Alternatives to floorwork in insanity cardio workouts

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RachelHancock
RachelHancock Posts: 74
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi Everyone

I have a very small wrists that simply can't support my frame (for now)

Ultimately I will a) strengthen them through exercise and b) lose some of the weight that's causing the problem

but in the meantime...

When I am doing the Cardio and Plyometric Cardio workouts and the movements are fast I need some alternatives so that my heart rate doesn't drop so much during these exercises. I try doing what I consider to be the upright version of the moves but they just don't seem intense enough and I feel like I'm cheating myself.

I could do with some creative alternatives that will challenge me but are low impact on the wrists. Any ideas will be greatly appreciated,
thanks
Rachel

Replies

  • W0zzie
    W0zzie Posts: 262 Member
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    LOL - take this one with a grain of salt as I'm possibly a bit nuts for my solution %)

    I have problems with my wrists so find floorwork difficult too - but I can withstand almost anything with a straight wrist rather than flat handed - sooo I do my floorwork on fists - Yup - on knuckles. As long as you're on a mat it's no big deal really and it actually makes many of the exercises that little bit harder.
  • vwbug86
    vwbug86 Posts: 283 Member
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    I have mild carpel tunnel and I find the same problem with floor exercises, especially with yoga. If I'm not on my fists another alternative is to claps your had together and have your elbows on the floor supporting your weight on your forearms. It's called Dolphin pose if you want to look up images online.
  • Shawnalee0703
    Shawnalee0703 Posts: 1,093
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    are you referring you something like burpees or mt climbers being hard on your wrists? You could do jumping jacks, butt kicks, jumping lunges, jump squats, jump rope, star jumps, high knees..... again I am not sure what you are replacing.... but these will definitely keep your HR up. ;)
  • RachelHancock
    RachelHancock Posts: 74
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    LOL - take this one with a grain of salt as I'm possibly a bit nuts for my solution %)

    I have problems with my wrists so find floorwork difficult too - but I can withstand almost anything with a straight wrist rather than flat handed - sooo I do my floorwork on fists - Yup - on knuckles. As long as you're on a mat it's no big deal really and it actually makes many of the exercises that little bit harder.

    I often do this when I'm doing slower floor work although in an attempt to get strong I'm trying to avoid it! I guess if I got some padded gloves punching the floor on burpees could work! and gloves could work well also when lifting the legs to put all the weight on the hands too. I may have to invest...

    thanks!
    :flowerforyou:
  • RachelHancock
    RachelHancock Posts: 74
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    I have mild carpel tunnel and I find the same problem with floor exercises, especially with yoga. If I'm not on my fists another alternative is to claps your had together and have your elbows on the floor supporting your weight on your forearms. It's called Dolphin pose if you want to look up images online.

    yea, I can't hold downward dog for too long, i either have to spread my fingers and put the weight on the area between my finger and thumb, or work on my fists.

    Tbh, until recently I did all my floorwork on my forearms (except pushups/burpees obviously) and always thought that was the normal way until I started doing the american DVDs and it's all so wrist intensive!

    If this isn't cheating then it's certainly something I will do when I can't bear the weight any longer! thank you
    :drinker:
  • RachelHancock
    RachelHancock Posts: 74
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    are you referring you something like burpees or mt climbers being hard on your wrists? You could do jumping jacks, butt kicks, jumping lunges, jump squats, jump rope, star jumps, high knees..... again I am not sure what you are replacing.... but these will definitely keep your HR up. ;)

    yea, burpees, mountain climbers, abs in and out, the side to side ones, bouncing pushup things , frog leg jump things- basically ALL cardio floorwork! I feel like a total loser doing the moves upright cos in the first set of circuits he makes you do the upright stuff then gets to the floor .

    I have the er push up bar things to help with normal pushups and that but cos the moves are fast so it's too fussy to incorporate into these DVDs.

    I just replace with jumping squats, standing mountain climbers etc but feel like I'm cheating doing this again!!! I guess ultimately as long as I'm moving and I find it challenging then I should forgive myself until I'm stronger and can do it with good form...
    :sad: ##


    thanks!
    :drinker:
  • TacoGibbons
    TacoGibbons Posts: 136 Member
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    Hi there--
    I just had wrist surgery in fall 2010 and faced a similar problem as I could not and still have trouble being in plank position or having my palm parallel with any surface really. It is important to work at it as much as you can as the muscles needed to support the weight are quick building and in my case recovered quickly (4 months and I was able to do a few pushups on a flat palm). But anyhow--any upper-body cardio (fist punches with hand weights) or jumping jacks, wall push-ups, jump rope...etc will work. Also--when I really wanted to do floor exercises (a couple months after surgery) I would do everything on my fists/knuckles. Good luck!

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