Upper Body
Wrist exercises
The wrist is a complex joint connecting the forearm to the hand. It allows flexion, extension, radial deviation (toward thumb), ulnar deviation (toward pinky), and combines with forearm rotation for gripping and manipulation. Common issues include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinopathy, TFCC injuries, and De Quervain's.
157
Exercises
6
Movement ranges
Published population evidence
Wrist population reference statistics
Population reference evidence—not a normal range or tracking target.
These values summarize a source population measured under a specific protocol. They are not individual normal ranges, treatment goals, or personal tracking thresholds.
No published population reference statistics are available for this joint.
The legacy movement cards and reviewed exercise library remain available below.
Related exercise guides
Home-first options prioritize safe range, household equipment, and pain-aware progression.
Ab Wheel Knee Tucks
Start in a high plank with both feet in the cradles of an ab wheel. Pull both knees toward the chest so the wheel rolls in, then extend the legs back.
8 reps
Aikido Funakogi-Undo
Aim: smooth hip and arm movement and balance. Good for: Standing warm-up; Hip and wrist mobility; Balance practice.
10 reps
BJJ Butt Scoots (the Seated Guard Locomotion Drill)
Aim: to build upper body strength and floor movement skills. Good for: Floor movement conditioning; Arm, core and hip strength; Mat circuit.
8 reps
Baduanjin Piece 7
The seventh piece of baduanjin, a qigong form. You stand with the fists clenched at the hips, glare, drive one fist forward, and withdraw it to the hips.
10 reps
Ball Circles on Wall
Proprioception exercise - roll a ball on wall with your palm. Builds wrist control and stability.
45s
Ball Squeeze
Squeeze a stress ball or tennis ball to build grip strength. Good starting point for grip training. Gentle option for arthritis.
15 reps
Band Wrist Extension
Strengthen wrist extensors using resistance band. Important for grip balance and tennis elbow rehab.
15 reps
Band Wrist Flexion
Strengthen wrist flexors using resistance band. Great for home exercise with variable resistance.
15 reps
Bilateral Wrist Extension Pulling Putty Apart
You hold both forearms up in front of you with the inner edges touching. You grip one piece of putty between the fingers of each hand. You extend both wrists to pull the putty apart, then return.
10 reps
Bosu Platform Tilt Push Up
Set a balance trainer dome-side down with the flat platform facing up and grip its outer edges. Extend into a push-up plank. Lower into a push-up and press back up, keeping the platform level.
8 reps
Bucket Work
You kneel close over a weighted bucket standing on the floor. You grip its outer rim with both hands together and rotate the bucket in a controlled way.
8 reps
Bunny Hop Kick-Up
You crouch and place both hands on a mat at shoulder width, with your feet close to your hands. Then you kick both feet up off the floor together and try to keep them up as long as you can.
6 reps
Burpee
Squat and place your hands on the floor, then kick your legs back into a plank. Lower your chest, bring your feet back in, and finish with a vertical jump. You may feel your whole body working and your breathing speed up.
6 reps
Butterfly Threads the Flowers With Internal Force
A Baduanjin qigong movement. Raise the hands to shoulder height as the feet form a wide stance. Turn the palms up, drop the hands to navel level, then circle each hand inward.
10 reps
Chen Frontal Silk-Reeling (Tai Chi Front-Plane Wave)
A tai chi front-plane wave from the Chen style. You stand with the arms low, draw them up and across in a first loop, carry them through the centre into a second loop, and return, shifting weight between the legs.
10 reps
Clubbell Shoulder Abduction and Internal Rotation With Asymmetric Forearm Wrap
A standing arm sweep holding a clubbell in each hand. You lift both arms out to the sides at shoulder height, sweep them forward across the chest, and finish with one forearm covering your face.
8 reps
Combined Thumb-Tucked Ulnar Deviation Stretch
You sit at a table and gently bend your wrist toward your little finger, with your thumb beside your index finger, and hold. Then you fold your thumb into your palm while keeping the wrist bent, and hold again.
30s
Controlled Catch Drills
Toss and catch a ball focusing on wrist stability during catch. Good for return to ball sports.
2 min
Crane Pose, Bakasana, the Straight-Arm Arm Balance
A crane pose. The knees are tucked close to the underarms and the body balances on the hands with the arms pressed as straight as possible.
30s
Crow Pose, Kakasana, the Bent-Arm Frog Stand
A crow pose, or frog stand. The knees rest on the bent upper arms, the hips ride high and the body balances on the hands.
30s
Cultivate the Roots Through the Kidneys
A Baduanjin qigong movement. Raise the hands palm-up to shoulder height, turn the palms down in front, then rotate the waist to move the hands in flat horizontal circles.
