The wrist is a joint that is often weak and prone to injury. Mobility in this district becomes a fundamental prerequisite if you train with calisthenics exercises. In physiology, a high mobility also corresponds to a high instability of a joint. This is valid if there are not sufficiently strong ligaments and stabilizing muscles that support the stability of the joint.
For this reason it is useful to insert strengthening exercises for the wrists, both for the ligaments and for the muscles that move this joint. All of this can easily be done with the use of lightweight dumbbells. You can also do without special tools and use only your body with calisthenics exercises.
Training
The main movements to which the wrist is subjected are:
- Flexion
- Extension
- Ulnar deviation
- Radial deviation
The muscles that contribute to these movements are many and to train them you don't need to know them all. Training these muscles will have both a benefit on joint strengthening and a big benefit on grip strength. This is because many muscles that move the fingers pass into the wrist joint and contribute to its movements. It is necessary to specify that the approach to these exercises must be gradual because tendons and ligaments do not strengthen as quickly as the muscles. Strong tendons and ligaments are the result of progressive overload and not of perpetual immobility.
To reinforce the flexion, false grip tractions can be performed. The false grip consists of a particular grip in which the barbell (or even the gymnastic rings) are positioned between the beginning of the hand and the end of the forearm. The fingers then give additional support by preventing the hand from slipping. Just a simple hang in this position for 30 seconds puts strain on the wrist flexors located in the forearm.
When you are familiar with this type of grip you can do some tractions. The false grip is very useful for performing advanced calisthenics exercises, such as slow muscle up or ring muscle up and more.
If you want to work on greater flexion mobility you can do reverse grip pushups. This allows to work more the flexion function of the shoulder and biceps, to place the shoulder in extra rotation and to favor the work of the upper portion of the pectoralis major. These benefits are combined with a large demand for mobility on the wrists which therefore also leads to a strengthening of the ligaments.
To train the extension of the wrist, you can perform the reverse grip front lever, or in any case a progression of this exercise. The reverse grip forces the extenders to work hard; thumbless grip pull-ups also stress the extenders. The thumbless grip consists of bringing the thumb close to the fingers without closing the bar from behind. Another exercise is the wrist extension against the wall. This exercise is challenging as it is important to isolate the movement to the wrists only.
Generally the extension of the wrist is very weak, therefore it is necessary to position the back of the hand in contact with the wall and the body almost vertical. From here perform some wrist extensions making the knuckles rest against the wall. Return to the back of the hand in a controlled manner. To train mobility and strengthen the ligaments in maximum extension, it is possible to perform push-ups using the back of the hand as a support. This exercise can be very stressful if you are not used to it, it is best to start with knee push ups to reduce the load.
To train the radial and ulnar deviation, both the muscular and the ligamentous component, just one exercise is enough. Position yourself in push-ups leaning on the knuckles of your hands. Rest the shins on something movable, such as a roller, or allow the feet to slide on the floor. From here, bend the wrist so as to bring the little finger closer to the ulna, then perform the reverse movement bringing the thumb towards the radius. Repeat the movement. This exercise must be performed very slowly and in a very controlled manner.
The position of maximum stress must be in accordance with your abilities and should be maintained for a couple of seconds. Repeat this movement until the wrist is isolated (technical failure). Also for this exercise it is good to start with the kneeling version.
