Aikido practitioners typically stretch their hands and wrists before beginning practice, which is important preparation for a martial art that uses wrist and joint locks to control and throw opponents. The order and details of the exercises may vary slightly from school to school, but the movements included in this part of the aikido warm-up routine are essentially the same for all students.
Learning the Exercises
Wrist-stretching exercises in aikido are done five or 10 times on first the left, and then on the right hand. While the exercises are not difficult to perform, beginners often fail to understand the purpose and correct form and so don't receive all of the benefits of the stretches. The best way to avoid this is to learn the exercises from an experienced aikido instructor. When you attend formal classes, you will find they are often taught and practiced before each workout.
The Wrist Turn-in
In their classic text, "Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere," A. Westerbrook and O. Ratti describe the basic wrist turn-in: "Grasp the back of your left hand with your right hand, your right thumb circling your left thumb. Now draw both hands up close to your upper chest (keeping your elbows down), flexing and stretching your left wrist inward until the fingers of your left hand touch your left forearm if possible." Release the pressure, return to the starting position and repeat.
The Wrist Turn-out
To practice the wrist turn-out, according to Roy Suenaka, author of "Complete Aikido," "Hold your left hand so your fingers are just below your chin, and the palm is facing outwards, to the left. Keep your left thumb in and your elbow down. Grasp your left hand with your right, wrapping your fingers around the base of your left thumb, and pressing your right thumb into the back of your left wrist, just below the second and third knuckles." You then bring your hands together downward, close to your navel. Release the pressure, return to the starting position and repeat.
Other Exercises
One exercise stretches the ligaments around the wrist by pushing the palm away from the body with the opposite hand pressed against the back of the hand being stretched. Another exercise begins with an outstretched hand, thumb down. The other hand grips the back of the outstretched hand and turns it upward, raising the fingers in the direction of the sky. The edge of the stretched hand near the little finger is then pulled toward the face. A wrist, hand and forearm stretch is done by grasping the fingers of a hand held palm up and rolling the hand being stretched forward by pushing outward and downward on the ends of the fingers. The hands move in a circular motion.
References
- "Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere, An Illustrated Introduction"; A. Westerbrook and O. Ratti; 1970
- "Complete Aikido"; Roy Suenaka with Christopher Watson; 1992
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