Aquafit Hand Pain

I’ve started doing aquafit several days a week with my husband.

I use the intermediate dumbbells. Anything smaller is no challenge, anything larger simply makes me float away.

My hands have begun to hurt using the dumbbells. I have long fingers and wide hands. I get hand cramps, and my hands are squeezed tight, pinched and rubbed between the “bells” of the dumbbells. In other words, my hands are squished.

My wrists should be pretty strong from several years of weight training and daily yoga. It’s not a wrist issue. It’s and actual equipment problem caused by the foam dumbbells.

I’ve started waking up with sore hands and painful fingers.

I don’t want to quit, because it means so much to hubs to have me there with him, but nor do I want to flail around empty handed and get no benefit for the time invested.

Any suggestions on an alternative to the gym-supplies dumbbells?

Replies

  • ldaltonbishop
    ldaltonbishop Posts: 95 Member
    I probably ought to wait for someone more knowledgeable, but my supervillain power is answering questions that someone else should answer. So I see at least one set of aqua dumbbells in Amazon that comes apart, and the middle bar is just a piece of pvc tubing. So if you can't find what you really want, maybe you could buy the weight you want and just replace that middle piece with your own bit of pvc. These are the ones I saw; not saying they are right for you.
    https://www.amazon.com/HOXHA-Dumbells-Dumbbells-Resistance-Equipment/dp/B07RLF9XVG/ref=sr_1_19?crid=3OMXH2U6UN1S5&keywords=extra+large+aqua+dumbbells&qid=1653510183&sprefix=extra+large+aqua+dumbbells,aps,63&sr=8-19

    Also I saw Aqua bars available, like very short barbells, you know, but those might not do either.
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    Have you measured the bar of the bells that didn’t work for you, and see if you could buy some that are a bit larger or work better for you? They seem to sell a multitude of size and shapes online.

    There are “pull paddles” which might add some resistance, but might not be the correct resistance you’re looking for. Similar to aqua gloves, but maybe easier to take on and off quickly in the class if you need. (I’ve never tried aqua gloves)

    There are “ankle bouys” that you could wrap around your wrists or forearms, potentially. (They’re meant to increase drag while you’re training your arms in swimming) Or, formulate something similar out of scrap foam to fit the size and shape you want. That way you don’t have to grip at all.

  • Sinisterbarbie1
    Sinisterbarbie1 Posts: 712 Member
    I was just at a fitness resort where I took some aquafit classes using “aqualogix” equipment which was great for this. Instead of being barbells made of foam, they are hard plastic ribbed shells (not describing it well I will add a link even though I think we aren’t supposed to) that you hold that cause water to course through the ribs providing the desired level of resistance. You don’t need to grip them hard at all so your hands don’t get tired. They also aren’t flotation devices so you don’t have to worry about whether you are too buoyant using them— though that could be a downside if you rely on the foam weights to help you in the deep end. there are ankle wraps too. Looking at the website the whole package is definitely more expensive than buying foam weights, but I liked the products during my week long vacation taking aqua classes 2 hrs per day. https://aqualogixfitness.com/shop/GSP-Program-&-Equipment-Bundles-c30426371
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 317 Member
    Some of the water dumbbells are tighter than others. Different brands have different length of bar available for your hand to grip. Also they make foam paddles that are great for people with hand issues such as arthritis that may work for you. The plastic ribbed shells mentioned by @Sinisterbarbie1 are also very good.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,297 Member
    Oh thank you!!!! I found the aqualogix after I posted this but couldn’t see how they work and their promo video is awful. They’re not cheap so it’s good to hear from some folks that have actually used and like them.

    Our gym does have the barbell shaped ones but they’re not appropriate for what we do (lots of running in place, “rocking horse”, and boxing punches etc) and I float off with those, too.

    Unexpected NSV. Can’t keep feet down in pool. 🤷🏻‍♀️

    I do aquafit for the fun of being with him, and it’s an easy calorie burn if you really hump it. Our quality time is splashing each other and making rude jokes to the poor harassed instructors. What a life.
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 317 Member
    @springerling62 if you tend to float with the heavier dumbbells you could try taking a few steps towards the shallow end. The best position is for the water to be at chest level even a little below. You'd have more stability and would not be as likely to "float away". Because you regularly weight train the heavy resistance would most likely not be too much for you and they might be roomier for your hands. Again it would be something you would need to test out make sure it works for you.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,297 Member
    Pdc654 wrote: »
    @springerling62 if you tend to float with the heavier dumbbells you could try taking a few steps towards the shallow end. The best position is for the water to be at chest level even a little below. You'd have more stability and would not be as likely to "float away". Because you regularly weight train the heavy resistance would most likely not be too much for you and they might be roomier for your hands. Again it would be something you would need to test out make sure it works for you.

    Thanks. I’ll try the heavier ones before I drop the big bucks for the other, although, as my husband has put it “just do it. You spend the bucks on other training gear, why not these?”

    Our shallow ends tend to be occupied by Ladies Who Gossip, and nothing short of a tsunami will move them.
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 317 Member
    @springerling62 Yeah, I think there are always that group of ladies everywhere. Lol. Anyway, if you can try to get into a little better place where you have some stability to use the dumbbells, you'll get a better workout and you won't be floating away.
  • Sinisterbarbie1
    Sinisterbarbie1 Posts: 712 Member
    edited May 2022
    The other thing I have used in aqua fitness classes before are neoprene webbed gloves. Those work on the same principle as the aqualogix stuff but don’t provide as much resistance. I confess that I am having a bit of trouble working out what the equipment you are using looks like that would result in a woman even with large hands not being able to fit her hand on the portion of the bar between the foam “weights” . If you have a problem gripping a normal sized tool grip or sporting equipment grip then you will also have problems with the aqualogix because there is a molded hand grip inside the shell that you hold. I had no problem using it with relatively small hands but long fingers (although I am fairly tall for a woman) and the 6’2” male trainer teaching the class whose hands were probably at least 1.5 times as big as mine also had no problems gripping them, but then again neither of us had trouble holding the foam weights (any size) either due to hand size. I do notice that my hands grip the foam weights a lot harder and that I use my hand/wrist muscles (which you aren’t supposed to do) to wrestle them under the water if I am tired. I did not have the gripping problem or the wrestling issue with the aqualogix stuff, or when I went down to a lower weight when I got tired. FWIW, I was at this resort for a week and was doing hiking, tai chi, pilates, yoga, cardio dance, and aqua fit classes in various combos daily so I did get tired!!!

