Exercise tips: 6 wrist-weight exercises for your upper body

Best exercises: Bicep curls with wrist weights effectively target the biceps, enhancing muscle definition and strength (Image: Canva)

A workout routine with wrist weights can transform your upper body strength and endurance. These small yet powerful tools add resistance to your exercises, helping you build muscle and burn calories more effectively. Whether you are a fitness enthusiast or a beginner looking to enhance your routine, wrist-weight exercises offer a versatile and efficient way to target your upper body.

Here’s a look at a variety of exercises that can be performed with wrist weights along with their benefits:

Bicep Curls

Bicep curls with wrist weights effectively target the biceps, enhancing muscle definition and strength. The added resistance from the wrist weights increases the intensity of the exercise, promoting greater muscle growth and endurance.

Steps:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your arms at your sides with palms facing forward.
• Secure the wrist weights snugly around your wrists.
• Slowly curl your arms towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your torso.
• Pause at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.

Best exercises: Tricep extensions focus on the triceps, helping to tone and strengthen the back of your upper arms (Image: Canva)

Tricep Extensions

Tricep extensions focus on the triceps, helping to tone and strengthen the back of your upper arms. The wrist weights add extra resistance, making the exercise more challenging and effective for muscle development.

Steps:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, holding one arm straight overhead.
• Bend your elbow to lower your forearm behind your head.
• Extend your arm back to the starting position, keeping your upper arm stationary.
• Repeat with the other arm.

Best exercises: Shoulder presses engage the deltoids, triceps, and upper chest muscles (Image: Canva)

Shoulder Presses

Shoulder presses engage the deltoids, triceps, and upper chest muscles. Adding wrist weights increases the load on these muscles, improving shoulder strength and stability.

Steps:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding your arms at a 90-degree angle with palms facing forward.
• Press your arms upward until they are fully extended above your head.
• Lower your arms back to the starting position.

Front raises target the anterior deltoids, enhancing shoulder strength and definition. The wrist weights provide additional resistance, making the exercise more effective for building upper body muscle.

Steps:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides with palms facing your thighs.
• Lift your arms straight in front of you until they are at shoulder height.
• Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.

Lateral raises focus on the lateral deltoids, helping to broaden and strengthen your shoulders. Wrist weights add resistance, increasing the intensity and effectiveness of the workout.

Steps:

• Stand with your feet hip-width apart, arms at your sides with palms facing inward.
• Lift your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
• Slowly lower your arms back to the starting position.

Bent-over rows work the upper back, shoulders, and biceps. The additional resistance from wrist weights enhances muscle engagement, promoting strength and stability in the upper body.

Steps:

• Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, bend your knees slightly, and hinge at the hips to lean forward.
• Extend your arms down towards the floor with palms facing each other.
• Pull your arms back towards your waist, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
• Lower your arms back to the starting position.