This Rogue Yogi Real-Talk shares a variety of ways to practice mindful yoga for wrists. If you’re like me, you probably spend time with your hands on keyboards or phones. Chances are that your wrists are engaging the same little muscles to keep your hands at the same angle. Meanwhile, they’re probably used to this, which means they could be pretty efficient but bored (or tense). The thing is, your wrists are designed to help with hand strength and could use the opportunity to practice. To give back, let’s serve them since they’ve been working hard to serve our modern needs.
TLDR; Scroll to the bottom to watch a 12-minute video on yoga for wrists. It demonstrates a short yet warming sequence using a soup can and a swimming pool noodle!
Animal-Like Yoga Poses for Wrists
Let’s “get a grip” and encourage healthy blood flow in the wrists with this functional movement inspired by Animal Flow.
If this feels comfortable for you today, come into a table-top position. Balance yourself on the right hand and back knees as you slowly lift the left hand up a degree. It doesn’t have to be up high at all. Just an inch is enough to start waking the wrist up. Switch sides.
If you’d like to try the next progression, lift a knee (or two).
Next up, try lifting your left hand and right knee together. Switch sides. It’s totally ok if you experience an imbalance with some wobbliness. The intention is to introduce a cool new thing to your mind-body. Additionally, when you experience a variety of things at various degrees, you keep your brain active and stimulated.
Notice the sensations in your wrists. Do they feel warmer or more stimulated?
As a side note, this animal flow progression is one way to nurture your back lines of fascia.
If it feels comfy to try the next progression, let’s do the locomotion. As a result, we are adding different amounts of resistance to our wrists. Additionally, we are also encouraging the core to support our weight (even if it’s just a little bit from the ground).
Yoga Anatomy for Wrists: Beyond Resting on Laptops and Holding Phones
Our wrists can “pronate” and “supinate”–meaning they can rotate our palms up/down/front/back depending on their orientation. This range moves beyond the fixed positions our wrists do when we’re texting and typing!
Learn about more anatomical movements that your body makes in yoga poses and in your everyday functioning. Check out this article on External and Internal Rotation in Down Dog.
If you don’t have a light dumbbell at home, you can easily stimulate your wrists using things around the house. Alternatively, if you’re just starting out you can forego using anything!
In my short 12-minute video with a short yoga sequence for the wrists, I’m using a can of Thai coconut milk and a swimming pool noodle. Of course, another cameo from my two kitties is expected. Franklin the Tuxedo Kitty, yet again, tries to thwart my filming attempts. Thankfully, my tripod has stability (the ability to return to the original position). If you’re not sure what I mean, check out my first IG video @rogueyogi.life to see.
Spoiler Alert: the kitties also get into a little scuffle while I try to keep my cool.
Check it out below or using this link to Rogue Yogi TV!
PS. Are these blog posts and videos are helping deepen your practice in a healthier way? Consider treating us out to a Golden Turmeric Milk Latte using the button below. You can contribute every month or just once. Your generosity helps us keep Rogue Yogi going so we can continue to provide more science-based education to complement the spiritual. This information intends to be applied to the everyday functioning that goes beyond the time on your mat.
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