    Also, folks who stumble across this thread should try aqua based classes as a means of fitness - I have done them since I was in my mid twenties with the gossiping “ladies who splash” at the Y - they have always been a great supplement to whatever else I am doing, and I have always looked forward to them, as well as to the teasing and life lessons from the “ladies who splash”. I am only in my mid fifties now, but if I am putting on red lipstick and a bathing suit every other morning and smelling like chlorine when I am 80 like those ladies do, I will count that a NSV for sure!
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,297 Member
    @Sinisterbarbie1 you get both an inspirational and insightful for that post. MFP should give us two for when we extra-like posts.

    I ordered the blue bells and fins. They’ll be here in about a week.

    They look huge. I usually walk the couple miles to the gym so I can do a spin or cardio class before my husband joins me there for aquafit and drives me home. I guess he’ll be lugging them in to the pool for me, since I already carry my mat with me!

    I followed @Pdc654 ’s suggestion and compared the foam dumbbells. It never occurred to me they’d have different spacing at different weights. 🤦🏻‍♀️

    I moved “up” a weight and gained a couple of inches, which helped tremendously. Because I wasn’t struggling so hard to grip, the heavier dumbbells actually felt lighter so I may go up another this morning, if they give me the extra grip. My wrists and fingers weren’t aching when I woke up this morning.

    But I’m still intrigued by the bell and fin system after reading a ton of reviews and Q&A, and want to try it.

  • claireychn074
    claireychn074 Posts: 1,306 Member
    Pdc654 wrote: »
    @springerling62 if you tend to float with the heavier dumbbells you could try taking a few steps towards the shallow end. The best position is for the water to be at chest level even a little below. You'd have more stability and would not be as likely to "float away". Because you regularly weight train the heavy resistance would most likely not be too much for you and they might be roomier for your hands. Again it would be something you would need to test out make sure it works for you.

    Thanks. I’ll try the heavier ones before I drop the big bucks for the other, although, as my husband has put it “just do it. You spend the bucks on other training gear, why not these?”

    Our shallow ends tend to be occupied by Ladies Who Gossip, and nothing short of a tsunami will move them.

    Annnd that’s why I learnt butterfly 👿 (not really, but the bow wave I create as I’m not v good at it does tend to swamp people!)
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 317 Member
    @springerling62 glad the spacing is better for you with the other dumbbells.
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,297 Member
    Just wanted to follow up.

    I’ve been using the Aquabells and ankle thinggies for about eight weeks now.

    I really like the workout I get with them, particularly the ankle devices. It’s not til I take them off for cool down that I realize how much drag they’ve created, on everything from running in place to leg kicks to flutter kicks (those in particular).

    I ordered the blue set, which is the highest resistance set. If there was an even higher resistance available, I’d def consider moving up.

    The aquabells have a pistol grip in one direction and a slightly different grip and drag when rotated the other way.

    I no longer get the hand cramps I got with the foam dumbbells. I still use the noodles and they still give me cramps so I’m probably going to go to 100% aquabells.

    The ankle wraps do come loose once in a while, but if you thoroughly soak them before putting them on, and then tighten them again a few minutes later, they generally stay in place with no further trouble. You do have to be careful not to whack your (and others!) ankles, knees, feet and hands with them because they stick out a pretty far piece.

    For things like cross country skiers, jumping jacks etc the bells give a lot of resistance. For things like “stirring the pot”, and water hugs and pushes they are darn difficult. I feel like I’m getting a very good upper body workout with them, a good supplement to weight training.

    The bells have no floatation at all, so I do modify for pendulums and “suntan/Superman”, however, I think the modifications are more core intense than the original version with floats.

    Was a little worried that they might shatter easily (if something’s within twenty feet, I have a tendency to find and either run into it or trip over it).

    They are bulky. I often walk to the gym, for cardio before pool, so my husband brings them when he drives up. If I ride my bike, they take up my entire-and very spacious- bicycle basket.

    I keep them in a net shopping bag in the garage so they can drain between classes and wash them down once a week.

    So all in all, very pleased, and would highly recommend for your wanting to up their aquafit or water aerobics game.

    BTW I ordered them , and the confirmation said a week’s delivery time. I was astonished when they arrived the next day.
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 317 Member
    https://www.swimoutlet.com/products/sporti-heavy-resistance-buoyancy-aqua-cuffs-8114181/?color=black

    I use these. These may be heavier resistance than the blue ones. With the sporting brand the black are heavier than the blue. Also they stay in place extremely well. I have never had to readjust them after I got it set right the first time. It also has a strap that goes around the bottom of the foot to help keep them from riding up. I love them!
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 317 Member
    That's suppose to say " Sporti brand"
    NOT sporting
  • springlering62
    springlering62 Posts: 7,297 Member
    Thanks. I may give those a try, and will report back if I do.
  • Pdc654
    Pdc654 Posts: 317 Member
    @springerling62. Yes! Let me know what you think about them if you do try them!