Today's tip is all about the wrists since our studio-wide focus this month is inversions and arm balances. These poses (and even classic poses like down dog) require a lot of load on the wrists which most of us aren't adapted to bearing a lot of load on our hands.

One of the most common complaints I hear when we start yoga or practicing more inversions/arm balances is...

“My wrists hurt!”

Here’s one simple tip that makes a world of difference:

👉 Distribute your weight through your entire hand — not just your wrists.

Instead of collapsing into the heels of your hands, try clawing the mat slightly with your fingertips. Think of the little suction cup pads on that tree frogs have and pretend your fingertips had those suction cup pads.

This activates the small muscles of your hands and forearms, taking pressure off your wrists and creating a more solid base.

If you want to build even more wrist strength, I have a previously recorded quick 3-minute video showing one of my favorite prep exercises:

🎥 Palm Raises for Stronger Wrists

A few rounds of palm raises each week will help you feel more supported in plank, crow, and even simple downdog — without overloading your wrists.

Remember: strength starts from the ground up — literally.

Stay strong,
💜 Samantha