10 Wrist Strengthening Exercises That Work

Exercises aimed to strengthen the wrist help improve flexibility, avoid repetitive motion and stress injuries as well as prep your wrists to better withstand heavier weights during workouts.

Whether you’re trying to strengthen your shoulders or build your biceps, you will need the support of strong wrists. Often forgotten, wrists play a critical role in shaping up your major muscles.

In this blog, we look at why and how to increase wrist strength, including the best wrist-strengthening exercises to do. 

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Strong wrists help you position your hands properly for activity. They help you bear weight, grip and stabilize your hand so you can hold things with ease. Without strong hands and wrists, it’s hard to do everyday tasks like getting dressed, preparing food, and turning on faucets. As much as strong wrists are key for sports and better training, they also allow you to keep function as you age.

You also need strong hands and wrists if you want to: 

Our wrists play a vital role in almost every daily activity, from typing a text to cooking and carrying groceries. Weak and stiff wrists are much more susceptible to repetitive injuries and strains from day-to-day tasks, as well as overuse injuries from upper body exercises. Strengthening your wrists can help prevent these issues and keep you pain-free.(1)

Strengthening the muscles that control the wrists also increases grip strength. Poor grip strength is linked to poor health, a higher risk of injury, and difficulty performing daily tasks. Often grip strength can be a limiting factor to key gym exercises like: Deadlifts, Pull-ups, Barbell Rows, etc. Improving your grip strength can lead to better overall health and functionality.(2)

Strong wrists contribute effectively to the stability of your arms. With strong wrists, pushing and pulling movements become easier and are less likely to cause injury. This stability can make a difference in how your arm movements feel and function improving your overall performance. 

As mentioned above, stronger and more stable wrists can lead to more powerful lifts, particularly in exercises like pull-ups, lat pulldowns, push-ups, and deadlifts. Improved wrist strength also benefits alternative forms of exercise such as yoga, calisthenics, and climbing, as well as sports like badminton and tennis.(3)

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If you experience pain during wrist extension, such as in push-ups or downward dog poses, you likely have limited wrist mobility. Strengthening your wrists can enhance your wrist mobility, improving your range of motion and reducing pain during these activities. 

A wide range of motion is vital for joint health as it stimulates the production of synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints and reduces friction between joint cartilage. Strengthening your wrists can help maintain healthy, well-lubricated joints.(4)

To build stronger wrists, incorporate 2-3 wrist strengthening exercises and 1-2 wrist stretches into your routine 2-4 days a week. You can integrate these into your current workouts or do them as standalone mini-workouts.

While compound exercises like deadlifts and push-ups can enhance wrist strength, it's crucial to perform wrist-specific exercises targeting multiple movement patterns, including extension, flexion, adduction, and abduction. This approach ensures your wrists remain strong, mobile, and well-protected against injuries. 

Your wrist bones connect your hand to your forearm. Wrist movements are controlled by the forearm muscles. To strengthen your wrists, you'll engage a group of 18 forearm muscles, each with specific functions.

These exercises will help build hand and forearm strength, leading to stronger wrists: 

These exercises are also known as wrist flicks, they strengthen the muscles that flex and extend the fingers. It is also a great way to warm up the wrists before other exercises.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Extend your arms in front of you and squeeze both hands into tight fists.
• Quickly flick all 10 fingers out as wide and straight as possible.
• Repeat this squeeze and flick for 10-30 seconds. 

Finger slides help to improve range of motion and are another great way to warm up the hands and wrists.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Hold one arm out in front and flex the wrist so that your palm is facing forward.
• Without making a fist, slowly slide the fingertips towards the base of your fingers and then down to the bottom of your palm.
• Reverse the movement, making sure to articulate the fingers uncurling.
• Repeat 5-10 times on each side. 

This exercise is designed to stretch and strengthen your forearm, hands, and wrists.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Stretch your arm in front of you.
• Slowly, point the fingers down until you feel a stretch. Use the other hand to gently pull the raised hand toward the body. Hold this position for 3–5 seconds.
• Point the fingers toward the ceiling until you feel a stretch. Use the other hand to gently pull the raised hand toward the body. Hold this position for 3–5 seconds.
• Repeat this three times. 