10 reps
Finger Rolling
You stand at a table with a long flat cloth stretched along it and a weighted bucket resting on the far end. You curl your fingers to gather the cloth into a roll, pulling the bucket toward you.
8 reps
Finger Spread and Squeeze
Simple finger mobility exercise. Spread fingers wide apart then bring them together. Good for hand dexterity and circulation.
15 reps
FlexBar Wrist Extension
You sit with your forearm resting on your thigh and your wrist past the edge, palm down, holding a flexible FlexBar in one hand. You let the wrist drop, then lift it back up. You repeat on the other side.
10 reps
FlexBar Wrist Pronation Against a Bar Braced on the Table
You sit with your elbow on a tabletop and grip a flexible resistance bar with one end braced on the table. You rotate your forearm against the bar, then return.
10 reps
FlexBar Wrist Ulnar Deviation With the Elbow on a Table
You sit with your elbow on a table, gripping one end of a flexible rubber bar with the other end resting on the table. You tilt your wrist toward the little-finger side against the bar, then return.
10 reps
Four-Finger Knuckle
You sit with your working forearm up in front of your chest and a soft finger-hole pad on four straight fingers. You straighten the knuckles of those fingers against the pad, then return.
10 reps
Hand-Release Push-Up
A bodyweight push-up on the floor. At the bottom, lift both hands briefly off the floor, put them back under the shoulders, and push up to the top.
10 reps
Hangboard Half-Crimp Edge Dead Hang
A hang from a fingerboard edge in the half-crimp grip. You press three fingers at ninety degrees with the thumb under the pointer, lift your feet and hang your body weight.
30s
Hangboard Open-Hand Edge Dead Hang
A hang from a fingerboard edge in the open-hand grip. You set your pointer and pinky fingers out with the middle fingers between, lift your feet and hang still.
30s
Hangboard Sloper-Surface Dead Hang
A hang from the rounded surface of a fingerboard. You drape your whole palms and four fingers flat over the top, lift your feet and hang straight down.
30s
Ikkyo-Undo (Aikido First-Teaching Exercise)
Aim: easy shoulder movement and leg control. Good for: Standing warm-up; Shoulder mobility; Gentle leg bending.
10 reps
Incline Push-Up Depth Jump
Place the feet on a box and the hands on the floor between two steps. Lower, then push off the floor so the hands land on the steps, and repeat back down.
6 reps
Jump Rope Bell
Aim: a light two-foot hop a small step forward, then a small step back. Good for: Home cardio; Foot control; Rope rhythm practice.
20s
Jump Rope Criss Cross
Aim: to cross and open your arms as the rope turns. Good for: Home cardio with a rope; Arm and foot coordination; Conditioning intervals.
30s
Jump Rope Double Under
Aim: to jump higher once in a while so the rope passes twice. Good for: Advanced home cardio; Rope power and timing; High-intensity intervals.
20s
Jump Rope Jogging Step
A jump rope skill done in place. For each turn of the rope, one foot lifts a few centimetres off the floor, so your feet alternate in a light jog.
30s
Jump Rope Side Swing Cross
Aim: to build coordination and conditioning. Good for: Home cardio with a jump rope; Arm and wrist coordination; Conditioning intervals.
20s
Jump Rope Side Swings
Stand tall holding both handles of a jump rope. Swing the rope along the left side of your body, then along the right side, beside your legs and never under your feet. Keep the left-right swings going in a steady rhythm.
5 min
Jump Rope Skier
Aim: small, light hops from side to side over a line. Good for: Home cardio with a rope; Foot speed and rhythm; Quick conditioning blocks.
20s
L-Support
Aim: to lift your body off the floor on your hands and hold briefly. Good for: Core and arm strength hold; Advanced floor strength; Shoulder strength practice.
30s
Medicine Ball Floor Press
You lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat, holding a medicine ball over your chest in both hands. You press the ball upward, then lower it with control.
8 reps
One-Arm Medicine Ball Slam
Stand in a staggered stance holding a medicine ball in one hand. Wind it overhead while extending through the hips, knees and ankles, then slam it down.
6 reps
Parallette Archer Push-Up
Start in a straight-arm push-up between two wide parallettes. Sink toward one side so that arm bends while the other stays straight, then press back to centre.
8 reps
Parallette Planche Lean
From a push-up position gripping two parallettes, lean the shoulders forward over the wrists with locked arms and a rounded upper back.
6 reps
Persian Meel Alternating Pair Swing
An alternating swing with a pair of wooden clubs. You hold both vertical in front of your chest, swing one to your back on the shoulder muscles while the other stays in front, then switch.
