Wrist & forearm flow
The wrist taken slowly through full bend and full extension and the forearm turned palm up and palm down: active movement with no load, the first stage of an NHS wrist programme, before stretching the wrist or putting weight through it.
Wrist mobility family
Wrist & forearm flow
DemandEasy
Equipment requiredBodyweight
Muscle focusForearms
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Source-researched guide. Clinical review is pending.
How to move
- Reach one arm forward, palm down, the elbow softly straight.
- Let the hand drop into a full bend, then lift it into full extension: ten slow repetitions.
- Turn the forearm palm up and palm down ten times, the elbow still; then spread the fingers wide five times and change arms.
Form cues
- Slow end ranges matter more than speed.
- Turn from the forearm, not by swinging the elbow.
Practice and cautions
No universal dose is assigned. Choose a manageable amount for your current capacity, leave room for controlled repetitions, and allow recovery. A clinician’s individual plan takes priority.
This is movement education, not an assessment or treatment prescription. Stop for sharp or increasing pain, dizziness, numbness or tingling; seek individual guidance for symptoms, injury or restrictions.
Sources and review status
Sources support the educational description; they do not establish that this exercise is suitable for you.
No variation is labeled clinically validated.
What it works
Muscles
Main: Forearms.
Anatomy: Brachioradialis, Wrist and finger flexors, Wrist and finger extensors, Pronator teres.
Equipment
None: body weight and floor space.
Level
Beginner. See the easier and harder options above.
Workouts that use it
- Wrist and forearm routine · 10 min
- Handstand progression · 25 min
- Arthritis exercise routine: a joint-friendly circuit · 30 min
- Hand exercises for rheumatoid arthritis (the SARAH programme) · 15 min
- Full-body calisthenics workout · 45 min
- Joint care workout: move and strengthen every joint · 25 min
- Grip strength workout: squeezes, curls, carries and hangs · 20 min
- Mobility routine for cyclists · 15 min
Show all 82 workoutsShow fewer workouts
- Golf warm-up · 10 min
- Racket sport warm-up · 12 min
- Climbing warm-up · 15 min
- Push-up challenge workout · 15 min
- Pickleball warm-up · 10 min
- Boxing fitness workout: shadow boxing and bag rounds · 35 min
- CrossFit warm-up and mobility routine: shoulders, wrists, hips and ankles · 15 min
- Gymnastics conditioning workout: jumps, landings, wrists, shoulders and trunk · 45 min
- Gymnastics warm-up: wrists, shoulders, spine, hips and landings · 15 min
- Skateboarding warm-up: ankles, wrists, landings and how to fall · 12 min
- Strength and landing workout for skateboarders: legs, ankles, wrists and core · 45 min
- Weightlifting technique workout: the snatch and the clean and jerk from the top down · 60 min
- Weightlifting strength workout: front squats, clean pulls and push presses · 65 min
- Table tennis warm-up · 10 min
- Learn the power clean: from the hang to the floor · 40 min
- Front squat technique workout: the rack, the grip and the depth · 30 min
- Snowboarding warm-up: a 10-minute routine for the top of the slope · 10 min
- Strength and landing workout for snowboarders: legs, trunk rotation, landings and wrists · 45 min
- Paddling warm-up: shoulders, trunk and wrists before kayaking, canoeing or paddleboarding · 8 min
- Strength and landing workout for cheerleaders: legs, shoulders, trunk, wrists and landings · 50 min
- Cheerleading warm-up: wrists, shoulders, spine, hips and landings before stunting · 15 min
- Scleroderma hand and mouth exercises: a daily stretching routine · 12 min
- Dryland workout for divers: take-off jumps, landings, legs, wrists, shoulders and entry shapes · 45 min
- Diving warm-up: wrists, shoulders, spine, hips and take-off jumps on the poolside · 15 min
- Sailing warm-up: safety checks, legs for hiking, back, shoulders and hands before you launch · 10 min
- Windsurfing, kitesurfing and wing foiling warm-up: kit checks, mobility and landings on the beach · 12 min
- Pole conditioning workout: hangs and pulls, shoulders, inverts, hamstrings, inner thighs and grip, off the pole · 45 min
- Pole dance warm-up: wrists, shoulders, spine, hips and a graded hang before class · 15 min
- Aerial conditioning workout: pull-ups, hangs, inversions, shoulders, grip and landings for silks, hoop and trapeze · 50 min
