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August WeFly Challenge: Get Bent (and Wrist Pain)
This month's challenge with WeFly is "Get Bent", which is working on your back flexibility. If you haven't checked out WeFly on facebook, you should: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=636391313052190&set=a.560721460619176.127099.373092596048731&type=1&theater. This incorporates doing bridges, and I HATE doing them because it kills my wrists. I have pretty fragile wrists anyway. So my question is how do I reduce pain and strengthen my wrists?
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5 Replies
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Rebecca Starr is amazing, and in the video she has some great tips too!! However, if you are new to bridges then this might be a bit too advanced. Wrists can hurt when lack of mobility prevents you from using a neutral position for the wrists. It's not so much about needing super strong wrists, but proper placement (although you do need a lot of over all strength for this pose). Tightness in the shoulders, chest, triceps, hips and limited back mobility can prevent proper wrist placement along with weakness in these muscle groups. Also not spreading the fingers wide can cause pain too. You can try using yoga blocks as well.
If you are new to back bending it would be a good idea to start with a few less challenging stretches (you can find less intense stretches in the lessons here). When these become more comfortable then move on to the bridge, starting with the head on the floor variation, working up to full bridge. Don't forget to work on stretches for the shoulders, chest, triceps and hip flexors. https://www.studioveena.com/img/smilies/icon_flower.gif
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If you have a partner…… you can grab their ankles in your backbend
I could never do a back bend for more than a couple seconds cause of the wrist pain but one day in yoga we did partner bridges and it was fantastic!!
I agree with veena about the placement and flexibility in other areas… that was part of my problem… I’m just inflexible everwhere!!!
Also when you have a partner they can help with your form and get deeper in the stretch
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Thanks for the suggestions. I wouldn't say I'm 'new' to bridges because I did them as a kid in gymnastics, but it has been awhile since I've done them. I think it is hand placement because I tried again the other and and straightened my legs and it positioned my arms straighter. I also think I have very tight shoulders so that is something I need to work on too. I am blessed with great leg flexibility though!
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Oops I meant not 'new'. But it's been a while so I might as well be new.
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Take care of those wrists- they r quick to injure and extremely slow to heal. As Veena said its all in the mobility of wrists, shoulders stretch and strengthen those b4 working on solo bridge
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