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Hi everyone, first time poster, just getting into GST and loving it so far. In 2003 I shattered my left wrist and had surgery which resulted in a plate and screws. I also have a protruding piece of bone that is visible when I bend my wrist forward (see pics) This means that it is painful to fully bend my left wrist back to 90 degrees in order to do a press to the floor for press-up or handstand training. I currently use dumbells on the floor that act like parallettes to do press ups and want to continue to use them for handstand work. My question is, should I try and work on flexibility with this bad wrist, or just stick to parallettes? I really want to do Handstand One, Two & Three, but don't want to commit to buying the courses if I can't do the movements. Can you just substitute flat palms on the ground for parallettes in each exercise? I'm worried that it's not just a flexibility issue with the wrist, but due to the protuding piece of bone, I will never be able to get the wrist fully back and may actually cause serious damage if I try. I was told paralette handstands don't really count, so want to do the full "proper" movement. Any input is appreciated, thanks. Tom.

Hello! I am requesting a bit of help. About a month and a half ago, I started having wrist and elbow pain after doing bar muscle ups. I believe it stemmed from using too much momentum and a lack of wrist mobility. For example, I can't even bring my wrists to a 90 degree angle (I'm almost there but not quite) without using an external object such as a wall. So far, I've rested my arms for a month while using ice and occasionally heat. For about three weeks now I've been using heat only. I've also been doing eccentric wrist curls for about two weeks with very low weight. I do not feel random pain anymore. The only time I feel pain or discomfort is occasionally when driving, lifting or carrying objects, and sometimes when drawing (I'm an artist). It occurs on the insides of my elbows. This pain, out of 10, is probably a 2 or 3. I would more so call it a brief discomfort at this point. Do you all believe that I can begin using Handstand One to rehab/strengthen my wrists and elbows? If not yet, when can I use Handstand One to start strengthening my wrists? Would it be beneficial to begin Foundations One? If you have any advice pertaining to my questions, please help me out! I also welcome any advice that you can offer that does not deal with F1 or H1. Thank you!

I'm new here but have been reading through threads for a few months now, mainly on forearm splints, wrist and finger pain. I started getting forearm splints years ago when I was a bro, curling 40kg in the gym like I was the man. Then I started to get pain, so bad I couldn't even open a door. Eventually I stopped doing curls altogether, switched over to DC training and then 5x5. I occasionally got some pain from bench / overhead press, but it was completely manageable through stretching. A few years later and I've quit the gym, focussing on bodyweight training. I needed some goals so began working towards the planche and handstand. For the planche I practised L-Sit, tuck planche & planche lean - doing sets so the times totalled 60 seconds per exercise, gradually increasing the time per set (15,15,15,15 - 20,20,20 - 30,30 etc). For the handstand I was really just working on my fear of being on my hands upside-down and only really got as far as a headstand against a wall (don't laugh). The planche training was going so well and I was really enjoying the progression, even if it was ever so slow. However it all came to a swift end when my forearm splints came back with a vengeance. I noticed it came on really strong if I was doing a hold then immediately came off the position, but if I came off gradually then the pain wouldn't be as bad, but would still be present. I've always stretched my wrists out before and after exercising ... as well as doing about 8x 30 second exercises with a rice bucket. The addition of the above 2 things really did feel as though it was working. However I ended up stopping training completely, and just doing the above stretches every few days but for some reason this just brought the strain back. I've also tried not doing any stretches or training at all. I've even started getting pain from playing guitar and typing now (perhaps all 3 are linked?). My main point of this thread is to ask if anyone has actually had any success with forearm/finger/wrist exercises that has enabled them to train hard again, without having to worry about any pain creeping in, and also if there are any structured programs out there I can follow which can help. I know this is probably about the 10th thread on forearm splints, but I really haven't found much hope online on the topic and am getting slightly desperate. If anyone can help please do! I just want to start training correctly again.

I'm looking for advice/recommendations concerning returning to training after carpal tunnel release surgery from experienced trainers or people who have gone through it? It seems so many if not most of the gymnastic exercises rely on at least being able to put weight on your wrist and then more and more so as you progress. Any advice? Tips? Expectations? Etc Some background: I recently went through my worst flare of carpal tunnel syndrome, ending with proper diagnosis, EMG, and then successful carpal tunnel release surgery (first on my right hand, soon on my left). I'm recovering quickly so far but I expect I'll be asked to not put pressure on my palms for a few weeks more at least. I'm in my late 30s, fairly fit and strong compared to the average person and I'd gone through the foundation series and was working into the fundamentals. I was/am looking forward to progressing on with the program/s.

