Maybe you just clicked on this article because you know the feeling that after a few sun salutations, your wrists are crying out for relief?! Maybe you landed on this article because you want to be prepared in case your wrists call out? Whatever your reasons, it’s good to have you here.
Together with yoga teacher Gina Capitoni from Cologne, we would like to introduce you to exercises for warming up, mobilising and strengthening your wrists. In this article you will also find ideas for alternative positions for your wrists in your yoga practice. We personally know the feeling that the wrists call in during yoga sessions and ask for relief or mobilisation. On the one hand from our own practice, on the other hand from our experiences as yoga teachers. We have often been asked about alternative exercises for the wrists, for example the Plank/Board or the Downward Looking Dog. Gina also knows how important the wrists are for yoga practice. Gina is a yoga teacher in Cologne and hosts retreats, events, workshops, and classes full of passion. Her classes are always a mix of Vinyasa Yoga, Kundalini, Katonah, and Yin Yoga. Gina describes her work as a woven carpet made of form and structure, as well as free and flowing elements.
So, how often have you tried your Crow Pose or Handstand without properly warming up your wrists? The wrists are an incredibly essential part of our yoga practice. Omnipresent and yet underestimated. Gina’s yoga for the wrists is inspired by Katonah Yoga, a yoga style from New York. Try it out for yourself!
7 Yoga Exercises for the Wrists by Gina
1. dog looking down with a blanket under the heel of the hand
The blanket under the heel of your hand cushions the pressure on your wrists, increases the angle between arm and hand and relieves the pressure on your wrists. Make sure that your fingers still have a grip on the mat so that you stand firmly in your Downward-Facing Dog despite this soft surface.
2. cat/cow with flipped hands + Circular movements
How about regularly turning your fingers towards your knees while standing on four feet? What may feel unfamiliar the first time will certainly become easier and more pleasant after a few repetitions. From here you can gently transition into your cat cow flow. Also feel free to try circling above your wrists. You decide how big you want to turn the circles. Turn in both directions.
6. downward facing dog on forearms
Start in the 4-foot stance. Place your 10 fingers in so-called ‘Tippie tents’ so that you are ‘standing’ on your fingertips. From here you raise your knees, stretch your legs and come into your Looking Down Dog or Looking Up Dog. How does this variation feel? You strengthen your fingers and relieve your wrists.
A strong relief for your wrists and an intensive strengthening of your shoulders is the exercise of your downward facing dog on the forearms. You may already know this exercise as a dolphin.
4. cat/cow on turned fists
Another way to strengthen your wrists is to practice on your fists. Bring your hands into fists here, then place your fists together so that your fingers point towards your chest and your knuckles touch. Together you then bring your fists towards the mat and place them on the outside of the hands on the mat. How does this variation of your Cat Cow Flow feel?
5. the board on fists
Come to the fists instead of the hands. This way you increase the angle between arms and hands again and relieve your wrists. You can also practice the plank and your Chaturanga on your fists in your Sun Salutation. How do you like this variation?
3. down/up facing dog on fingertips
Start in the 4-foot stance. Place your 10 fingers in so-called ‘Tippie tents’ so that you are ‘standing’ on your fingertips. From here you raise your knees, stretch your legs and come into your Looking Down Dog or Looking Up Dog. How does this variation feel? You strengthen your fingers and relieve your wrists.
7. cat/cow with interlaced fingers + this position flipped again
Interlace your fingers and then turn them so that you can see your palms from your 4-foot stance. Then come back to your cat-cow flow from here.
Alternatives summarised
You can choose these alternative hand positions if you notice that you want to relieve your wrists:
- Fists
- Forearms
- blocks
- Fingertips
- Place blanket underneath
Block support
You can also use blocks and put your fingers around them. This often helps to relieve the strain on your wrists.
How did you like the exercises and alternatives? Will you integrate them into your yoga practice? We are always happy to receive feedback from you.
Many thanks to Gina for coming up with these wonderful exercises for you. Whether to prepare for yoga practice or to wrap up a day on the laptop, we look forward to integrating these yoga for the wrists exercises into our yoga practice from now on.
Follow Gina!
You can find Gina on Instagram. Stay up to date on her website, where you can find out about her retreats, too. Are you wondering how natural wine and yoga go together? Then follow good good tings, where Gina and her friends create special events for you.
