Neutral Wrist Workout

I was recently challenged to come up with a workout that is easy on the wrist as far as extension & flexion are concerned. A buddy injured his wrist awhile back & has been cleared to hit the gym again. As always, you'll want to consult a licensed physical therapist & actually listen to them and complete any and all rehab exercises they prescribe. Once completing this, it is advisable to take it easy, which in this particular case will involve at least wrapping your wrists until they get stronger. Outside of working out in the gym, you'll want to continue your rehab exercises & stretching to regain as much function as possible in the injured joint. Certain exercises either need to be avoided or modified to prevent re-injury. Things like push-ups, forearm curls & certain types of fly movements are out of the question right now. So we'll want to focus on exercises that keep the wrist fairly neutral but still achieve the desired muscle hypertrophy. We also have to watch the wrist even when performing exercises that do not work the upper body. Things like holding the bar while squatting could become problematic if you normally have some extension in your wrist (like I do). This can be overcome by adjusting your form. In my case, if I move the bar a litter higher up on my traps & widen my grip, my wrists are fairly neutral when supporting the bar.

DAY 1: BACK 1 - Wide Grip Lat Pulldowns: Example Video ***Alternate: Machine pulldowns / Wide Overhand Grip Pull-ups (weighted or assisted) 2 - Wide Grip Barbell Rows: Example Video ***Alternate: Cable or machine rows 3 - Rack Pulls (Barbell): Example Video Use a slightly wider, double overhand grip (easier on wrist) ***Alternate: Back extension machine or Smith machine 4 - Neutral Grip Lat Pulldowns: Example Video ***Alternate: Machine pulldowns / Neutral Grip Pull-ups (weighted or assisted) 5 - Bent Over Dumbbell Rows: Example Video ***Alternate: Cable or machine rows DAY 2: CHEST 1 - Incline Barbell Press: Example Video ***Alternate: Incline Dumbbell or Machine press 2 - Standing Cable Fly: Example Video Keep wrists locked ***Alternate: Machine or dumbbell fly 3 - Flat Dumbbell Press: Example Video ***Alternate: Flat Barbell or Machine press 4 - Incline Dumbbell/Kettlebell Fly: Example Video ***Alternate: Cable flys w/ low mounting point 5 - Dumbbell Push-Ups: Example Video Do not bend your wrist & use a wide grip ***Alternate:Dips (assisted or weighted) DAY 3: ARMS 1 - Lying Dumbbell Tricep Extension: Example Video ***Alternate:Tricep Kickbacks 2 - Hammer Curls: Example Video ***Alternate: Standing Cable Curls 3 - Tricep Press Machine: Example Video ***Alternate:Two Hand Standing Cable Tricep Pulldown 4 - Standing Two Hand Cable Curls: Example Video ***Alternate:EZ Bar Curls 5 - Dips: Example Video Do not do bench dips. That will cause wrist extension. Use a standing setup & keep wrist nuetral. If wrist still causes pain, perform one of the other alternate tricep exercises. ***Alternate:Machine Assisted Dips DAY 4: LEGS 1 - Hack Squat (Smith Machine): Example Video ***Alternate: Machine or Barbell Squats 2 - Static Lunge (Smith): Example Video ***Alternate:Walking Barbell Lunges or Unweighted Lunges 3 - Calf Press Machine: Example Video ***Alternate:Standing Smith Machine Calf Press 4 - Hamstring Curl Machine: Example Video ***Alternate:Should be several options for machines 5 - Leg Press: Example Video ***Alternate:Should be several options for machines DAY 5: SHOULDER/TRAPS 1 - Dumbbell Lateral Raises: Example Video Use lighter weight & be careful not to flex your wrists. ***Alternate:Cable lateral raise or lateral shoulder machine 2 - Barbell Shoulder Raise: Example Video ***Alternate:Shoulder raise machine or Dumbbell shoulder raises 3 - Barbell Front Raise: Example Video ***Alternate:Dumbbell front raise or cable front raise 4 - Hex Bar Shrugs: Example Video Neutral Grip ***Alternate:Dumbbell or machine shrugs 5 - Face Pulls: Example Video ***Alternate:Upright rows or Rear delt machine

Reebok RealFlex Run SE Review

I purchased these shoes because they were on sale. I didn’t really know what to expect with these shoes at all. I was surprised but not in a good way. These are the Reebok RealFlex Run SE. First off these shoes are really bright. There’s nothing wrong with a pop of color but I don’t like flashy things so that was an immediate turn off. The shoes are light and minimal, so if you like that sort of feeling these may be for you. I felt like I could feel everything in these. There isn’t a lot of ankle support, the insert is really flimsy and I could feel the “grippers” on the bottom of the shoe. I only used these shoes for a few sessions of circuit training. I wouldn’t even dare to take these out for a run. The shoes also run big. I don’t know what the original price of these were, but I got them on sale for $30. - Pacer