- Aerial warm-up: shoulders, wrists, fingers, a graded hang and a tuck before silks, hoop or trapeze · 15 min
- Parkour strength and landing workout: landings, precision jumps, rolls, climb-up strength, legs and calves · 50 min
- Parkour warm-up: jog, ankles, hips, wrists, crawls, landings and rolls · 15 min
- Yoga for arthritis: a 30-minute joint-friendly class with a chair · 30 min
- L-sit progression workout · 20 min
- Planche progression workout · 30 min
- Learn the jerk: dip, drive and split, then the clean and jerk · 45 min
- Forearm workout: hammer curls, reverse curls and Zottman curls · 25 min
- Arm supersets: push-up steps with rows, curls with triceps · 20 min
- 10-minute desk yoga routine: seated and standing · 10 min
- Bicep workout: curls with your arm in three positions, plus hammer curls · 30 min
- Thruster workout: learn the squat-to-press, then an 8-minute EMOM · 35 min
- Handstand push-up progression: pike push-ups to the wall · 30 min
- One-arm push-up progression: archer push-ups to one arm · 30 min
- Yoga for neuropathy: a 25-minute class in shoes, sitting then at a counter · 25 min
- Clap push-up progression: from wall bounces to clap push-ups · 25 min
- Yoga for carpal tunnel: a 25-minute wrist-free class with nerve and tendon glides · 25 min
- Yoga for cyclists: 25 minutes after a ride or on a rest day · 25 min
- Battle rope workout for beginners: 30-second waves, building to 10 rounds · 25 min
- Yoga for wrists: a 20-minute class that warms, strengthens and slowly loads the wrists · 20 min
- Dead hang progression workout: supported hangs to 60 seconds · 20 min
- Crawling workout: bear crawls, crab walks and inchworms (20 minutes, no equipment) · 20 min
- Human flag strength workout: the pulling, pressing and side-trunk strength behind the flag · 35 min
- Cable arm workout: curls and triceps on one cable station · 35 min
- Yoga for arms: a 20-minute arm and shoulder class with a band row · 20 min
- Martial arts yoga: a 25-minute active-range class for hips, kicks, balance and breathing · 25 min
- Breathe, move and rest: a 30-minute gentle yoga class for rheumatoid arthritis, mostly in a chair, with a flare-day version · 30 min
- Off-the-wall yoga for climbers: a 25-minute class for hips, shoulders, forearms and recovery · 25 min
- More push-ups workout: harder sets, quick practice sets and a pull · 30 min
- Arm exercises for seniors: push, pull, curl, press and carry, seated or standing · 25 min
- Wrist-free Pilates for carpal tunnel: a 25-minute class with nerve and tendon glides and no weight on your palms · 25 min
- Grip-light Pilates for tennis elbow: a 25-minute class with a 10-minute forearm loading block · 25 min
- Wrist-kind Pilates: a 25-minute class on your forearms, with a wrist strength block and steps back onto your hands · 25 min
- Yoga for tennis elbow: a 25-minute grip-light class with a 10-minute forearm loading block · 25 min
- Grip-light Pilates for golfer's elbow: a 25-minute class with a 10-minute wrist flexor loading block · 25 min
- V-sit progression: from the boat pose to the V-sit hold and the gymnastic V-sit · 20 min
- Yoga for rowers: a 25-minute class for the hips at the catch, back endurance and the upper back, off the water · 25 min
- Yoga for gymnasts: a 25-minute control class for wrists, shoulders, the trunk and active range, with no extra stretching · 25 min
- Yoga for pickleball players: a 25-minute class at a counter for calves, one-leg balance and stepping, standing strength, and the paddle shoulder and forearm, with nothing head-down · 25 min
- Yoga for CrossFit: a 25-minute recovery-day class for wrists, shoulder blades and the upper back, long, quiet hip holds and slow breathing · 25 min
- Control Pilates for gymnasts: a 25-minute class for trunk endurance, shoulder blades without weight on your hands, hips you control and the landing leg, with no extra stretching · 25 min
- Off-day Pilates for CrossFit: a 25-minute class for the pelvic floor, trunk control while you breathe, shoulders for hanging and overhead, wrists and hips for landing · 25 min
- Yoga for skateboarders: a 25-minute class for ankles and one-leg balance, the riding stance, wrists in stages, hips and the back, after skating or on a rest day · 25 min
- Yoga for golfer's elbow: a 25-minute grip-light class with a 10-minute wrist flexor loading block · 25 min
- Yoga for the hands: a 20-minute class for stiff fingers, grip and hand-friendly poses · 20 min
Pain guides that use it
Part of a staged plan, with when to get help first.
