| How would you like to make your martial-arts | | | | room is important to wrist-lock artists. |
| more effective with just one adjustment in your | | | | Not only will it take more effort to trap you in a |
| daily routine? Believe it or not, you can increase | | | | wrist control, but you could pretend that your |
| your skill by stretching your wrists. No, I haven't | | | | "point of no return" is much earlier. Try pretending |
| lost my mind... | | | | to be at your breaking point, when you actually |
| Martial-Arts Stretches Everyday | | | | have more room to respond. It means that you'll |
| Most seasoned sports enthusiasts know that you | | | | have more time to counter the lock. (Use your |
| really have to stretch every single day, in order | | | | best acting ability.) |
| to improve. If you miss a day, you'll maintain your | | | | Effective Wrist-Stretching Routine |
| current level; if you skip two or three days of | | | | I use a variety of wrist-stretching exercises. I put |
| stretching, your muscles will tighten. You'll lose | | | | my palms flat on a table, arms bent at the wrists. |
| ground, so to speak. | | | | Then I do the same type of stretch but with the |
| You need to find a way to stretch every day. | | | | back of my hands and fingers flat, touching the |
| After all, you want to progress. Adding flexibility is | | | | table. |
| the goal. | | | | I also hold my hands in front of me, the palms |
| Wrist-Stretching Benefits | | | | and fingers each hand pressed flat against the |
| Work on stretching your wrists. | | | | other. I try to keep my fingers straight, like in the |
| Besides the possibility of preventing carpal tunnel | | | | "namaste" position. |
| syndrome, you'll add specific flexibility that will help | | | | I push with one hand, trying to bend the other |
| your skills. (Don't quote me on that -- I'm not a | | | | hand and fingers backward toward the same |
| doctor.) | | | | wrist. I increase the angle of the bend, as I gain |
| You'll injure your wrists less, if they are flexible. | | | | flexibility. |
| That should be obvious to most people. Also, | | | | You should collect your own set of wrist |
| when someone tries to wrist lock you, you'll have | | | | stretchers. |
| more space in which to respond. This extra wiggle | | | | |