Training wrist and shoulder strength for gymnastics?

Question

This is mainly about wrist strength and flexibility.

Doing various things, such as round offs, and pop handstands, and attempting back handsprings. Hurt my wrists, mostly because they are pretty week, as far a muscle goes, although there pretty flexible in most ways.

What I need to know is:

Some wrist stretches for gymnastics, I already know a few, but they are for martial arts, which doesn't have quite the same goals.

And, I need to know some do it at home wrist exercises, for building strength. I have access to a gym, which I try and go to three times a week, but I want something to do at home. So suggestions which involve weights are welcome, but not what i am looking for.

Also, my shoulders can't really take the impact from pop handstands, and I can exert no force in any direction what-so-ever while doing back hand springs. I have flexibility covered, but I need more strength.

For all of these I want exercises not general advice, since I already know plenty there

Answer 1

Some exercises I find effective (because I take Mixed Martial Arts) are doing knukle pushups balencing on your index and middle finger's knukles. Also back of you hand push ups. hope this helps.

Answer 2

Having pain in your wrists and being weak arently necessarily related.  Sometimes, not always.  Usually when one of my gymnasts complains of wrist pain is it caused by contacting the floor with the wrong hand placement. For your handstand pops, try turning your fingers toward eachother about 45 degrees.  You may not notice a huge difference because you already have pain, but it will start to improve some.  We call it "Hershey kiss" hands because when your thumb and first finger touch it looks like the candy.  I'm sure the placement is not 100% the problem so for some wrist strength, try a normal push-up position with flat and hands and try to straighten your wrists so you are more balanced on the base of your knuckles and fingers.  This wrist extension will also help you with your back handspring because you will be able to push off the floor stronger and faster.

The pain and weakeness during your back handspring is all about placement and speed.  I'm going to suggest that your arm placement during the handspring is too wide.  That will cause you to be very weak, slow, and feel very heavy on your hands.  

Try this for an example of what I mean.  Put your arms locked out above your head with fingers close and shoulders extended up as far as you can reach.  Have some push on your hands to try and bend them and they won't be able to.  Then try widening your hands so it's like a "Y" shape and very slightly bend your arms and try to hold them there while they push.  It is MUCH harded to do.

All in all, try the push-up position wrist extensions and when you get better, have someone spot you on handstand wrist extensions.  For clarification about the width of your arms during the b. handspring, ask your coach and maybe try some on the tramp.  We use tennis headbands around the arms to keep them together.  When you learn to keep your body in alignment with your arms pulled close to your head, things will get much better (less painful and much faster and stronger).

Don't expect things to magically feel better as you've already injured the joint and tissue and it needs to heal.  Good luck!