The tennis ball squeeze is a simple but effective exercise that works your wrist and finger flexors, improves your crush grip, and strengthens and builds endurance in your forearm muscles.
Take a regular tennis ball (or a similar-sized soft rubber ball) and squeeze as hard as possible. Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat.
I began doing this exercise after noticing that my forearms were tired during workouts. Within a few weeks, my grip strength and forearm endurance began to improve.
Gentle squeezing is often used to help patients recover from injuries or manage conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome.
One of the primary advantages of the Tennis Ball Squeeze exercise is its portability and ease of use. You can do this exercise anywhere and anytime, even if you don’t have gym equipment.
How To Do Tennis Ball Squeeze
- Hold the tennis ball (or a similar soft rubber ball) in your right hand with your fingers and thumb wrapped around it.
- You can start with your palm facing up or down, whichever feels more comfortable.
- Sit or stand comfortably with your shoulders relaxed and your arm extended in front of you.
- Begin squeezing the ball, applying consistent pressure. Imagine trying to crush the ball or making a tight fist around it.
- Maintain the squeeze for 5-10 seconds. Focus on engaging all your fingers, palm, and forearm muscles.
- Slowly release the squeeze and let your hand relax for a moment.
- Do 10 to 15 repetitions with one hand and then switch to the other hand.
- You can practice this exercise 3-5 times a day.
Tips and Form
- Keep your wrist straight or slightly extended. Avoid bending it excessively, as this can put a strain on the joint.
- Allow adequate rest between sets and avoid overtraining.
- Keep your arm relaxed by your side or rest it on a table or armrest.
- Avoid jerky or rapid movements; focus on a steady, even squeeze.
- Don’t squeeze too hard to the point of pain. Moderate pressure is sufficient.
- If a standard tennis ball becomes too easy, try a racquetball or a stress ball designed for hand strengthening.
Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.
Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.