Published July 7, 2026 at 10:33 AM
If your body were a team sport, your hips, legs, lower back, and even your arms and shoulders would be the stars of the team. You know, the ones who get all the press interviews and business deals. It’s not that they don’t deserve attention. They work hard.
But it’s time to share the spotlight with the unsung players whose efforts contribute to win after win – your hands and your wrists. Life (and yoga) requires a lot of these smaller, underappreciated parts to keep you pulling, pushing, grabbing, writing, and lifting comfortably. Dogging it down, Wooden panelsAnd more. However, your daily yoga classes don’t include all the ways you need to stretch and strengthen.
This means you need to move your hands and wrists in ways you normally wouldn’t to prevent and treat discomfort. Consider it off-season training.
12 exercises to stretch and strengthen the hand and wrist
the Next movements Focus on moving your hands and wrists through their full range of motion as well as building strength. Practice all or a few of these exercises throughout your day. However, practice it consistently, and you will likely notice that your daily hand and wrist movements become a little or a lot easier.
You’ll need a small, rolled-up resistance band or a full water bottle that you can hold in one hand, as well as a ping-pong, tennis, or golf ball.
1. Wrist circles
Find a comfortable sitting position. Interlace your fingers and press your palms together. Circle your hands in one direction, moving through your full range of motion. After a few rounds, circle your hands in the opposite direction.
2. Paint the fence
From a seated position, extend your arms out in front of you with your hands approximately in front of your hips. Point your fingers down toward the floor. Keeping your fingers facing down, raise your arms up. Turn your hands so that your fingertips are pointing toward the wall behind you. Slowly lower your arms down and once they reach the lowest point, flip your hands again so that your fingers are pointing down toward the floor. Repeat 4 more times.
3. Piano hands
Place your forearms and palms so that they are parallel to the floor. Moving from your wrists, point both sets of fingers away from each other toward opposite sides. Then point the two sets of fingers toward each other. Continue switching directions until you reach 5 reps toward each side.
4. Tendon slippage
Flatten your hands and face them toward each other, about 10 inches apart. Slowly move your fingertips toward your palms. Then squeeze your hands into a tight fist with your thumbs on top. Gradually unclench your fingers and straighten your hands to return to the starting position. Repeat 5 more times.
5. The duck
Flatten your hands and face them toward each other, about 10 inches apart. Keeping your fingers together, then touch your thumb to your fingertips, forming a duck’s beak-like shape. Then extend your fingers and straighten your hands again. Repeat 5 more times.
6. Fingers to thumb
Press the index finger of each hand against the thumb of the same hand and press gently. Then release and touch the middle finger of each hand to the thumb and press gently. Repeat with your pinky and ring fingers. This is one round. Continue for 9 more rounds.
7. Hip circles
Come to your hands and knees. Press your fingertips and feel your palm flat on the mat. Draw small circles with your hips, moving them back toward your heels, toward your right side, forward, and toward your left side. As you move, feel the outer edges of your palm gently pressing into the mat. Repeat 4 more times, then circle your hips in the opposite direction.
8. Palm press exercise
From your hands and knees, flex your toes and move your hips back so that most of your weight is on the balls of your feet. Your wrists should be slightly ahead of your shoulders. Turn your palms to face the ceiling and gently press the backs of your hands into the mat. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward your palms. Straighten your arms and return to the starting position. Repeat the palm push-up 5 more times.
9. Raising the heel of the hand + raising the fingertips
Come to your hands and knees with your shoulders stacked over your wrists and your hips stacked over your knees. Slowly lift the heels of your hands off the mat and gently press down on your fingers. Pause here, then lower the heels of your hands back to the mat. Slowly lift your fingers off the mat and press gently into your palm. Stop here, then lower them back to the mat. Alternate between lifting your heel and toes off the mat for a total of 5 times each.
10. You pull the band
Come to your knees with your knees and feet together and the tops of your feet resting on the mat. Sit on your heels. Extend your right leg and plant your right foot on the mat a few inches in front of you. Place one end of the looped resistance band under your right foot. Rest your right forearm on your knee and hold the other end of the resistance band taut with your right hand. Make a fist with your hand and hold the bar parallel to the mat while continuing to hold the bar. Instead, fill a water bottle and hold it in your right hand.
Keep your forearm still as you lower your knuckles toward the mat, then raise your knuckles toward the ceiling. Continue moving from your wrist 5 times in each direction, then move to your left side.
Return to starting position on the right side. Rotate your wrist so that your thumb is on top of your fist. Angle your wrist down toward the mat as if you were pouring tea from a kettle. Then reverse the movement and imagine that you are pulling your thumb towards you. Keep moving your wrist from side to side 5 times in each direction.
Switch to your left side.
Return to starting position on the right side. This time, hold your hand flat with your fingers extended and your palm facing the ceiling. The tape should be at the base of your fingers. Slowly pull your fingers into your palm to form a fist and twist your wrist to bring the bar closer to you (imagine a bicep flexion but with your wrist out). Then loosen your wrist and extend your fingers, returning the band to the base of your fingers. Repeat these wrist curls 5 more times, then move to your left side.
11. Hand massage
Kneel on the mat and place a ping pong, tennis, or golf ball between the palm of your right hand and the mat. Gently squeeze the ball while moving your right hand over it in small circles or, however, give a gentle massage. Move intuitively for however long you want. Then switch sides.
12. Forearm massage
Take the ball in one hand and roll it over the opposite forearm. Apply as much or as little pressure as you want. You can also roll the ball on the inside of your forearm between your wrist and inside elbow. Continue as long as you feel comfortable, then switch sides.
Come to your forearms and knees. Shift your hips back toward your heels. Bring your forearms closer together. Place the ball between them so they can gently squeeze it. Move one forearm forward and the other back, then switch. The ball should massage your forearms slightly. (It’s okay if the ball rolls away and you have to start over!)
