Usually, those who want to look good focus on exercising their body. Especially the buttocks, chest, abdomen and legs. The more toned they are in these areas of the body, the greater the personal gratification they experience and the better they feel about themselves.
In reality, those who exercise do so to improve their physical appearance and not to gain more strength. This is only the case for a minority. However, strength plays a very important role in the different activities we perform throughout the day, from opening a door, to closing the lid of a jar.
Now, no matter what task we are going to perform, one of the parts of the body that we use the most, consciously or unconsciously, are the hands and feet, which includes the fingers. Therefore, is it important to exercise them to strengthen them? Of course! But how can we do it? What is the procedure we should follow? What do we need for this?
During this article we will be answering these and other questions. So, when you finish reading it, you have the necessary knowledge to properly exercise your fingers, without the slightest risk of suffering some type of injury due to a bad movement.
In fact, you can get down to work today, to strengthen your fingers and improve their ability to respond to the different stimuli we give them. For example, when typing on the computer, when holding an object, when applying force to open a door, etc.
Therefore, get comfortable and pay attention to the following instructions. You will see that you will not regret having invested just a couple of minutes in getting skills that will be useful for life and to perform different types of activities, both simple and complex.
Instructions for exercising your fingers
The fingers of the hands allow us to hold objects, point, give instructions, exert force, etc. While the toes make it possible for us to maintain balance, that we can walk on different types of terrain and that we do it with balance and precision. Hence the importance of exercising them constantly.
But how can we exercise our fingers? Following the instructions below:
- Keep your fist clenched. The idea is that your thumb stays on the other fingers, without hiding it. Press for about 30 seconds or a minute. Then, open your hand and stretch your fingers as much as possible. If you notice that you cannot do more than 4 repetitions of this exercise, do not let the parrot go away! That’s only indicative of a lack of training. Do as much as you can without straining your muscles too much. The more times you try you will notice that you will be able to do more repetitions.
- Rest your hands on a flat surface. Place your hands on a board or some other similar surface and support it by flattening it as much as possible. Hold this same position for about 30 seconds or a minute. Then, leave the position and relax your hand. You can start by doing about 4 repetitions in each hand.
- Squeeze a ball over and over again. Thanks to this exercise you will be able to strengthen your grip. The correct way to do this is by holding a ball in the palm of your hand and then squeezing it tightly for about 5 seconds. Then, you can release it and repeat the exercise 10 to 15 times, if possible. It is important that you do not overdo it 2 or 3 times a week, because rest plays a fundamental role in strengthening the muscles of the hand and fingers.
- Do claw exercises. This exercise involves placing your hands facing you, so that you can see your palms. Then, bend your fingers by making the tips rest on their joints. In such a way that, in sight, your hand will be similar to the claw of a feline. Hold that same position for 30 seconds or a minute. Then, leave it and rest. If possible, do four repetitions of this same exercise on each of your hands.
- Touch all your fingers with your thumb. Touch each finger with your thumb. When doing so, make sure that with each touch you manage to form a circle. You can also touch the pads of your fingers with your thumb, forming an oval or egg. Try doing 4 repetitions of this exercise.
- Use a play dough, soft clay, or a soft ball to pinch a little using your fingers and thumb. Hold the pinch for 30 seconds and release. If possible, do about 10 or 15 repetitions. You can do this exercise about 2 or 3 times a week, leaving intermediate days to rest.
- Raise your fingers. Place your hands on a table, or other smooth surface, palms down. Then, lift each of your fingers, including your thumb, one by one and lower them again. Do about 4 repetitions of this exercise in each hand.
How to exercise your toes
There are different ways to exercise your toes. You can try the following:
- Lift your toes. To do this, you must stand barefoot on the floor and try to lift each of your fingers, one by one. While it is true that this might be a bit difficult at first, you can try it at least once a day. This exercise will be very useful to strengthen and make your toes more flexible.
- Tread with your fingers. While barefoot, take a few steps while standing on tiptoe. Although this is a challenge to maintain balance, it will give you the opportunity to determine how strong your toes are.
- Lift your foot, point and bend your toes. The first step is to get up by supporting yourself with the front of your feet. Tiptoe your foot and bend your toes down, while balancing with the opposite foot. Hold this position for about 5 seconds, return to the starting position and repeat the exercise with the other foot.
- Stretch your foot with an elastic band. This should be done while sitting with your legs extended. Place an elastic band around your foot, below your toes. Then, stretch your foot in the direction of the shin until you can feel the tension of the band. Then, do it with the other foot.
- Lift objects with your toes. Instead of bending over to grab objects that have fallen on you, do it with your toes. For example, a pencil, a flannel or some other small object. Hold it on your fingers for about 6 seconds before changing position. This is a very easy exercise to do and you can do it at any time of the day.
- Walk on rocks. Of course, you need to make sure they’re not sharp to avoid cutting yourself. Walk on them comfortably and naturally. This will cause the nerves of the feet that are related to those of the back to be exercised and both to be strengthened.
As you may have noticed, these are very easy exercises to perform. But what do you need to be able to carry them out?
What do you need to exercise your fingers?
Actually, you don’t need many things to exercise your fingers. On the other hand, the few you need, are at your fingertips. So, you don’t have to go out and buy it or invest money to acquire it. Some of the basic things you will need are the following:
- Dull rocks.
- An elastic band for exercise.
- A pencil or some other similar object that you can lift with your foot.
- A piece of plasticine or soft clay.
- A rubber ball.
- A flat, smooth surface, such as a wooden wall or table.
In addition to these things, you’re going to need to gain from exercising your fingers and perseverance to do it. Something that will help you not throw in the towel is to establish a simple training routine that you can do every two or three days. You will see that the results begin to be noticeable after a short time.
Tips for exercising your fingers
If possible, do the exercises at home in front of the mirror. This will give you the opportunity to check the way you are doing them, monitor your performance from different angles and make any necessary corrections.
In case you are not sure how to do any exercise, it is best to ask for the advice of a professional trainer, to provide you with the proper technique when executing the movements.
If you have suffered from any injuries, such as a sprain or fracture, consult your doctor before starting a finger exercise routine, as this could worsen your current condition.
Don’t go beyond your safety limits. The moment you feel pain, you should stop, because that is the indication that your body needs to rest and that you exceeded what you used to do normally.
In case the pain is very intense, do not assume that it is something normal or temporary. Go to the doctor to check your condition, since you may have torn a muscle or suffered a sprain. In any case, it is better to be safe than sorry afterwards.
Now, if you put these suggestions into practice along with the training routine to exercise your fingers and toes, in a short time they will strengthen and help you perform your tasks much faster and more efficiently.