping the palms down.
Rupali guides you through the routine
What you can do next
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I have double jointed elbows as they call it, and the elbow rotation step is right up my ally! This whole post is exactly what I need for my weak little wrists. I love going to an occasional yoga or even sometimes arial yoga class, but I always feel like my wrists can’t keep up. I except this challenge!
Great, Marina…just make sure to keep your elbows slightly bent. In other words, don’t push through your joints. The student with hypermobile joints needs to take care in all poses in order to spare their joints over the course of their yoga lives.
Thanks for stopping by! Rupali
oops! I meant accept! I accept this challenge! haha
🙂
Thank you for this incredible information. This is exactly what I was looking for. I have been having wrist pain on and off for a while now and am looking forward to trying this method.
Great, Enid! I’d love to hear about your results…remember, it’s about consistency so pick a time, even if it’s just once a week, and do them religiously and your wrists will be painful no more.
Thanks for taking the time to read! Rupali
Super awesome info Rupali! I can’t wait to share these with my patients who experience wrist discomfort. It’s so nice to have resources like this one.
Thanks, Tarah…I’ll be posting a pdf of these later today under our “Free Stuff” link. Feel free to hand it out to your patients!
Mahalo for dropping by! Rupali
Tania here…aka bug…. I’ve been doing these for a year or so several times a week and I know they’ve helped. I love arm/hand balancing asana, and these exercises keep me floating! Thanks for all your great comments. Add yours or leave a question and Rupali or I will respond promptly.
I had wrist pain a while ago from overdoing it in the yoga studio. I wish I had seen this article then! I just ended up taking a break from yoga 🙁 If it happens again now I know what to do! Thanks for the info!
Namaste, m curious to know the ramifications of locking elbows and knees for acro yoga ?
Ramifications short term, probably soreness in the joints if they are weak. Ramifications long term, possibly joint strain and discomfort. What’s your take on the ramifications?
Thank you for posting this information. I’m new to cycling and have tingling/numbness in my ring finger and little finger on my left hand after rides while my right hand doesn’t bother me at all during rides but suffers the most significant post ride issues where I’m unable to write, tie my shoes or grip anything. I have a number of things to try to address this situation but am very encouraged about getting into these strengthening exercises.
Hope these help, T.C. Consistency is key. I did them daily for quite awhile and noticed a big difference. You might also want to strengthen your core to keep the pressure on your hands as light as possible during your rides. And perhaps also pay attention to the position of your neck. Sometimes tingling in the hands is related to compression in the neck. I’d have that checked by a chiropractor. Thanks for stopping in!