- Elbow pain: what it is likely to be, exercises that help, and when to get it checked
- Tennis elbow: exercises that help, and honest answers on straps and injections
- Golfer's elbow: a staged exercise plan for pain on the inside of the elbow
- Ulnar nerve entrapment (cubital tunnel syndrome): tingling fingers and what helps
- Pain at the front of the elbow: distal bicep tendonitis, tears and what to do
- Elbow arthritis and a stiff elbow: exercises to get your bend and straighten back
- Wrist and hand pain: what it might be, what helps, and when to get it checked
- Carpal tunnel syndrome: splints, exercises, injections and surgery, honestly compared
Show all 90 pain guidesShow fewer pain guides
- De Quervain's tenosynovitis: thumb-side wrist pain, what helps and how to move it
- Thumb arthritis: exercises, splints and easier ways to use your hand
- Arthritis in the hands and fingers: exercises that help and how to protect your joints
- Trigger finger and trigger thumb: splints, injections, surgery and gentle exercises
- Sprained wrist or broken? How to tell, the scaphoid fracture to rule out, and a rehab plan
- Wrist pain in push-ups and yoga: what to change now and how to build back
- Exercises after a broken wrist: the recovery stages, cast or surgery, and getting your grip back
- Exercises after a broken shoulder: the sling, pendulums and getting your arm moving again
- Finger pulley injury (climber's finger): grades, taping, rehab and getting back on the wall
- AC joint injury and pain: a separated shoulder, AC joint arthritis and weightlifter's shoulder
- Calcific tendonitis of the shoulder: the painful phase, what helps, and whether you need barbotage
- Exercises after a shoulder replacement: the stages, and the precautions for reverse and anatomic replacements
- Exercises after a broken elbow: the recovery stages and how to get your elbow straight again
- TFCC tear and pain on the little-finger side of the wrist: what helps, what a scan shows, and exercises
- Exercises after a broken hand or boxer's fracture: buddy strapping, the recovery stages and the warning signs
- Exercises after a broken collarbone: the sling, the recovery stages and getting back to sport
- Scaphoid fracture: the cast, when surgery helps, and exercises to get your wrist moving again
- Broken finger: buddy strapping, the warning signs and exercises to stop it stiffening
- Mallet finger: the splint, the 6 to 8 weeks, and getting your fingertip bending again
- Exercises after rotator cuff repair surgery: the sling, the recovery stages and the warning signs
- Recovery after carpal tunnel surgery: exercises, the scar and pillar pain, and getting back to work
- Little League elbow: inner elbow pain in young throwers, how long to rest, and the way back to throwing
- Dislocated elbow: what to do straight away, and the recovery stages after it is put back
- Skier's thumb: a torn ligament at the base of the thumb, splint or surgery, and the exercises
- Gymnast's wrist: growth plate pain in young gymnasts, how long to rest, and the way back to handstands
- Elbow OCD (osteochondritis dissecans): outer elbow pain in young throwers and gymnasts, and Panner's disease
- Ganglion cyst on the wrist, hand or foot: will it go away, should you drain it, and training with one
- Intersection syndrome: a creaking, painful forearm above the wrist in rowers, paddlers and skiers
- Dupuytren's contracture: treatment, hand therapy and keeping your hand strong
- Elbow bursitis: signs of infection, what helps, and protecting your elbow
- Kienböck's disease: when a wrist bone loses its blood supply, and what helps
- Broken arm: upper arm and forearm breaks, the nerve sign to report, and recovery
- Broken thumb: cast or surgery, Bennett's fractures, and getting grip and pinch back
- Child's broken elbow (supracondylar fracture): emergency signs and getting back to play
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS): early signs, treatment, and gentle, graded exercises
