Anyone have some good ways to strengthen hands and wrists?

[Cossackred]

I'm not really in the best shape and my carpel tunel (sp?) is acting up now that I've been really hitting the driving range. I know I over did it a bit, hitting 180 balls per day for 3 straight days, but my hands are killing me. I heard the steel shafts put more of a vibration up towards your hands, but not 100% that swapping from graphite to steel (which I just did) will bother my hands like this. So, I'm looking for a few golfer type things I can do to strengthen my wrists and hands so this isn't an issue anymore.

thanks!

[Stretch]

Progressive resistance! The simple fact is you can't expect to go from hitting 0 balls a day to hitting 180 balls a day a day without causing yourself pain somewhere. You are just going to have to cut back on your work load until your body's physical capabilities catch up with your mental drive to improve. This might mean hitting the range only every second (or third) day -- or consciously limiting how many balls you hit if you do go every evening. A good way to do the latter is to make a very deliberate slow-motion swing or two between every actual cut you take, thinking about the mechanics you are trying to ingrain. This both limits machine-gunning of balls and helps your brain associate the feedback you're getting from contact with the mental picture you have constructed of your swing.

Anyway, bottom line is you're going to have to convince yourself to take it easy. Or bad things will happen. I pushed it too hard last year myself and ended up unable to make a full swing for three months. Not fun! Anecdotally, my hands also still hurt the morning after a range session, even after a year or so of gradual toughening-up. Maybe it's just one of those suffer-for-your-art things?

[Gioguy21]

this tip isn't for your wrists/hands but will definitely help improve some of those muscles in your forearms that could be weaker, which is coming through your hands/wrists compensating. go and get yourself a piece of 1 1/2" pvc pipe scrap from Home Depot/Lowes (they usually have ends left over from cutting for plumbers) that's about 16 inches long. drill a hole straight through the middle of it through the other side. on that same trip to HD/Lowes...pick up about 10 feet of good quality rope (any kind will do, synthetic/natural/etc) and pull it through the hole and make a substantial knot on one side...enough that it will not pull through the pipe. then hit up your local sporting goods store and get a 5 and 10 lbs ring weight (used for free weights/barbell/etc) and attach using another few good quality knots to the weight on the other end of that rope. now, either stand on something or go to a balcony in your house (i have a stairwell i use) and let the weight hang off the pipe. using a ratcheting motion, holding your arms straight out...wind the weight/rope up using just your hands/forearms. all the way up and then all the way down. repeat x3 or more, no more than 10. do this 2 times a week until you stop feeling 'burn' or it becomes to easy for you. good luck!

**EDIT** start with the 5...if it's too easy, put the 10 on, if that's too easy put both...if you're doing more than 15 lbs up and down for 3 reps...either you're doing it wrong or you're a freak lol

[newtogolf]

+1 on the rollup and rolldown with the wood dowel, by far one of the best forearm and wrist exercises out there.  Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls are a good 2nd option.

[saevel25]

Exercises for the wrists,

Wrist Curls (Flexion)

Reverse Wrist Curls (extension)

Dumbbell Hex Hold

Wrist Pronation

Wrist Supination

Stretching

Be careful with these, you do not want to feel pain

Flexion: Extend your one hand out, with the palm away from you. Gently pull on the top of your fingers feeling a stretch in the wrist. Do no over do it. The wrist are small muscles and it takes little effort to stretch them.

Extension: Same way, but your fingers will be pointing down. Pull the top of the hand towards you.. Feel the stretch in the top of the wrist.

[GaijinGolfer]

Those $20 forearm builders that you squeeze either between your fingers and thumb or the ones that have the individual buttons for each finger are good too.

[JetFan1983]

Forearm isolation can be pretty risky for amateurs from what I've heard, but I could be wrong. Personally, I would just let your forearms develop as a byproduct of you doing other exercises, like pull-ups, push-ups, dips, curls, etc.

[Ron Stewart]

get yourself one of these:

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3970328&cp;=2367438.2367453.2812888

they work great and you can keep it in your car and use it while driving to work. A stress ball works real good as well

[Bananarama]

Originally Posted by JetFan1983

Forearm isolation can be pretty risky for amateurs from what I've heard, but I could be wrong. Personally, I would just let your forearms develop as a byproduct of you doing other exercises, like pull-ups, push-ups, dips, curls, etc.

I initially thought this too, until recently when I started to do deadlifts again.  I am limited by forearm fatigue first, then legs etc.

I think the key with these types of muscles is to do loads of reps at low weights rather than few reps with high weight.

[TourSpoon]

Wrist curls, rolling the dowel with the weight attached, and grippers...all good stuff to achieve hand/forearm strength.

[mdiogo]

for your wrists, get a thick elastic band. make all your fingers touch and put the band around them. extend and relax your fingers. you will feel the resistance in your wrists. if you need more resistance just add more elastics.

[MiniBlueDragon]

I used to carry a squash ball around in my pocket and just alternate squeezing it throughout each day in different sets/reps:

- Simple squeeze.

- Squeeze + backward wrist curl.

- Squeeze + downward wrist curl.

- Squeeze + circular motion

(just make sure you don't over-do it - I started to look like Popeye until I realised that no other muscles were getting worked-out! lol)

[Cossackred]

thanks everyone! I made the rolling thing with the rope. I put a hook at the end so I could change weights as it gets easier. Also been taking it easy on the range. (1-2 times per week depending on the weather) and I feel a lot better.

thanks again!

-Eric

[TN94z]

You can also do plate pinches if you have access to free weights.