Sore Wrists

So after years of heavy benching, cleans, push jerks and so on, my wrists have finally had enough. I decided that instead of trying to push through sore wrists I would lighten up on them and try to let them heal.

I have gone to higher volume and lighter weights, but my wrists are still killin me. I can’t even do dips without them hurting. So I decided to try to rely more on dumbells, but I don’t have heavy enough dumbells available to do a good bench routine.

Q#1
So I wanted to know if anyone had any suggestions for a decent chest, tri workout for dumbells only while keeping in mind that I only have up to 100 pound dumbells.

Q#2 More importantly
Is this the correct approach to healing my wrists?

Might be two stupid questions, but I have to ask anyways: Have you tried using a different grip on the BB/DB? Have you tried using paddings/gloves when you’re lifting?

Wrist straps? Not Wraps but straps. You’ve seen them. They’re weight belts for your wrists.

[quote]FightingScott wrote:
Wrist straps? Not Wraps but straps. You’ve seen them. They’re weight belts for your wrists. [/quote]

Um, you mean wraps, as in they wrap around your wrists. Straps allow you to grip a bar longer without good grip strength.

As for you wrists, you’ll find that the dumb bell “rolling” your wrists will actually make your wrists hurt more. Your tendons and ligaments are worn. Wrap the hell out of them. In about six months, after OCD wrapping, they’ll heal.

I’ve been there, man. Wrap your wrists. You’ll be able to continue benching without problems. Maybe lighter, but a lot heavier than without wraps. Good luck.

I’ve done the wrist wraps and tried a wide and close grip. Wide hurts worse than close, but I really want to just get over it without losing too much. I think that I just spent too long at high weights.

[quote]kroby wrote:

As for you wrists, you’ll find that the dumb bell “rolling” your wrists will actually make your wrists hurt more. Your tendons and ligaments are worn. Wrap the hell out of them. In about six months, after OCD wrapping, they’ll heal.

I’ve been there, man. Wrap your wrists. You’ll be able to continue benching without problems. Maybe lighter, but a lot heavier than without wraps. Good luck.[/quote]

Well, I guess that I’ll keep wrapping them. I just got fed up because here lately they are hurting after I wrap them like I didn’t have anything on them.

[quote]tveddy wrote:
Well, I guess that I’ll keep wrapping them. I just got fed up because here lately they are hurting after I wrap them like I didn’t have anything on them.[/quote]

Crap. You need time off, then. Sorry.

No trouble with shoulders or elbows though? Seriously. It seems odd to have trouble only with the wrists. My shoulders are what I have to watch.

I’m going through the same thing right now. I hurt my wrist around 3 weeks ago doing weighted dips. The first week and a half after my soreness began I wasn’t able to lift anything.

Then I went and bought a wrist strap and it seems to be working. I just have to make it really tight while doing a lift and then loosen it in between sets cause it cuts off my circulation a bit.

Did someone say it takes about 6 months to heal? That sucks cause even with the wrist strap I still can’t do all the exercises I’d like.

Have you tried giving your wrists a good dose of heat spray before you train, as you might with elbows or shoulders?

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
No trouble with shoulders or elbows though? Seriously. It seems odd to have trouble only with the wrists. My shoulders are what I have to watch.[/quote]

no trouble with the elbows and shoulders, its just the bending back that hurts my wrist. I hurt it in football a few years ago, and it feels the same. I’m afraid that if it doesnt heal within a few months i’ll be seein a doc.

[quote]tveddy wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
No trouble with shoulders or elbows though? Seriously. It seems odd to have trouble only with the wrists. My shoulders are what I have to watch.

no trouble with the elbows and shoulders, its just the bending back that hurts my wrist. I hurt it in football a few years ago, and it feels the same. I’m afraid that if it doesnt heal within a few months i’ll be seein a doc.[/quote]

Are you maybe rolling the bar back and causing your wrists to bend backward without realizing it? My daughter had to be broken of that. In other words the weight would be pulling down on your hand rather than being supported by your forearm. Every once in a while I’ll film myself training so I can see what I’m doing. Sometimes I catch stuff I didn’t even realize.

[quote]Tiribulus wrote:
tveddy wrote:
Tiribulus wrote:
No trouble with shoulders or elbows though? Seriously. It seems odd to have trouble only with the wrists. My shoulders are what I have to watch.

no trouble with the elbows and shoulders, its just the bending back that hurts my wrist. I hurt it in football a few years ago, and it feels the same. I’m afraid that if it doesnt heal within a few months i’ll be seein a doc.

Are you maybe rolling the bar back and causing your wrists to bend backward without realizing it? My daughter had to be broken of that. In other words the weight would be pulling down on your hand rather than being supported by your forearm. Every once in a while I’ll film myself training so I can see what I’m doing. Sometimes I catch stuff I didn’t even realize.[/quote]

I don’t think so. I’m usually pretty good about keeping my wrists straight. Plus with the wrist wraps its hard to do that. I’ll have someone watch next time I lift though.

How is your fish oil/Flameout intake?

I took flax oil for years because I heard Omega 3’s were good for general health purposes.

I recently took Fish Oil (a little more expensive), and that has made a world of difference in all my joint pains.

Haven’t tried Flamout, but I’m sure it would surpass fish oil’s properties.

[quote]kroby wrote:

As for you wrists, you’ll find that the dumb bell “rolling” your wrists will actually make your wrists hurt more. …[/quote]

I have found the same thing. I prefer barbell over dumbbell when my wrists are bothering me.

[quote]tveddy wrote:
<<< I don’t think so. I’m usually pretty good about keeping my wrists straight. Plus with the wrist wraps its hard to do that. I’ll have someone watch next time I lift though.
[/quote]

Maybe the actual injury is being caused away from the bench like maybe during dips or some other movement or maybe even having nothing to do with training at all and benching is just where you notice it most.

Test your wrist extension vs wrist flexion strength. If you’re more than twice as strong one way as you are the other, work on it.

Have you tried benching with a fat bar?