This is a warm-up for stretching if you’re doing repetitive motions with your hands or during a relaxation break.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Sit comfortably and bend your arm at the elbow, resting your upper arm on your leg or a table.
• Make a fist, then flex your hand up and down at the wrist as far as you can.
• Keep the motion continuous and smooth moving your wrist 10 times back and forth.
• Next, move the wrist to the left as far as you can and then to the right as far as you can comfortably.
• Keep the motion smooth and continuous, repeating it 10 times.
• Repeat with your other hand. 

The palm stretch is a simple yet effective exercise that targets the wrists and forearms.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Stand with your elbows bent and palms together, fingertips pointing up at a level that’s just below your chin.
• Lower your hands toward your waist, keeping your hands pressed together and close to your core.
• Hold the stretch for 15 to 30 seconds, feeling a gentle pull in your wrists and forearms.
• Release the stretch and repeat the motion a few times. You’ll feel this stretch more if you can keep your fingers together. 

You can do this exercise with any kind of ball, about the size of a tennis ball. You can also use a rolled-up towel or pool noodle for squeezing.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Sit comfortably and take the ball, wrap your fingers and thumb around it.
• Squeeze as hard as you can.
• Hold for 3 to 5 seconds.
• Release your grip slowly.
• Repeat 5 to 10 times. 

This is one of those exercises you can do sitting at a desk or anywhere else. Although it is a simple exercise it works the smaller hand muscles.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Take an ordinary rubber band and stretch it around the tops of your fingers and thumb.
• Slowly open your hand to stretch against the rubber band.
• Slowly close your hand while controlling the motion.
• Repeat 5 to 10 times. 

This exercise stretches the wrist and can improve flexion and extension.

Step by Step Instructions:

• With your arm extended out in front of you and fingers pointed down towards the floor stretch until you feel it on the top of the wrist.
• Gently pull the fingers towards the body with your other hand.
• Hold for 10 seconds and then release.
• Keeping your arm still, raise your fingers so they point towards the ceiling, and you feel a stretch under the wrist.
• Use the other hand to gently pull the fingers back towards the body.
• Hold for 10 seconds.
• Repeat 2-3 times on each side. 

If you don’t have a dumbbell, wrist extension exercises can be performed while holding a light household item.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Holding a light dumbbell in your hand, rest the forearm on a table, bench, or chair so that your wrist and hand are off the edge with your palm facing down.
• Keeping your forearm still, lift the dumbbell by curling your hand up and back towards your arm until the wrist is fully extended.
• Hold for a second before lowering the dumbbell back to the start.
• Repeat 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps on each side. 

Wrist flexion exercises can also be performed with resistance bands or alternative weights.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Holding a light dumbbell in your hand, rest the back of your forearm on a table, bench, or chair so that your wrist and hand are off the edge.
• Keep your palm facing the ceiling.
• Keeping your arm stable, curl the dumbbell up towards your wrist as far as you can.
• Pause before slowly lowering back to the start.
• Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps on each side. 

For this exercise, you might want to practice without weight. Only move as far as you can while keeping your forearm on the support.

Step by Step Instructions:

• Holding a light dumbbell in your hand, place the side of your forearm on a table, bench, or chair in a neutral position, so that your palm faces towards the midline of your body.
• Keeping your arm flat, lift your hand up and back towards your arm so that it tilts towards the ceiling.
• Pause and then reverse the movement, moving past the starting position and tilting your hand towards the floor.
• Repeat for 2-3 sets of 8-12 reps on each side. 

Strong and flexible wrists play a crucial role in everyday activities. Whether you're driving, playing sports like golf or tennis, lifting weights, typing, cooking, or engaging in any manual tasks, your wrists are constantly in action.

As with any exercise regimen, it's important to warm up before starting. If you're a beginner, start without weights and gradually use weights and bands that match your strength and fitness level. If you experience wrist pain, consult your healthcare provider. 

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