Wrist Exercises for Tumblers

Gymnasts who tumble often times suffer from wrist injuries as a result of the direct pressure that they put on their hands and wrists through their routines. With a set of proper wrist exercises for tumblers, completed regularly and properly, you can help to reduce the likelihood that you'll develop some of the longer term medical issues that frequently plague gymnasts of this type.

  1. Wrist Stretch

    • Though there are many different ways to stretch your wrists in order to increase flexibility, one of the best begins by holding your left arm straight out in front of you with your palm facing outward and your fingers pointed toward the ceiling. Take your other hand and gently pull your fingers back toward you. Repeat the procedure for the other wrist as well.

    Wrist Curls

    • Keep your wrists limber by rotating your hands at both wrists simultaneously in one direction. Repeat until you've rotated your hands 30 times completely. Take a short break and then repeat the motion with both hands again, this time rotating your hands at the wrist 30 times each in the opposite direction instead.

    Wrist Curls with Weights

    • Hold light dumbbells or other weights in both hand simultaneously. Stretch your hands out in front of you, palms up, with your elbows slightly bent. Curl both wrists toward your body to bring the dumbbells in slowly, then stretch them away from your body as far as they can comfortably go. Repeat this motion with both wrists approximately 15 times.

    Wrist Flops

    • Hold both arms outstretched in front of you with your palms facing upward toward the ceiling. Your hands and wrists should be relaxed and not tense. Quickly move both wrists inward toward the center of your body so that your palms are facing downward. Do not overextend your wrist as you do this. Repeat the motion for both wrists approximately 10 to 15 times at different speeds.

    Silly Putty

    • Dean Dryer of All Experts recommends squeezing and working with Silly Putty to build wrist strength, especially in children. Increase the size of the ball to increase difficulty. Do 25 reps with each hand once a day. After your wrists are stronger you can graduate to a tennis ball.