8 Muscle Groups You Can't Ignore

Photo by: Jessica Smith

Wrist Muscles

Many women find exercises like push-ups, triceps dips, or simply lifting heavier weight stressful on the wrists. Holding a dumbbell during the move below helps strengthen the wrist in two ways: the flexors and extensors of the forearm help to keep the dumbbell in a neutral position during the exercise and prevent the wrist from bending from side to side, say Collier and Dull.

Best Exercise: Triceps Extensions
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Photo by: Jessica Smith

Wrist Muscles

Many women find exercises like push-ups, triceps dips, or simply lifting heavier weight stressful on the wrists. Holding a dumbbell during the move below helps strengthen the wrist in two ways: the flexors and extensors of the forearm help to keep the dumbbell in a neutral position during the exercise and prevent the wrist from bending from side to side, say Collier and Dull.

Best Exercise: Triceps Extensions
You'll strengthen both your wrist and your triceps properly with this move. To start, sit on a stability ball, holding dumbbells in each hand close to your chest. Slowly walk your feet away from the ball and lie back onto it so that it's just under your shoulders (head and neck are supported by the ball), keeping your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Extend your arms straight up to the ceiling and then bend your elbows, lowering each weight past your ears while keeping the upper part of your arm stationary. Next, slowly extend your arms back up towards the ceiling, keeping your elbows over your shoulders and upper arm still. Do 3 sets of 8-12 reps. (Don't have a stability ball? No problem, you can do this move lying on the ground on your back, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.) less