Got wrist problems? Is bench pressing painful in the wrist area...during the workout, and for days afterward? Are bicep and triceps training moves causing you cramps behind and above the hand and on the outer and inner wrist...because your wrist connective joints are rather thin and stringy?

Try doing priority barbell wrist curls, and reverse wrist curls off the end of a padded bench to toughen the ligaments...naturally these should be done with comfortable resistance of at least 8-12 reps allowing free flowing flexibility of the wrist joint articulation.

This in effect should be your first priority...called strengthening your weak body part link. These training actions will reinforce ligament tensile strength at the wrist carpal zone connective area far better than a grip master machine or hand springs. They also will bulk out your pronator/supinator forearm muscles...giving you a better bicep reactive curling base along with more effective tricep stability.

Many trainers who bench press with sizable poundages incur or feel wrist strains. On the bench there is a secret that all the world's greatest bench pressers know. None of them let the bar roll back in their hands which over stretches the wrists and tendons that pronate (bend the wrist inward) the forearm. And jam the tendons that supinate the forearm (bend the wrist backwards). They lay the bar across the meaty part of the hand...between the bottom of the thumb gut and on top of the outer heel of the hand.

In this type of grip support it's bone on bone dealing with pressure on carpals, which lay on the radius and ulner forearm bones in this position. In other words...the ligaments and tendons aren't getting any real (excessive) stress when you bench. And is a very stable support powerbase.

Nutrient fortification also is critical for proper wrist structure and joint articulation and can be provided by adding some calcium and supporting chelated minerals along with flaxseed oil to your diet...while getting a bit more sunlight when you can. Bones that train need minerals that strain, while being backed up for absorption by Vitamin D and joint lubricators like flaxseed oil. Plus B-Complex (with C) vitamins are crucial to your connective tissue synthesis (collagen).

If you're experiencing definitive chronic wrist problems you should see a medical orthopedic specialist to check for structural anomalies or micro trauma syndromes in this area. And gain correct diagnosis with proper therapy advice standards and supervision. But if the weakness is just from natural disuse and lack of training conditioning generally, try using the specialized e-z curl bar for triceps and biceps. Until you gain a finer wrist stability from training and conditioning especially for it.

When using the e-z curl bar for bicep/tricep training hold it on the bend that allows the action in bi and tri not to twist your wrist ligaments and tendons, over stressing them.

Use the e-z bar only until proper tensile strength and flexibility is built into the wrist area. And you can again return to doing traditional bi/tri movements. Do 4 sets for each muscle. Start with 10 reps, in the following two sets add 10 lbs to each. On the forth set. Drop off 40 lbs and pump 15 real fast.

On the lying tricep when the move becomes impossible...don't stop. Just lay the bar on your chest and press 6 more reps. E-Z bars take stress off the bicep to some degree...but it's better than nothing. E-Z bars are excellent for triceps however. After about 6 weeks of this do supersets. Bicep set than no rest triceps set...Bi again, tri again etc.

The pump with amaze you...so will the growth. Another way to subvert wrist problems is to use Nautilus arm machines in the same way I just described.

Many hardcore free weight trainers hate these machines but they work real well. I own two of the original manufactured Nautilus models...and they kill on command while being wrist tendon friendly!

Stay strong and live constructively,

The 'DENIE'

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