Hi, I'm new to rings training. I've been training for only 1 month. The thing is... When I do the German Hang or Tuck BL with the chin-up grip, everything is fine. But I believe the right way is to keep a chin-up false grip, right? Well, when I do that, I can't even get into the German Hang because I feel a pain on the right/outer side of my right wrist, as if it is twisting too much. But on the left wrist, everything is fine. Considering I've never injured my wrists, how can I solve this pain & mobility issue?

Hello Everyone, I want to start Foundation One, bought it and the progressions look great, but unfortunately I have preexisting injuries, which prevent me from starting it. 2-3 years ago I didn´t know much about bodyweight training and just immitated exercises I saw on youtube. I did a lot of clapping push ups and elbow levers (Of course bad form). I didn´t warm up, did it multiple times a day, no rest days. Very stupid. My wrists started to hurt (on the flexor side) but I pushed through the pain even, though they hurted pretty badly. It just was fun to do these exercises. What a mistake! Wall Pushups and Incline Pushups were good and my wrist pain vanished, but I never went past knee pushups. The pain came back. So I did push ups on the fists, which felt better I worked up to close push ups this way. I also worked with triceps extensions and tiger bend push ups, but these hurted my elbows (the triceps tendon). But I ignored the pain. I went to a couple of doctors, made x-rays and mri. They couldn´t see anything, except maybe a mild synovitis in the wrists. But the pain was there and I couldn´t even stand up, while pressing myself up with the palm. I can feel the pain in the tendons, so it´s probably chronic tendonitis (tendonosis). The doctors told me I should rest and don´t do any upper body training, even pullups hurted. So I rested, for 5 months now. The pain is still there. So I followed the advice, Massage of the muscles and light eccentrics/stretching. I´m also wearing wrist and elbow wraps to keep the tendons warm. I ´m not sure it´s the right thing to do. At least it doesn´t get worse from it (I think). My wrist injury happened now more than 2 years ago, but I didn´t rested it consequently back then. Triceps Injury was not longer than a year ago. Both weren´t really acute injuries or accidents, they got worse with the time and became chronic. What should I do for tendon rehab? I´m not able to do most of the first steps in foundation one, because of these chronic injuries. Should I rest even more? Any advice?

Hi ! My name is Matthew and 3 weeks ago i had a wrist injury doctor said it is the injury of wrist ligament. I've been walking for about 3 weeks in wrist orthosis and soon i could start some light training. Here comes my question what king of exercises to start with after 3 weeks of no hand use? And what kind of exercises i can do to strenghten my wrists and prevent from these kind of injuries ? Thanks for help.

First and foremost, I would like to introduce myself to this wonderful forum Coach Sommer has assembled and made available to the public gymnastic enthusiast. The standard of this website and the people who use/used it is admirable. Secondly, even though It's never pleasant talking about injuries especially as a first poster here, it is a question i have been wanting to answer for about 3 years now and even though the "web" is crammed with so much info (ranging from very useful to extremely futile) i have not yet found any info concerning my "not so common" inquiry. So down to business.. I believe my wrist flexibility is fairly good yet there seems to be an issue when it comes to hand extension with the fingers totally extended. See, when my hand is parallel/or lets call it in line with my forearm, I can completely extend my fingers with very little effort. However, when i extend my hand(bringing my hand perpendicular to my forearm vector) my fingers start curling. It looks very similar to the so-called "Tiger claw" they use in certain martial arts disciplines. To be more specific, the PIP and DIP joints of the fingers are where the lack of ROM occurs, which leads to 2 conclusions: 1)Either my flexor musculature is way stronger that my extensors, which is basically a muscular imbalance issue; BUT the issue is that since the issue is at the PIP/DIP level it can't really be muscle(can it?) since that region is occupied (exclusively?!) by tendons and ligaments. (So since I dont know much about flexibility, let alone flexibility in tendons and ligaments..my conclusion remains..inconclusive 2)the other option may be that I have a lack of active flexibility in my "strong/stiff" hand flexor muscles (i.e.weak extensors + not flexible flexors). If I pull on the curled fingers while in a hand extended position, they can be passively stretched to be perpendicular to my forearm. But without an external force/assistance I cannot actively extend my hand. So my question is a twofold one: Does anyone have similar issues with this and if so do you know why this happens and how do you correct it? I attached a video demonstrating what I've tried to explain above. Thanks, BirzieX

