Wrist soreness

[Danielle]

I'm sorry I ask so many questions! Haha never had so much handstand help at my finger tips!

So I mildly sprained both my wrists a few months back and since have been wearing wrist guards to support my wrists for now. Since then, when holding a handstand on the floor I have trained myself to not use my fingers for balance but rather keep a flat palm and use my wrist. Since before I sprained my wrists I was able to hold 1:40 on the floor consistently. But now when I do, the only thing that sabotages my endurance at the end is my wrists. They get so tired and sore on thw underside(below my palm), that I have to come down, this is really irritating because I know my arms and upper body can hold it for longer. Does anyone have any specific wrist exercises I can do? I work out at the gym and do forearm curls and such but nothing really seems to help it much...

Thanks

[Mikael Kristiansen]

You need to be able to use your fingers. Especially on endurance training since you become dependent on bigger corrections and more power as you tire. 1 arm without fingers is also very hard.

 

The best thing you can do is active rehab stuff, more rest and reduce your amount of handstand training for the time being. Wrist pushup variations, first knuckle pushups(you can probably find videos of these, and they are in H1) and light stretching will be beneficial. This stuff you should be doing as warm up anyways if you are on your hands. Do not push to the level of pain when you train.

 

The "novel movements" that Cole posted a while back is extremely good. Since having a little discomfort in my right wrist and no time to rest because of shows, I have started to do 3x10 of each position with both flexion and extension a couple of times a day and it has helped significantly. I have done the movements quite fast to generate a lot of bloodflow throughout the forearms and wrist.

 

Rice buckets are also great tool for this. You can search on youtube for more information on them. Very cheap and convenient as well.

 

Build yourself a couple of decline blocks as well. Basically normal handstand blocks but saw them so that they have an angle. This makes your wrist flex less when you do handstand and might reduce the pressure on your joint. I have seen some incredible balancers that use these blocks.

[Danielle]

You need to be able to use your fingers. Especially on endurance training since you become dependent on bigger corrections and more power as you tire. 1 arm without fingers is also very hard.

 

The best thing you can do is active rehab stuff, more rest and reduce your amount of handstand training for the time being. Wrist pushup variations, first knuckle pushups(you can probably find videos of these, and they are in H1) and light stretching will be beneficial. This stuff you should be doing as warm up anyways if you are on your hands. Do not push to the level of pain when you train.

 

The "novel movements" that Cole posted a while back is extremely good. Since having a little discomfort in my right wrist and no time to rest because of shows, I have started to do 3x10 of each position with both flexion and extension a couple of times a day and it has helped significantly. I have done the movements quite fast to generate a lot of bloodflow throughout the forearms and wrist.

 

Rice buckets are also great tool for this. You can search on youtube for more information on them. Very cheap and convenient as well.

 

Build yourself a couple of decline blocks as well. Basically normal handstand blocks but saw them so that they have an angle. This makes your wrist flex less when you do handstand and might reduce the pressure on your joint. I have seen some incredible balancers that use these blocks.

Ah, yes! Well in certain countries using fingers is how you balance, except some Russians. And unfortunately, the school I'm trying to get ino (national circus school) has Russian coaches that want to see a flat palm on the floor. And the tilted blocks are something I unfortunately can't get used to either. The flexion and pressure on the joint isn't the problem, it's the muscle exhaustion. And thank you I will try those exercises asap and check out that rice bucket! Lol

[yuri marmerstein]

One more thing you can try is to work handstand holds with the palms flat and fingers elevated, like over the edge of a gymnastics mat. 

 

I find this to be quite helpful for stretching the wrists and fingers specifically in a handstand. 

[Mikael Kristiansen]

I have never heard of not using your fingers. it is just ineficient not to. I had a russian coach and he told everyone to balance from fingers. I have trained with several students of Yuri from ENC and they all do that too. On floor you correct over balance with fingers and you would want to do the same on blocks and cane. Of course you become efficient and dont rely on it as much, but it is still very very important. When I do endurance, it is usually my forearms that tire first as well. As I get sluggish, I then start to make bigger corrections from the shoulder which then tires even faster. For endurance you basically need to train it more often and for progressively longer sets. 

[Danielle]

I have never heard of not using your fingers. it is just ineficient not to. I had a russian coach and he told everyone to balance from fingers. I have trained with several students of Yuri from ENC and they all do that too. On floor you correct over balance with fingers and you would want to do the same on blocks and cane. Of course you become efficient and dont rely on it as much, but it is still very very important. When I do endurance, it is usually my forearms that tire first as well. As I get sluggish, I then start to make bigger corrections from the shoulder which then tires even faster. For endurance you basically need to train it more often and for progressively longer sets.

Oh that's weird someone that I know that trains at enc told me to not use my fingers as much! He probably mean that my fingers were grasping too hard because my fingers used to buckle way too much! But hmmmm, okay! Thanks again!

[Danielle]

One more thing you can try is to work handstand holds with the palms flat and fingers elevated, like over the edge of a gymnastics mat. 

 

I find this to be quite helpful for stretching the wrists and fingers specifically in a handstand.

Oh haven't heard that one before! Thank you!

[Mikael Kristiansen]

Who was it that told you? I might know of him/her. When you get very good control you can choose to place your weight more towards the heel of your palm and use the fingers more as you tire or if you make mistakes. With good technique and when you are stable you can even balance 1 arm while relaxing the fingers over an edge, but it is of course harder. Any tool you have, you want to use, especially when learning new things!

[Danielle]

Who was it that told you? I might know of him/her. When you get very good control you can choose to place your weight more towards the heel of your palm and use the fingers more as you tire or if you make mistakes. With good technique and when you are stable you can even balance 1 arm while relaxing the fingers over an edge, but it is of course harder. Any tool you have, you want to use, especially when learning new things!

Xander, You probably don't know him. He does trapeze and was in mise a niveau last year and 1st year this year. But everyone does handstand class so he knows handstand form pretty well, I definitely misinterpreted him lol. And yeah that makes sense, and haha I tried to do a one hand on the floor with no finger grip and it was next to impossible!

[yuri marmerstein]

If I really focus on the position, I can do one arm and lift or relax my fingers. 

 

This is very difficult though, you definitely want to get the widest base possible with your hand. 

[Danielle]

If I really focus on the position, I can do one arm and lift or relax my fingers. 

 

This is very difficult though, you definitely want to get the widest base possible with your hand.

Wow that's awesome! But yeah, that makes sense!