- Exercises after shoulder stabilisation surgery: recovery after a Bankart repair or Latarjet
- Jammed finger: buddy strapping, the swelling that lingers, and when it needs an X-ray
- Jersey finger: the fingertip that won't bend after a grab, why speed matters, and rehab after repair
- Boutonnière deformity: the middle joint that won't straighten, the splint, and exercises
- Dislocated finger: what to do, why not to pull it back yourself, and getting back to sport
- UCL injury of the elbow: rest and rehab or Tommy John surgery, and the way back to throwing
- Numb hands when cycling: which nerve, what to change on the bike today, and when to get it checked
- Wrist pain from typing: the keyboard and mouse, carpal tunnel, the tendons, breaks and what helps
- Forearm pain: tennis and golfer's elbow, the wrist tendons, nerves, a stress fracture and gripping
- Arm pain: the shoulder, elbow, forearm, a nerve from the neck or the heart, and how to build back
- Collarbone pain: a break, the AC and SC joints, the muscles, glands above it, and how to build back
- Thumb pain: the base of the thumb, the wrist side, a thumb that catches, an injury, and what helps
- Finger joint pain: arthritis, a jammed or sprained finger, trigger finger, swelling and what helps
- Elbow pain at night: tennis elbow, the funny-bone nerve, bursitis, arthritis and how to sleep
- Wrist and hand pain at night: carpal tunnel, arthritis, the tendons, night splints and how to sleep
- Wrist pain when lifting weights: presses, front squats, curls, grip, wraps and the TFCC
- Wrist pain in children: falls and buckle fractures, sprains, the gymnast's wrist, and when to worry
- Elbow pain in children and teens: a pulled elbow, falls, the throwing elbow, and when it's urgent
- Wrist pain in pregnancy: carpal tunnel, swelling, the thumb after the birth, and when to call
- Joint pain in menopause and perimenopause: aches, stiffness, hands and knees, HRT and what helps
- Elbow pain in women: tennis and golfer's elbow, work and babies, nerves, arthritis and the menopause
- Elbow pain in men: tennis and golfer's elbow, lifting and trade work, a torn biceps, nerves and gout
- Wrist pain in women: carpal tunnel, de Quervain's, thumb arthritis, fractures, pregnancy and babies
- Wrist pain in older adults: arthritis, carpal tunnel, pseudogout, falls and walking aids
- Elbow pain in older adults: arthritis, bursitis, tennis elbow, the ulnar nerve, and falls
- Wrist pain in men: falls and sport, a scaphoid fracture, the gym, ganglions, gout and work tools
- Hand pain in older adults: arthritis, trigger finger, Dupuytren's, carpal tunnel and gout
- Wrist pain when bending it back: push-ups, yoga, a fall, hidden ganglions and the scaphoid
- Elbow pain when straightening your arm: the back of the elbow, tennis elbow, stiffness, what helps
- Wrist pain when twisting: the little-finger side, the TFCC, tendons, the thumb side and what helps
- Elbow pain when bending your arm: the biceps tendon, the nerve, stiffness, children and what helps
- Wrist pain when doing bicep curls: the thumb side, the little-finger side, grip, bars and what helps
- Wrist pain when doing front squats: the front rack, stiff wrists and shoulders, grips and straps
- Wrist pain when doing planks: the wrist bent back, forearm planks, fists, handles and swaps
- Wrist pain when doing the bench press: the bent-back wrist, bar position, grip, wraps and swaps
- Wrist pain when doing pull-ups: the little-finger and thumb sides, grip, chin-ups and what helps
- Wrist pain when doing dips: the back of the wrist, bars and handles, depth, bench dips and swaps
- Wrist pain when overhead pressing: the bar in your hand, the bent-back wrist, grip and swaps
- Wrist pain when doing cleans: the catch, the rack, the little-finger side, the hook grip and swaps
- Wrist pain with kettlebells: the bell on your forearm, grip, the rack, the thumb side and what helps