It's going to be a bit long, bear with me Let me start from the beginning. 4 months ago, when I practiced handstand, occasionally my right wrist will have a bit pain. And it goes away right after I stop the movement. (At this time, i'm still capable of doing every exercises) Beginning of March, when H1 came out, I was excited because there are joint conditioning exercises in it; and I know if I put time in to strengthening my wrist and there will be no occasional pain. So I started easing into H1. At first my joint feels ok, and when I progressed with HS/PE1 and the joint preparation, my wrist starts to feel uncomfortable at times. However, I thought that, as the training goes on it will improve and get better. At that time I picked up flag football during weekends, where I do alot of blocking. After two weeks or so, my right wrist started feeling uncomfortable even when i'm not doing any thing. Because of it, I deloaded on H1, and think that by doing it, It'll help my wrist get into shape. As time passes, my right wrist even started to hurt when I handle stuff. So I totally stopped H1 on beginning of Apirl. One day I was at school, I hi-fived my friend, and he gave me this self-defense move where he twists my wrist, and that causes some pain. Gradually I realize, even the exercises that requires my palm on the ground hurts my right wrist, so I dropped those exercises too. I currently go to college, and it requires decent amount of typing. So in order to compensate my right hand, i use my left hand to write and type at times. And gradually, left wrist pain kicks in as well. both of my wrist hurts when I bend my wrist at any angle and squeeze my fingers. My right wrist is a bit swollen, which is hard to tell. And I circled the pain areas: RIGHT HAND compere to LEFT: I feel freaking handicapped right now, both my wrists are messed up. I basically can not handle anything, and it feels uncomfortable when I type right now.

Hey guys, longtime reader here. I've started GB when F1 came out and also did H1 since march and I'm really enjoying it so far. Maybe 2 weeks ago I played soccer and fell on my hands. Since then my left wrist hurts in certain movements where I have to hyperextend my hand, like pushups, planks or headstands. It feels like a mild discomfort. I can't do the wrist stretches to my full ROM like before without pain, so I just do those very lightly. The pain seems to be in the discus triangularis area. Maybe some of you had something similar happen to you? I would really like to know if I can do anything to help the healing process. I'm not sure if I can still do the wrist work in H1 or should do some wrist curls or rice bucket. I will go to the doctor next week to get things clarified, but maybe you have some experience with this injury, that you could share. I'd really appreciate that. Thanks, Robert

I've always had fairly sensitive wrists, which for quite a while kept me from doing any kind of HS work. For some reason only wrist extension aggravated me though, I've always been able to do full wrist pushups with ease. About 4 months ago I found that if I actively engage my posterior forearm muscles while my wrist is in extension, it almost feels like it braces my wrists... after about a week of doing this all pain was gone and I was, and still am able to handstand to my hearts content. Just actively flexing my posterior forearm, and kind of rapidly bringing my wrist to extension throughout the day, especially pre-handstand, combined with all the basic wrist stretches have completely fixed my wrist pain. I've searched all over, and I've never heard of this method before. I've been rock climbing very regularly for the last two years which is obviously very anterior forearm dominant... Maybe I just had a muscular imbalance, and strengthening my posterior forearm balanced everything out? Anyways, I thought I would put this info out there for others who may be suffering from wrist pain, and I'm also curious if anyone could explain why this worked so well for me?

Hey, the last three weeks I worked out 4 times a week with a steady state training cycle. For every FBEs session I worked on my FSPs. My schedule looks like this. FPEs: 10 sets of advanced frog stand, tucked l-sit, freestanding handstand (with wall) and straddle L on PB. Every set I start with frog stand, then l-sit, handstand, straddle l and I hold every position for 4 breaths wich is around 8s. After that I take a rest 45s and then I do the next set. I continue with that until I reach the 10th set. After that I take a two minute break. Then I do 5 sets of different FBEs with a maximum of 5 reps. For Day 1 it looks like this: 5 x 3 tuck front lever rows, 5 x 5 head bridges, 5 x 5 close fingertip pushups Day 2: 5x5 dead hang pullups, 5x5 pistols, 5x4 Dips Day 3: is the same like day 1 Day 4 is the same like day 2 Since my last workout I have pain in my right wrist. I know that I have done to much work. I want to know what to do now. Rest at first, okay. Should I quit my work on ore two of the FSPs or change my straddle L and L sit work to FL ans BL work?