According to Upwork, nearly 25% of American workers are still working from home—setting up shop on whatever dresser, bed, couch, or kitchen space they have. That statistic is only expected to grow by 2025 as more and more work can be done from the comfort of home.
And, while offices have progressed by leaps and bounds in the world of ergonomics, new at-home workers are now facing unexpected working locations and creating setups that cause damage to shoulders, wrists, and backs. For those experiencing symptoms of carpal tunnel or tendonitis, consider these seven at-home fitness routines from a wide range of exercise methods, all wrist-friendly to keep your wrists safe from further harm.
1. 15-Minute Barre Cardio
Get your inner ballerina on with FitbyMik, also known as Mikala Czubak, who leads a 15-minute barre routine that’s guaranteed to get your heart pumping and your thighs burning.
For those who have never tried Barre previously, Barre is a form of exercise derived from ballet, incorporating moves from yoga and pilates. Though fairly short, this 15-minute cardio workout is a great boost before moving on to strength training or target training and involves no wrist use to help your body recover from the WFH life.
Workout Video: 15 min BARRE HIIT CARDIO WORKOUT | Wrist Free | No Equipment
2. 30-Minute Intermediate Yoga
If you’re looking for a low-key video, forget it. Move With James does just what he promises in the name of his channel — get you to move. By the end of this video, my glutes were worked and my body was shaking. James was the yoga instructor I never knew I needed — calm, collected, put-together — all the while taking me through intense flows that I never thought I’d be able to do.
Workout Video: Hands Free / Wrist Free Power Vinyasa Yoga: Intermediate / Level 2+
3. 30-Minute Calorie-Burning Tabata
Tabata is a type of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) that follows a 20 second on 10 second off workout routine. This 30-minute Tabata session with fitness instructor Olivia Lawson left me huffing and puffing at the end of the video — in the best way possible. Throughout the video, you go through four separate circuits with moves ranging from high knees to jumping lunges. Your body may be quivering, but rest assured your wrists will be safe from any sort of damage, as this video keeps you on your toes throughout the full duration.
Workout Video: 30 MIN CALORIE KILLER SWEATY ALL STANDING TABATA HIIT WORKOUT
4. 15-Minute Core Training
Another FitbyMik video, this core exercise follows a pacing of 45 seconds on 15 seconds off, and incorporates moves ranging from side plank dips and bicycles to scissor splits and the traditional crunch. Call me weak, but I felt this in my core for the next 48 hours, leaving me both sore and satisfied.
Workout Video: 15 min INTENSE CORE WORKOUT // No Wrists
5. 10-Minute Lower Belly Zumba Class
Dance your heart out with this quick 10-minute zumba routine for an early morning or afternoon workout. Zumba first originated in Colombia in the mid-1990’s, created by Colombian aerobics instructor, Alberto “Beto” Perez. Since then, Zumba has grown in popularity to expand across more than 180 countries with over 200,000 locations across the globe.
Using bellydance-like choreography, the Zumba instructors in this video help tone your core through fun and simple movements. Squeeze in this workout before work, during lunch, or right before you go to bed and feel it in your abs.
Workout Video: Intense Aerobic Workout 🔥Burn Lower Belly Fat | Zumba Class
6. 30-Minute Standing HIIT Workout
While this video may be high intensity, thanks to Olivia Lawson’s wrist-friendly alterations, it’s entirely low impact and meant to keep your wrists from further harm. Crunch, squat, and tap your way through this 50 second on 10 second off HIIT routine, designed to make your body sweat. Despite being a HIIT workout, this video does not include any jumping, so for those experiencing knee pain as well — this video is for you!
Workout Video: 30 MIN WRIST FRIENDLY ALL STANDING HIIT WORKOUT
7. 40-Minute Fat-Blasting Power Pilates
Don’t let the lack of cardio deter you. This 40-minute power pilates is a full-on workout that left my muscles screaming the next day. Incorporating her prior experience as a professional ballet dancer, fitness instructor Desiree Errico will have your body bend and twist in small, but powerful ways to enhance strength and flexibility. As a mind and body exercise, each movement should contain careful concentration to make sure the move is done slowly and with precision.
Workout Video: 40 MIN POWER PILATES TO SHED FAT | Int/Adv Cardio | Wrist Friendly | + Warm Up | Burn 400 Calories!
Give your wrists some extra love with one of these seven wrist-friendly workout videos. Try them all and let us know your favorite ones!
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Photo: Anna Shevets via Pexels
