Two Exercises That Can Make Your Tendons Strong

This exercise is the towel squeeze. Take a bucket of water and get it to about half full at best and put the towel in and get it as wet as possible. After a few moments take the towel out and start to squeeze the water out of the towel till its bone-dry. This exercise alone can pump up your lower arms like never before. This should be done outside. The meaning of this exercise is to squeeze and twist. The tendons are getting worked in a way not many other exercises can in this manner. It can be used to help bend steel or tear cards or in daily life like opening a jar of pickles or something. The important thing to remember is to focus on the grip and twisting the wrists. After doing this plenty of times I can safely say this is one of the most simple and healthy ways to strengthen the grip, your tendons and your lower arms. I first learned of this exercise from a DVD made by strongman John Brookfield who by many considered to be one of the most conditioned strongmen around and for good reason.

As you can see what old-time strongman and newly inducted York Barbell Hall Of Famer Slim The Hammerman is doing is an exercise he's been doing for many years to keep his tendons strong and powerful. Its called the Gooseneck. You open and close the hand your working up to 5 seconds, no less then 3. Doing this exercise in high repitition can help increase blood flow to the lower arms and give your tendons some work. Slim has said on film that tendons are very important and not so much muscle. Building muscles may not always be quite enough but if you work the tendons you're getting much more then you think. Slim has said to do this exercise up to 800 times for both arms. Thats really incredible and for a man at Slims age (In this picture & Now at age 76) he doesn't have bad looking tendons but thats because for the longest time he's been lifting sledgehammers at weight that not one person on the planet has been able to touch. At best one or a few others have lifted up to 20 lbs. or so but thats just an appetizer for Slim. He's lifted as much at max level 69lbs. which is not even human. I've done this exercise as much as 500 times (250 per arm) and i'm here to tell you it is an incredible exercise not only for a great pump but also more importantly keeping your hands healthy and supple.

These 2 are just as important as to others that can keep your tendons strong and your grip even stronger. These 2 exercises have helped me in pull-ups, bending 60D penny nails and keeping my hands flexible and strong for whatever I nee to use them for. There are many other tendon building exercises out there but these 2 are close personal favorites.