Wrist work

I usually perform the wrist exercises as a circuit. In the beginning I took no rest and performed (at step 9) WP - FKP - WR - FTP five times five reps with no rest in between. Now that I am at more advanced PEs (WP PE3, FKP PE4, WR PE4, FTP SE4) I have inserted 30-60 seconds of recovery in between the 2nd and 4th round of the circuit. Is that a sensible way of proceeding or would it be better to stay at lower PEs but complete all the wrist work with no rest at all? My reasoning was that as the load of the exercises increases it makes sense to treat them as strength rather than endurance work, and so take some rest.

Hi Guido,

As I learned from previous questions I asked on other threads, circuit training is more of a conditioning rather than a strengthening method.  

The way I see it, and coaches could probably add on that, working on your wrists should be more of a one exercise at the time by maximizing your form.  Like everything else, you probably should do one set a time.  

Once mastered, I would say circuit training could be added, but until there, take one element at the time. 

And you can take some rest, yeah

5 hours ago, Guido Franchetti said:

INow that I am at more advanced PEs (WP PE3, FKP PE4, WR PE4, FTP SE4) 

Wow, what’s your secret of achieving FTP so fast, if you don’t mind me asking?  That’s really impressive! To me it’s by far the hardest one.

@Étienne Lajeunesse Thanks! Good to know, my forearms can surely do with a bit more rest from one element to the other.

@Jin Liu I am afraid the only secret is that I wrote it wrong, it should have been WR SE4, FTP PE4 (right forearm probably ready to move on, left one not as much...)

11 hours ago, Étienne Lajeunesse said:

As I learned from previous questions I asked on other threads, circuit training is more of a conditioning rather than a strengthening method.  

As a non native english speaker I am not 100% sure: what exactly is the difference between conditioning and strengthening? What does conditioning mean exactly?

46 minutes ago, Michael Vetter said:

As a non native english speaker I am not 100% sure: what exactly is the difference between conditioning and strengthening? What does conditioning mean exactly?

Hey Michael,

Now that you asked the question, I should have called it more endurance than conditioning. 

The latter is a preparation for a bigger work, so my mistake.  You're strengthening your wrists as a preparation for SE4 let's say.

Endurance work is about repeating an action over and over with ease, for a longer period of time or reps, without losing form, of course.  And that's what circuits method do.

In the end, doing less and slower is conditioning (and strengthening in the same way) for doing more with the least effort later! 

Hope it helps

Sounds good to me, Guido! You don't want to trash your shoulders prior to your handstand workout.

@Guido Franchetti, I do them in a circuit fashion and after each set/round I do a short elevated cat, or capsule stretch, or something to open the shoulders for the handstands coming. A short break, but useful one  :-)  

Thanks Everett! @Suzanna McGee I was thinking of doing the same, how short is your short break?

8 hours ago, Guido Franchetti said:

Thanks Everett! @Suzanna McGee I was thinking of doing the same, how short is your short break?

Maybe 45-60 seconds… as soon as I see the stretch released what I wanted to release, I may go back to the wrists. The elevated cat I for sure do between the wrists and it now releases really fast, so I am guessing 45 seconds or so…