Planks/tricep pushups and Very sore wrists

1a1a
1a1a Posts: 761 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Did a workout that incorporated a bunch of planks and tricep push ups today and now my right hand wrist is aching.

I notice with this hand I can't actually get it to sit flat on the floor. (Too inflexible?!) This means as I lower myself into the tricep pushup the body side of my palm curls up and I suppose this might be putting weight on my wrist in a weird way.

Anyone else have this kind of inflexibility? How do I fix it? Palm on the lefthand side can stay flat on the floor, it's just the right that's giving me grief. And oh how it aches now.

Replies

  • aleggett321
    aleggett321 Posts: 186 Member
    I have a pair of inexpensive target dumbells that I use to do those exercises. Grasp them in your hands and rest the weights on the floor instead of trying to put your hands flat. It helps take the strain off my wrists.
  • walkingforward
    walkingforward Posts: 174 Member
    Modifying the exercise perhaps ? I dont quite understand the appearance of it but a physio my be able to advise. I have hypermobility (too flexible) in many places but some parts of me are also LESS flexible than many others.

    I wish you well with this and welcome friend requests.
  • charley9x
    charley9x Posts: 19
    I have weak wrists and the videos I am doing at the moment have several modifications for this problem, the dumbbells as someone already said, doing them on your elbows or what I do is do them on my fist, bit hard on the knuckles but doesn't make my wrists hurt.
  • 1a1a
    1a1a Posts: 761 Member
    Thanks for the responses, will try dumbells and or fists next time :-)
  • yogicarl
    yogicarl Posts: 1,260 Member
    Be careful with dumbbells - to use the hexagonal ones and not round plated ones as these can roll away and strain your shoulders/pecs etc.

    It is good form - in Yoga - to concentrate on keeping the index finger firmly rooted to the floor when doing pushup/plank type movements so I believe the same principle applies here with conventional pushups and planks.

    It might help to work on flexibility of fingers and hands by kneeling on the floor and flattening your fingers to the floor as you would in a plank and gently loading the weight as your shoulders line up over your wrists.

    In yoga we place all four fingers and thumb on the floor with equal weighting, especially the pointing finger as this one tends to rise up as yours does, and then suck the palm away from the floor as if you have a hot coin under your palm and you're trying to get away from it without lifting your fingers. This creates a strong arch in your hand that is better and stronger than a flat hand to push from. This might help. Also the bicep is turned outward towards the front as you go down into the low plank position rather than winging your elbows out to the sides.

    Hope some of this helps.

    yogi and bodyweight enthusiast
  • seattlemama0429
    seattlemama0429 Posts: 5 Member
    Yes yes yes! What Carl said! Definitely modify anything that hurts you and stay away from dumbells until you have a trainer take a look! It's possible to "get" what you need from any exercise with any mod, it's a matter of finding what works for your body.

    A few notes:

    When you first stabilize in plank, your body weight should not be in your hands or wrists. Your shoulders should be spread flat across your back, with strength coming in straight through your arms, and not compressed into your shoulder sockets. Your back needs to be strong! You may need more back strength!

    This position is balanced by the strength in your *core* - the tighter your core, the less body weight will be in your arms! You should be a straight arrow, not a body with weight balanced on your arms teetering on your toes :)

    Further, you need to be extending through your legs (out of your hip joints) through your feet. You will feel even more stable and even less weight in your wrists.

    One easy adaption is "Dolphin" pose, http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2462 Using your forearms in this way for plank will help build your core stability, and get your body used to the extension through the back side of your body and through your legs.

    You can also do the exercise in full plank/push-up and drop to knees and/or forearms as soon as any clearly-bad-news-pain happens.

    Another obvious note, is that the stronger your triceps, core and back get, the less work your wrists are going to be desperately trying to do for them ;)

    Keep strong!

    ETA Carpal Tunnel hand exercises will also probably help :) And yes, I know you aren't practicing yoga! But form over "function" always!

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