What are the Different Types of Forearm and Wrist Exercises?

Forearm and wrist exercises are designed to stretch and strengthen the muscles and tendons in the forearm area; these often become tight and painful after hours spent typing on a keyboard or using a computer mouse, and left untreated can lead to repetitive stress injuries. Small hand weights may be used for some forearm and wrist exercises, while others simply require stretching the wrist using the other hand as leverage. Though it will not be necessary to do strength training on the wrists and forearms every day, it is a good idea to do some stretching exercises every day that one spends on a computer. These exercises are sometimes also called armwrestling exercises.

Stretching exercises are some of the most common types of forearm and wrist exercises. One might simply hold the hands out in front of the body and rotate the hands around the wrists to release areas of tightness. Another option is to place the hands straight out in front of the body, with the hands bent up from the wrists at a ninety-degree angle; using the other hand, gently pull the hand back until a gentle stretch is felt in the wrists. This should then be repeated with the hands facing downward at a ninety-degree angle to stretch the back of the wrists.

Another excellent stretch for forearm and wrist exercises is to place the hands in a "prayer" position in the middle of the chest, then gently lower the hands while keeping them pressed together. This can be painful if one is suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome, so start slowly with these stretching exercises. Forearm and wrist exercises that help to strengthen the muscles are important as well; small "hand grips" that are simply squeezed in each hand are a good way to strengthen both the wrists and the hands.

Free weights may be used in forearm and wrist exercises as well, and wrist curls are some of the most common. Hold a weight in each hand, and then simply raise and lower the weight; if this exercise is done properly, it will appear as if only the hands are moving. Lifting the weight with the forearm will instead be using the bicep muscles, which are not the muscles that should be targeted for this purpose. Another way to use free weights to target the wrist and forearms is to hold the weights at the side of the body, with the hands facing the body and the weights pointing forward; then raise and lower the weights again by simply using the hands. Search online for example images and videos for these exercises.