8 reps
Plank Up-Down
Start in a straight-arm plank. Lower one forearm to the floor, then the other, then press back up one arm at a time, changing the leading arm each time. You may feel your stomach, shoulders, arms and buttocks working.
8 reps
Plank on Fists
Hold plank position on fists to keep wrists neutral. Good option for those who can't tolerate wrist extension.
30s
Plate Turning
You stand over a weight plate lying flat on the floor and grip its raised center hub with one hand. You twist the hub so the whole plate turns on the floor. You repeat with the other hand.
8 reps
Plyometric Campusing
A drop-and-rebound drill on an overhanging board. You hang on the higher rung, drop both hands to the lower rung, absorb the drop, then drive back up and re-catch.
6 reps
Pronation Supination ROM
Turn your palm up (supination) and down (pronation). Essential for daily tasks like turning doorknobs and using tools.
12 reps
Push-Up With a Resistance Band Across the Shoulders and Under the Palms
You hold a push-up position with a band draped across your shoulders and pinned under both palms. You lower your chest toward the floor, then press back up against the band.
8 reps
Putty Pinch
Pinch therapy putty with different grips. Key pinch (thumb to side of index) and tip pinch (thumb to fingertip). Important for fine motor tasks.
12 reps
Putty Squeeze
Squeeze therapy putty for grip strengthening. Putty provides variable resistance and can be graded by stiffness.
15 reps
Quadruped Wrist Rocks
Rock forward and back on hands and knees. Builds wrist tolerance for weight-bearing. Can modify with fists if extension hurts.
15 reps
Radial Deviation Isometric
Press thumb-side of hand against resistance without moving. Builds radial-side strength for grip and wrist stability.
5 reps
Radial Ulnar Deviation ROM
Side-to-side wrist mobility. Move toward your thumb (radial) then toward your pinky (ulnar). Important for many daily activities.
12 reps
Rapid Band Pulses
Quick small-range band movements for wrist endurance. Builds muscular endurance for sustained activities.
30s
Reverse Plate Curls
You stand holding a weight plate by its rim with both hands, palms down. You bend your elbows to curl the plate up toward your chest, hold it briefly, and feel the contraction in the biceps. Then you lower it.
8 reps
Reverse Wrist Curl
Strengthen wrist extensors. Curl weight up with palm facing down. Important for grip balance and tennis elbow rehab.
12 reps
Rice Bucket Digs
Dig, twist, and grip in a bucket of rice for hand conditioning. Popular with climbers and martial artists. Start short to avoid overuse.
2 min
Rubber Band Finger Extensions
Open fingers against rubber band resistance. Balances grip strength by working the extensors. Important for overall hand health.
20 reps
Seated Bent-Knee Biceps Stretch
You sit with your knees bent and feet flat and your arms outstretched behind you, palms flat and fingers pointing away. You slide your seat forward toward your feet without moving your hands. You hold at the point of tension.
30s
Seated Chair Press-Up
Sit on a sturdy chair with both hands flat on the sides of the seat at shoulder level. Straighten your elbows to press your body up off the seat, hold, then lower slowly.
10 reps
Seated Hooked-Finger Grip Pull-Apart
You sit tall with your elbows out wide and the fingers of both hands hooked together at chest height. You pull your hands against each other, then switch which hand is on the outside.
10 reps
Seated Ulnar Deviation With a Resistance Band Looped Under Both Feet
You sit with a resistance band pinned under both feet and gripped in one hand. With your elbow at your side and thumb up, you tilt the wrist toward the little-finger side, then return. You repeat on the other side.
10 reps
Self-Propelling a Manual Wheelchair Forward on Level Ground
Aim: steady, even pushing with a relaxed grip. Good for: Upper-body endurance for wheelchair users; Practising an even push stroke; Arm work on flat ground.
10 reps
Single-Arm Band Diagonal Extension Pattern
Hold a tubing handle in one hand with the other end fixed to an anchor. Start with your arm overhead and out to the side, then pull down and across your body, thumb leading.
10 reps
Slider Alligator Walk
Start in a high plank with both toes on slider discs. Walk forward on your hands only while the feet drag behind on the discs. Keep your core rigid and your body straight.
8 reps
Standing Arms Behind with the Pilates Magic Circle
A standing arm press with a Pilates magic circle behind your back. You press the heels of your hands into the pads, pump from the upper back, and resist the circle open.
10 reps
Standing Olympic Plate Hand Squeeze
Stand holding a weight plate by its rim in each hand. Open the fingers so the plates lower under control, then close the hands to raise them.
8 reps
Steel Club Gamma Cast
A heavy club cast over the opposite shoulder. You hold the club in guard, cast it over the opposite shoulder toward the back pocket, let it pendulum down and pull it back.
8 reps