avatarAndrey Pilipets

Summary

Andrey Pilipets, an ACSM-certified online fitness trainer, introduces a hand workout routine to prevent and alleviate hand and wrist issues, particularly for writers and keyboard users, as part of the New Writers Welcome BootCamp Week 4.

Abstract

The article by Andrey Pilipets, a seasoned online fitness trainer with over a decade of experience, addresses the common issue of hand and wrist strain among writers and heavy keyboard users. Pilipets, who is also an editor for New Writers Welcome, emphasizes the importance of hand exercises to maintain muscle balance and prevent health issues such as carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger. He shares a simple one-minute towel exercise, demonstrated in an embedded video, to strengthen and relieve hand muscles. The routine is part of the New Writers Welcome BootCamp series, with previous weeks focusing on core strength and lower back pain. Pilipets encourages daily practice of the hand workout and invites feedback in the comments. He also acknowledges the support of the BootCamp community and provides his credentials and social media links for further engagement.

Opinions

  • The author identifies as a "keyboard warrior" and prefers using a keyboard over a smartphone for writing and editing tasks.
  • Typing for extended periods can lead to hand fatigue and muscle imbalance, which may result in numbness and potential health issues.
  • Common exercises like cycling, weightlifting, and climbing can exacerbate hand strain rather than alleviate it.
  • The author suffers from numbness in his hands during sleep, indicating the need for proactive hand exercises.
  • Pilipets believes that many traditional exercises can worsen hand conditions, and he advocates for specific exercises to prevent pain.
  • He has personal experience with hand and wrist conditions, both in himself and his students, and understands the impact they can have on daily life.
  • The article promotes a simple towel exercise as an effective method for maintaining hand health, suggesting it be done daily after writing or reading sessions.
  • The author expresses gratitude to the regular participants of the BootCamp and highlights the community aspect of the program.
  • Pilipets is open to receiving comments and feedback from participants who try the hand workout, fostering an interactive environment.
  • He provides full disclosure about his credentials and encourages readers to subscribe or join Medium for full access to his content, indicating a blend of professional advice and self-promotion.

New Writers Welcome BootCamp Week 4. Handy Workout.

Make your hands grateful to you

An adult’s hand with an infant’s foot. Wikipedia Commons

Are you a keyboard warrior?

I am. I write my stories every day. I edit your articles. I read, clap, comment. I even highlight (Shh! David may hear us).

I’m a Gen X guy so I prefer a keyboard. A smartphone is less convenient. The keyboard feels real, thank you very much. Clatter, clatter, clatter.

I’m a keyboard cat and I like my mouse. Click, click, click.

But I have an issue

My hands get tired after typing for a while. Some of my hand muscles work too much, the rest work too little or not at all. It creates an imbalance and can lead to potential health issues.

A lot of exercises make your hands feel worse, not better.

Cycling and lifting weights make your hands squeeze in the same position. Climbing is a great way to get your hands in trouble. My sport, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, has a lot of risky moves when you grab your opponent’s clothes. My hands get numb in my sleep so I have to put them on a small pillow. It’s a slight warning for me to keep doing hand exercise.

There’s a special kind of exercise I do to keep my hands away from pain. Some of my students suffered from hand and wrist conditions. Ever heard of carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger? These are not fun and make their life way more complicated.

Do your hands, wrists or fingers give you trouble?

What are we doing today?

Let’s do the easiest exercise to work your hands and wrists!

All you need is a towel and one minute of your time.

Follow this 1 min video for instructions and the workout.

Finished? Write ‘Done for today!’ in the comments.

Was that hard? Do it every day for 1 week when you finish writing or reading on Medium. Remember to comment!

A shout-out to our regular BootCamp students! Elizabeth Sobieski, Christina Sponias, Shagufta, Victoria Valentine, Bernice Puzon, Taylor Davidson, Bernie Pullen, I’m happy to help you!

Thank you for your overwhelming support Robert Ralph, Francesca Dallaglio, Marilyn Glover, Sally Prag, Kristina God, Gaurav Jain, Natasha Nichole Lake, Havard Mela, Ubaid siddiqui, Winston, Diana Meresc, Kimberlee, Daniela Nair, Marian Čaikovski, Amy Sea, Sam Millan, Abdullahi Addow, Danicia Lee -Hanford, Varun Sakhuja, Jesna Sajan, Jennifer Essary, Don Sabado, David Perlmutter, Danicia Lee -Hanford, Nazım Özer, Jesna Sajan, Dr Michael Heng.

New here? Check out our previous weeks:

See you next Wednesday!

Who am I?

My name is Andrey Pilipets. I’m an online fitness trainer. I train people on 3 continents every day.

My credentials? ACSM-certified personal trainer, certified BootCamp Instructor (by SGT Ken). I’ve trained over 300 people since 2011. I’m also an editor of New Writers Welcome.

Connect

Like my stories? You can subscribe here.

New to Medium? You can get full access if you join here. I will receive a small portion of your membership fee. The price for you is the same, $5 a month or $50 a year.

Have Facebook? You can find me here.

Thank you for reading!

Disclaimer. The information and other content in this article provide general information and discussions about health and related subjects. They are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice, nor is the information a substitute for professional medical expertise or treatment. If you or any other person has a medical concern, you should consult with your health care provider or seek other professional medical treatment.

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