Wrist Strengthening

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 4/28/2011 10:17am

I feel like i am stating the obvious, but...
If you are in pain and the joint is inflamed, you need to address this before you start a strengthening program.
Adding effort to an already compromised joint is a recipe for chronic issues.
Until you figure it out your current load is too much.
More work will = more pain.
See a doc, get some NSAIDs or Dit Dar Jow (or whatever floats your boat) and fix those hands before you really hurt yourself.
Deep tissue massage of the entire forearm may help immediately.

**Epeeist** · Posted On: 4/28/2011 3:38pm

Originally Posted by ChenPengFi

I feel like i am stating the obvious, but...
If you are in pain and the joint is inflamed, you need to address this before you start a strengthening program.
Adding effort to an already compromised joint is a recipe for chronic issues.
Until you figure it out your current load is too much.
More work will = more pain.
See a doc, get some NSAIDs or Dit Dar Jow (or whatever floats your boat) and fix those hands before you really hurt yourself.
Deep tissue massage of the entire forearm may help immediately.

Since you do Hung Gar, I've seen some Hung Gar sifus advocate holding fish bowls filled with sand in tiger claw position to strengthen wrists and fingers. Do you do this and does it work?

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 12:09pm

Originally Posted by Epeeist

Since you do Hung Gar, I've seen some Hung Gar sifus advocate holding fish bowls filled with sand in tiger claw position to strengthen wrists and fingers. Do you do this and does it work?

I leaned that from a Kyokushin guy actually, but with gallon jars and water.
He had a few exercises that went with them, just various circles.
I split my first engine case at about 11, and have worked physical jobs since then so i've never felt i needed more hand strength and never really pursued such aside from towel pull ups and the like.
I am a big fan of dit dar jow for training and rehab and i think the isometrics in Hung Gar are useful too.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 12:32pm

I recommend pinching 5,10 or 20 pound plates. A gallon of water is only 8 pounds, although the grip is pretty wide on a gallon jar rim, four 5-pound plates is plenty wide and 2.5 times as heavy.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 12:57pm

It wasn't the mass but the fluid motion and circular grip he was advocating, but as i said i never even tried it.
That said who exactly are you recommending that for?
That's gonna kill the op's wrists and if i can do towel pull ups i don't see much benefit for me, using plates as you say.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 1:59pm

The benefit is that you have to maintain a high constant level of pressure to keep the inner plates from slipping. Also, walking around while holding the plate stack adds benefit.

It's just a different kind of grip training than towel chin ups. There is a lot less mechanical advantage (fingers arent wrapping around the gripped object), and it is more suited to (say) holding onto a limb no-gi, than a lapel in gi grappling.

**Epeeist** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 3:08pm

Will this development of wrist and finger strength hurt manual dexterity or finger flexibility at all? I'm a magician and I can't really afford to have stiff fingers.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 6:23pm

Originally Posted by Matt Phillips

The benefit is that you have to maintain a high constant level of pressure to keep the inner plates from slipping. Also, walking around while holding the plate stack adds benefit.

It's just a different kind of grip training than towel chin ups. There is a lot less mechanical advantage (fingers arent wrapping around the gripped object), and it is more suited to (say) holding onto a limb no-gi, than a lapel in gi grappling.

Large towel + my bodyweight > what you are espousing work-wise i assure you.
Exactly how much limb vs lapel gripping have you done? Looks like close to none.

How many towel pull-ups have you done? Ummm, yeah...
If you read what i wrote you might surmise that i wasn't even doing the towel pull-ups specifically for strength as i stated i never sought to do so.

The op should not do that and it sounds like a waste of my time so i am not sure who you were recommending anything to.

It seems you were providing an alternative to an exercise i wasn't advocating or ever used, strange if that's the case.

**ChenPengFi** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 6:29pm

Originally Posted by Epeeist

Will this development of wrist and finger strength hurt manual dexterity or finger flexibility at all? I'm a magician and I can't really afford to have stiff fingers.

MTripp is the guy to ask i'd imagine.

**Matt Phillips** · Posted On: 4/29/2011 6:38pm

Dude, relax. I'm just throwing up a different type of grip exercise for anyone interested, not criticizing towel or kimono pull ups.

Here's another one: Stand in front of a power rack with 100-150% of your bodyweight on the bar, and your arms extended as if you just completed an (even grip) deadlift. Slowly open your fingers and allow the bar to roll bit by bit towards your finger tips. Let it go as far as possible without dropping the bar (let the rack catch it if it drops). Do this for 3-5 reps. Do not go above 5 reps on this.

I don't do towel pull ups, but I don't have any problem closing a 200lb gripper. Whatever works.

Exactly how much limb vs lapel gripping have you done? Looks like close to none.

I am new to lapel gripping.