Do Wrist Wraps Help With Planche Training?
The planche is one of the most impressive and challenging skills in calisthenics training, but it’s also notoriously tough on your wrists and shoulders. For many, wrist wraps become a go-to tool to ease the strain and push through progressions. Are wrist wraps worth the hype? While wrist wraps can offer several benefits, they are not a magic solution. Let’s explore how wrist wraps can support your planche journey, their benefits, limitations, and how to use them effectively.
Benefits of Wrist Wraps for Planche Training
1. Wrist Wraps Enhance Wrist Support
The planche places a tremendous amount of pressure on your wrists, which must remain stable while supporting your entire body weight. Wrist wraps provide additional support by compressing the joint, reducing strain on ligaments and tendons. This is particularly helpful for those progressing to advanced variations of the planche or have severe wrist pain when attempting any planche progression.
2. Wrist Wraps Offer Pain Relief
For those experiencing wrist discomfort or recovering from past injuries, wraps can reduce pain by stabilizing the joint and limiting excessive movement. This allows you to focus on your form and progress without being hindered by discomfort. In this way, the wrist wraps give you a wider base to hold your planche, spreading the pressure across a wider area.
3. Improved Wrist Alignment
Maintaining proper wrist alignment is crucial during planche holds. Wrist wraps help keep your wrists in a safer position, minimizing the risk of hyperextension or improper joint placement, especially as fatigue sets in. By keeping a neutral wrist position, you minimize the potential for injury by stacking your bodyweight over your wrists and into your hands.
4. Extended Training Durations
With the added support of wrist wraps, you can train longer and attempt more repetitions or hold times. This can accelerate progress while reducing the risk of overuse injuries. These longer hold times can help you break plateaus in your planche training and even improve your max hold times.
Limitations of Wrist Wraps When Training Planche & Other Skills
While wrist wraps are helpful, they have some major drawbacks to consider:
1. Dependency
Over-reliance on wrist wraps can lead to weaker wrists and reduced natural joint stability. For long-term progress, it’s essential to build strength in your wrists, forearms, and hands without external aids. Many calisthenics athletes, us included, fall into the habit of using wrist wraps on every push session. Due to this reliance on the added support from wearing wrist wraps, as soon as they come off many athletes that can hold a straddle planche, revert back to the tuck planche progression. An over dependency on wrist wraps, leads to weaker joints and can severely slow down progress for the planche, maltese, and handstand.
2. Masking Underlying Issues
Wrist wraps can sometimes cover up underlying problems such as wrist stiffness, poor flexibility, or insufficient strength. Ignoring these issues may lead to injuries over time. They can also lead to an overconfidence in one’s own skills. This overconfidence can lead to injury, especially when attempting difficult skills without the wrist wraps.
3. Not a Cure-All
Severe wrist pain or chronic discomfort should not be addressed solely with wraps. Instead, seek professional advice to identify and resolve the root cause. We all love to train, but your body needs to recover.
Best Practices for Using Wrist Wraps in Planche Training
1. Use Them Strategically
Save wrist wraps for advanced progressions or when your wrists feel particularly fatigued. For foundational movements, train without them to develop natural wrist strength. When you are doing attempts they are great to use, however for your regular sets we advise athletes to not wear wrist wraps.
2. Strengthen Your Wrists
Complement your planche training with wrist-strengthening exercises, such as:
- Wrist Curls: Target the muscles supporting the wrist joint.
- Reverse Wrist Curls: Strengthen the extensors.
- Fingertip Push-Ups: Build finger and wrist stability.
3. Improve Flexibility and Mobility
Tight wrists are more prone to pain during planche exercises. Incorporate stretches like palm stretches and wrist rotations to enhance mobility and reduce stiffness. By loosening your wrists and working on flexibility, pain will also disappear when performing advanced skills.
Alternatives to Wrist Wraps During Planche & Handstand Training
If you prefer not to use wrist wraps or want additional support options, consider these alternatives:
Parallettes
Parallettes reduce the degree of wrist extension, easing the pressure on your joints. They’re especially useful for beginners or those with limited wrist mobility. They also greatly help with wrist alignment by providing a visual aid between your wrist and the bars.
Resistance Bands
Using resistance bands can lighten the load during planche progressions, allowing you to practice form and build strength without overwhelming your wrists.
Gymnastics Rings
Gymnastics rings force you to take a supinated position and make it much easier to rotate the ditch of your elbow forward during planche progressions. During a supinated position, a lot more pressure is placed on the elbow joint instead of the wrists.
Conclusion: Are Wrist Wraps Worth Using?
Wrist wraps can be a valuable tool for planche training, providing support, reducing pain, and helping you train more effectively. However, they should be used as part of a balanced approach that includes wrist strengthening, flexibility work, and proper technique. By addressing the root causes of wrist discomfort and building a strong foundation, you can achieve planche mastery while keeping your wrists healthy and resilient.
To learn more about calisthenics training and when to use wrist wraps check out our blog.
