Press ups-is using dumbbells as hand grips an OK thing?

katiew78

I find it VERY difficult to do press ups with my hands on the ground (my wrists hurt, as do my upper traps (I have had a lots of issues with my shoulder, and am anxious not to end up in as much pain as I have been in again) whereas if I use dumbbells on the floor to grip, so my hands are off the ground, I can do them (only from my knees, but working on it)
Is there any problems with this? Should I really try to persevere with the ground? And if it is OK, should I have the dumbbells parallel to my arms or perpendicular (I find it easier parallel-it seems to put less strain on my shoulder)
I don't do a lot of press ups, it is mainly during bodypump that I do them
Thanks

IronSmasher

Yes that's fine, although hexagonal ones would be best for safety, There is an invention called push up bars/handles for exactly this kind of wrist relief.

nguk123

Maybe you need to gradually improve your wrist strength in parallel with improving your pushup ability by the dumbell method you adopted.

I would consider doing regular hand on floor pushups , but from the knees to lessen the challenge in order to atleast supply some load to your wrists with relatively lighter weight, but give them stimulous to strengthen, after you get your regular pushups out of the way.

Yogi_Carl

If you claw the ground with your fingers making sure all fingers, especially your index finger, are pressing the floor and then suck the palm of your hand up as if there is a hot coin under both palms, you will send the energy up your arms instead of sagging down into your hands.

Try that.

(it's a yoga thing)