Health Topics
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Healthy Living
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July 2012
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| Exercise For Work-Worn Hands |
| Ravikiran Kamath |
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Some people have naturally big hands. It is mainly due to the bone structure. You cannot expect to reduce the size of your hands nor is there anything like a particular exercise to shed the fat of your hands. What you can definitely seek to do is strengthen and tone up your hands through a few exercises. For that matter, even exercise your fingers! |
Go Fingers!
Exercises for the fingers are mainly about improving your grip. They are simple, easily done and can be done at anytime.
- Typing:Typing is a practical exercise that you are likely to perform daily, depending on what your occupation is. Typing works out each of your fingers. You can also participate in timed-typing games found online, to make typing more exciting.
- Squeeze balls:Use devices that are specifically designed to exercise the fingers and the wrist. They include squeeze balls and spring-loaded gripping devices.
- Push-ups,stand on fingers:Get into push-up position by resting your five fingers without using the palm, and hold yourself in the position for 10-15 seconds.
- Chin-up:Simply hang from a chinup bar for as long as you can, by your fingertips.
Caution With Fingers!
Do not jump into finger exercises, if you have never done them previously. You run the risk of injuring the tendons in your fingers, if you put too much strain on them too quickly. Start slowly and increase tension and repetitions gradually.
Work The Arms!
- Push-ups:Push-ups strengthen the wrists and hands, while toning up your upper body and burning the calories. Try to complete one set of 20 repetitions of push-ups twice each day. You will notice an overall improvement in the strength of your hands, wrists and arms. If you are a woman and doing a traditional pushup is tricky, do knee push-ups, that is, with toe, knee and palm on the ground.
- Barbell wrist extensions:Wrist extensions strengthen and tone the hands and wrists. Sit down and rest your forearm on your thighs. Use a barbell (1½ to 2 kg) and position your hand such that your palm faces the ground. Use your wrist and slowly lower the barbell so that the top of your hand is facing forward and your wrist is in a hanging position. Hold this position for a few seconds and raise your hand back to the starting position. Complete one set of 20 repetitions for each wrist.
- Fists:Making a simple fist can help tone and strengthen your hands, wrist and fingers. Hold up your hands with the fingers spread completely apart. Squeeze all the fingers together tightly into a fist. Hold this position for five seconds. Relax and repeat. Complete this exercise 10 times for each hand. You can make fists with both hands simultaneously, too.
- Ball squeeze:Squeezing a beanbag, stress ball, small rubber ball or tennis ball can help strengthen your fingers and hands. Squeeze tightly on the palm of your hand. Hold for a few seconds and relax. Repeat 10 times for each hand.
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