IT'S ALL IN YOUR HANDS

Imagine a life without hands? We use and abuse it without caring to rejuvenate its energy. It's now time you give your hands a thought and strengthen them to help them serve you for years on end.

The best part about hand exercises is that you can do it anywhere, anytime - while travelling to work, before going to bed, while studying, or even when cooking! Regular exercising of the hands helps relieve arthritis pain and strengthen them, especially against injuries that sportspersons and musicians like pianists, drummers and guitarists face. These exrecises can also allieviate you of pains from carpal tunnel syndrome. They are also beneficial for gymnasts. To begin with, relax your hands by stretching the fingers wide apart until you feel a weightlessness. Bring them back together and repeat for two minutes. Top this by closing your fist and rotating your wrists 10 times in a clockwise, and 10 times in anti-clockwise motion. Next, hold a tennis ball in your hand an squeeze it with a firm grip. Repeat this 10 times with both hands. This is a great way to relieve your hands of stress and improve movement and flexibility. There's one great exercise you can do when at work. Sit firm on your chair at a little less than arm's length from the table, place your hands at the edge of the table, and push only your hands, without making the chair move. Release the tension slowly. Repeat five times. Another way to strengthen your hands is by pressing your palms together as in prayer. Exert pressure from one palm onto the other. Wait till you feel the tension build in your arms and then release slowly. Repeat this exercise 10 times with each palm. It is extremely important that your hands are strong enough to have a firm grip, and for that you need firm wrists. While the usual style of firming wrists is by using grippers, you can use a bar or any conveniently heavy object at home. Start with light weights and slowly increase the heaviness. You can also sit across a table with your wrist dangling off the edge. Then bend your wrist up and down slowly. One great way to enhance finger strength is to write with the "wrong" hand, i.e., if you are a righthander, try writing a few words with your left and vice versa. You can also enhance finger flexibility by closing your fingers into a fist and opening them slowly and wide. Repeat this exercise at least 20 times for great benefit.You can also practice the "O" format of exercise. Join the tip of your thumb with each finger to form an "O". Everytime you release one "O", stretch that finger and relax. Moving up, now slowly start strengthening your shoulders. Stand straight and let your hands dangle next to you. Hold it till you begin to feel a heaviness. Then start moving your hands in small circles and slowly increase it to larger ones. You can also hold a stick in each hand and slowly raise your hands high up without bending your shoulders. This can be done either by sitting, standing or lying down and is extremely effective in curing a cold shoulder.  So gear up, strengthen your hands and enjoy a lifetime of health!