- Wrist pain from tennis: the little-finger side, ECU tendon, TFCC, grips, the backhand and what helps
- Pickleball elbow: outer or inner elbow, the paddle and grip, the backhand, braces and what helps
- Wrist pain from golf: the lead wrist, the little-finger side, the hamate, mats and grip, and what helps
- Wrist pain from yoga: downward dog, plank and arm balances, where it hurts and what to change
- Wrist pain after Pilates: planks, leg pulls and the reformer, where it hurts and what to change
- Thumb pain from using a phone: texting thumb, scrolling, the tendons and base joint, and what helps
- Wrist pain from bowling: the thumb and little-finger sides, bowler's thumb, ball fit and what helps
Guides that use it
- Pilates for cyclists guide
- Pilates for climbers guide
- Pilates for lupus guide
- Pilates for rheumatoid arthritis guide
- Pilates for carpal tunnel guide
- Pilates for tennis elbow guide
- Pilates with wrist pain guide
- Pilates for golfer's elbow guide
Show all 100 guidesShow fewer guides
- Pilates for psoriatic arthritis guide
- Pilates for boxers guide
- Pilates for pickleball players guide
- Pilates for gymnasts guide
- Pilates for CrossFit guide
- Yoga for arthritis guide
- Desk yoga guide
- Yoga for neuropathy guide
- Yoga for carpal tunnel guide
- Yoga for cyclists guide
- Yoga for golfers guide
- Yoga for wrists guide
- Yoga for arms guide
- Yoga for martial arts guide
- Yoga for rheumatoid arthritis guide
- Yoga for tennis players guide
- Yoga for climbers guide
- Yoga for lupus guide
- Yoga for boxers guide
- Yoga for psoriatic arthritis guide
- Yoga for tennis elbow guide
- Yoga for trigger finger guide
- Yoga for rowers guide
- Yoga for gymnasts guide
- Yoga for pickleball players guide
- Yoga for CrossFit guide
- Yoga for skateboarders guide
- Yoga for golfer's elbow guide
- Yoga for the upper body guide
- Yoga for the hands guide
- Yoga for joint pain guide
- Joints guide
- Elbow joint guide
- Wrist and hand guide
- Fascia exercises guide
- Scar tissue guide
- Arms guide
- Hands guide
- Tennis elbow guide
- Exercise for arthritis
- Exercise for rheumatoid arthritis
- Exercise during and after cancer treatment
- Exercises for lymphoedema (lymphedema)
- Exercises for peripheral neuropathy
- Exercise for lupus
- Exercise for wheelchair users
- Exercise for psoriatic arthritis
- Exercise with Raynaud's
- Exercise with scleroderma
- Mobility guide
- Handstands guide
- Grip strength guide
- How to power clean guide
- How to front squat guide
- L-sits guide
- Planches guide
- How to do a clean and jerk guide
- Kettlebell clean guide
- Kettlebell snatch guide
- Thrusters guide
- Bear crawl guide
- Wall walks guide
- Push press guide
- Diamond push-ups guide
- Pike push-ups guide
- Clap push-ups guide
- Battle ropes guide
- Hang clean guide
- Renegade rows guide
- Zottman curls guide
- Drag curls guide
- Wrist curls guide
- Reverse curls guide
- Scapular pull-ups guide
- Scapular push-ups guide
- Crab walks guide
- Handstand push-ups guide
- Bench dips guide
- Incline push-ups guide
- Cable curls guide
- Do more push-ups guide
- Strengthen your wrists guide
- Wrist mobility guide
- Crow pose guide
- Cartwheel guide
- V-sit guide
- Cycling guide
- Climbing guide
- Pickleball guide
- Table tennis guide
- Snowboarding guide
- Cheerleading guide
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Questions people ask
What muscles does the Wrist & forearm flow work?
Mainly the forearms.
What equipment do I need for the Wrist & forearm flow?
No equipment: your body weight and a little floor space.
Is the Wrist & forearm flow good for beginners?
It is graded beginner, so it suits most people starting out. When it feels easy, try the Wrist flexor stretch.
What is an easier alternative to the Wrist & forearm flow?
Try the Wrist circles. It is the suggested step down from this move.
How do I make the Wrist & forearm flow harder?
Progress to the Wrist flexor stretch or the Quadruped wrist rocks. Follow that guide’s technique and any stated timing.