Nike Lunar Glide 4 Review

I decided to get these shoes because they were on sale. These are the Nike Lunar Glide 4. When the Glide 5 version launched, these went on sale. After doing a little research I found that there weren’t any big updates between the 4th and 5th version. These shoes took me a little longer to get used to. I was still getting hot spots after a couple of runs. After finally breaking them in, they felt better. I’ve only used them on shorter runs and on Sunday’s while doing circuit training. I don’t think that these shoes would hold up to the pounding I would put them through. A CheFit teammate also has these shoes and he alternates them as his daily running shoe. He likes them a lot. I am a heavier guy so I tend to push the support & cushioning of my shoes more. Four miles would be my limit in these. For our circuit training these are great. They are light enough to feel agile in them and contain enough support for plyometric exercises. These shoes do take a little longer to break in and still feel a little stiff. There aren’t any real ridges on the bottom of the shoe so I feel like I tend to slide if the ground is slick. Aesthetically the upper looks and feels cool, but the bottom Lunarlon material doesn’t look good. Original price: $110 - $120 I’ve put about 100 miles on these shoes. - Pacer

Brooks Glycerin 10 Review

I bought this model of Brooks because I having a trouble with the toes on my right foot. The Glycerin model is the top of the line Brooks shoe. I’ve tried their Trance model as well, but they hurt both of my feet. This is the Brooks Glycerin 10. With that being said, I’m in love with this shoe. I use the Glycerin for my daily runner. I do have the Adrenaline GTS which I use if I’m going to be upping my pace. I also have the Cadence but reserve that strictly for speed work. Using a lighter shoe as my daily running shoe had me a little bit worried. They aren’t that heavy to where you’re going to need some time to adjust. I laced these shoes up and didn’t feel like I would have a problem. I’m able to add a little speed with no issues. There’s enough cushion and support that as you fatigue and your form suffers, these shoes will help with your foot landing. Usually I go no more than 250 miles in any shoe because I tend to wear them out quickly. I can usually feel pain in my knees and calves when this starts to occur. I’ve gone over 360 miles and I’ve just reached the point to where I need a new pair. My new pair of shoes will be the Brooks Glycerin 11. There are a few negatives with this shoe however. At the tip of the toe you can see the shiny rubber flairs downward into the sole of the shoe. At that point where the rubber and shoe cloth meets, the cloth frayed pretty quickly. There’s a second layer of cloth there so you don’t have a gaping hole all the way through. The price might be a little on the high end at $150. - Pacer

TuneBand Review

One of my favorite running accessories is the Tune Band for the iPhone. I think I’ve gone through about 6 or 7 of them. Not because of the quality but for other circumstances (ex. phone upgrade, lost them, dog chewed it). The part that goes around your phone is rubber and band is primarily Velcro with a little elastic. I use it whenever I run which is four to five times a week. The one thing that I don’t like is as the band gets older, the plastic loop gets loose and as you’re running it will twist. This is apparent in the second picture. So when it’s on your arm you will feel it loosen up as you’re working out, but with a simple adjustment it will work fine. I’ve used the plastic cover arm cases, but I sweat so much that the plastic would fog and it has ruined 2 phones of mine due to the moisture staying in the case and getting into the open parts of your phone. I haven’t had any problems like that with this. I highly recommend this product for anyone looking for a new phone armband. - Pacer

Black Diamond Revolt Headlamp Review

If you’re going to be out running, hiking, or camping at night this headlamp could be for you. It’s sturdy enough so that when you put it on your head and out running, it won’t bounce too much. It’s also light enough that you will forget that you have it on. I’ve used it on my head and around my wrist. The 110 lumens work really well in pitch black conditions. You can use 3 normal triple A batteries but it also comes with 3 rechargeable batteries. You can recharge them with the USB cable provided. It has 1 Triple Power LED, 2 Single power LED, and a Red LED. It also has a strobe setting. It was about $80 but well worth the price. REVOLT HEADLAMP - Pacer

Adidas Compression Sleeve Review

There isn’t much that I can say about these Adidas Compression Calf Sleeces. First off the quality was terrible, the sleeves didn’t compress at all, and they were a complete waste of money. I wore them once and after a wash I pulled this out of the washer. I thought at had gotten caught on to something and shredded it, but as you can see the other one was also starting to fall apart. This could be a one experience, but I didn’t enjoy wearing these at all. - Pacer