Wrists are more important for boxing than any other body part. The strong punches that hands on your opponent are possible only if your wrists are strong and flexible.
Having a strong wrist also helps prevent acute injuries and keep your fist stable and in proper form when you contact the bag or the opponent.
So it is crucial to strengthen your wrists for boxing. Are you looking for some cool tips on how to strengthen your wrists? Then keep reading to know them.
How Does Grip Strength Help Functional Strength And Conditioning?
Grip strength is nothing but your hand strength. It is a measure of muscle health in your forearm and hand.
Your forearm strength is important. Because it acts as a shield for your rotator cuff, your body uses this strength to minimize potential injuries to your wrists and arms during boxing training.
So improving your forearm strength and learning how to strengthen your wrists for boxing will help you move better and work harder. This is possible as your body will know that your arms and wrists can handle better and minimize the dangers of injuries.
When you strengthen your grip strength, you can reap many benefits.
Some of the benefits include:
- Better shoulder stability
- Enhanced upper body push and pull movements
- Improved range of motion in the rotator cuff
- Reduce injury risk to your hands and wrists
- Punch your opponent with greater impact force
What Are The Different Exercises To Strengthen Your Wrists?
Below, I have listed a few exercises that can help strengthen your wrists.
Resistance Exercises
Resistance exercises not just help build wrist strength, but you can also train the muscles of your forearms, shoulders, chest, and back. One of the crucial resistance exercises includes push-ups. Push-ups can help build resistance throughout your body, and you can train your wrists for punching by doing this exercise.
Apart from this, you can also practice the three gems flexion, extension, and deviation with light dumbbells. This will influence your wrist strength to level up.
Below you can find some best resistance exercises listed.
Wrist Curls
Wrist curls target the muscles in your forearm and strengthen them.
Place your arm on a table while positioning your palm upright off the edge.
Now hold a lightweight object(dumbbell).
Then start curling your wrists upwards and lower them back to your starting position.
Repeat this exercise 10 times for each wrist.
Knuckle Push-ups
Lay on a push-up position with your legs outstretched and balanced on your toes. Make sure to use a towel or mat to cushion your knuckles.
Make a loose fist with both hands and support your upper body on your knuckles instead of your palms.
Do 10 to 20 push-ups.
Chin-ups
Using a chin-up bar, grab the bar with your palms facing you.
Now use your full arm strength and pull your body weight as much as you can.
After a while, slowly release down until your arms are extended fully.
Repeat this exercise 10 to 20 times.
Wrist rotation
You can either sit or stand with your arms bent at the elbow 90 degrees facing your body.
Now start with your palms facing inward.
Hold light weights or a resistance band with both hands.
You can now slowly rotate your wrists outward and inward for 10 repetitions.
Rice Bucket
This exercise is a favorite one among athletes who try to develop strong wrists.
Get a bucket of rice grains. The bucket must be enough rice to cover your hand and wrist.
Place this bucket at waist height close to your support.
Now push your hands into the rice with your palms and forearms facing upward. At this point, your elbow should be extended.
Grab the rice and slowly rotate your closed fists so your forearms face you.
Now release and repeat the exercise.
This strengthening exercise adds resistance against your wrist joint, thereby increasing the strength in your forearm muscles.
Stretching
Did you know that stretching exercises for your wrists can prevent injuries? Well, let me explain. Stretching exercise helps your complex muscles and tendons to become more flexible; thus, it saves your hands.
So apart from concentrating on the strengthening part, it is equally important to focus on stretching.
You can also work on supination and pronation(up and down orientation of your hands or foot) by placing your elbow into your side, keeping your hand straight out, and rotating your wrist clockwise and anti-clockwise.
Conclusion
So wrist strength is functional strength that helps you move efficiently and prevents injury. Also, to throw effective punches, wrist strength is crucial. These best exercises can aid you in developing your wrist strength.
I recommend you regularly practice the above-given exercises to increase your wrists’ stability and power. But make sure you don’t strain much, start with small exercises, and with time increase the intensity.
