Hand + Wrist Foundations
Stop letting pain, weakness, or grip fatigue hold you back. Build stronger, more resilient hands and wrists for better performance, durability, and everyday function.
In collaboration with Project Stack House
Fix Your Hand and Wrist Pain and Improve Performance.
START MOVING AND FEELING BETTER.
You’ve been battling with wrist pain, grip weakness, repetitive strain, tendon flare-ups, carpal tunnel symptoms, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, stiffness, or hand fatigue and have tried everything under the sun to fix it.
The classic way of dealing with these hand and wrist issues typically doesn’t work: rest, braces, passive treatments, temporary modifications, and maybe a few generic exercises (if you’re lucky).
This is why we created the Hand + Wrist Foundations program. Building stronger, more resilient hands, wrists, and forearms can be the difference between constantly managing symptoms and actually improving function, performance, and durability.
Make Your Hands and Wrists Stronger and More Resilient.
Our Hand + Wrist Foundations program is designed to help you increase strength, durability, and resilience through targeted hand, wrist, and forearm training exercises. This program was designed to help people with:
wrist pain and stiffness
grip weakness and fatigue
repetitive strain injuries
carpal tunnel symptoms
tennis elbow and golfer’s elbow
tendonitis and tendinosis
thumb problems
arthritis-related hand and wrist pain
climbing, lifting, or sport-related hand strain
reduced hand mobility and dexterity
forearm tightness and overuse injuries
hand and wrist weakness affecting performance
low resilience and high injury tendency for hand and wrist issues
Hand + Wrist Foundations
If you were building a house, would you ignore the tools doing all the work? Your hands and wrists are involved in almost everything you do — lifting, gripping, typing, training, climbing, carrying, and creating movement every single day.
Instead of putting a “band-aid” on wrist pain, grip fatigue, or recurring flare-ups, build stronger, more resilient hands and wrists that can support better performance, durability, and everyday function.
What Makes This Program Different?
HAND + WRIST FOUNDATIONS
12 weeks of progressive exercises
4 Training Days Per Week
3 phases of different programming
Easy-to-Use Training App
Video Exercise Demonstrations
Guided Hand, Wrist, and Forearm Strength Training
Grip Strength & Load Tolerance Development
Mobility, Stability, and Tendon Loading Exercises
Traditional methods
Single appointments
1-2 non progressed exercises
Focus on passive treatments
Fixed approach
Temporary symptom relief
High financial cost
Works around the issue (bracing/rest)
Static and non-progressive
What's Included
12 Weeks of Programming
4 Days/Week
15-20 Min Sessions
3 Phases/Progressions
Pre/Post Self Testing
Easy-to-use App
Video Exercise Demos
How It's Made
3 phases to fix your hand and wrist pain and get you moving and feeling better.
Phase 1 - Foundation
4 weeks in length
Phase 1 focuses on building a strong baseline without aggravating symptoms. You’ll work on restoring mobility, improving tissue tolerance, and developing foundational grip and wrist strength through controlled loading and isometric exercises.
This phase also introduces mobility and release work through the hands, wrists, forearms, shoulders, and upper back to improve overall movement quality and reduce unnecessary tension throughout the chain.
Phase 2 - Build
4 weeks in length
Phase 2 builds on the foundation established in Phase 1 by progressing grip strength, wrist loading, endurance, and control. You’ll begin incorporating more dynamic movements and progressive loading strategies designed to improve resilience and capacity.
Exercises may include wrist strengthening variations, plate pinches, carries, eccentric loading, and functional movement integration.
Phase 3 - Perform
4 weeks in length
Phase 3 focuses on higher-level performance, power, endurance, and even return-to-sport capacity. This phase introduces more sport-specific and functional loading patterns to help prepare your hands and wrists for real-world demands.
You’ll work through more advanced grip exercises, endurance challenges, hanging variations, and activity-specific drills depending on your goals and lifestyle demands.
Get Started with Hand + Wrist Foundations
- Pay for the program
- Download the app
- Do the program!
FAQs
What is Hand + Wrist Foundations?
Hand + Wrist Foundations is a structured training program designed to build strength, mobility, endurance, and resilience through the hands, wrists, and forearms. It is built for people dealing with recurring wrist pain, grip fatigue, repetitive strain, or performance limitations in sport, work, or daily life.
Who is this program for?
This program is designed for anyone who relies on hand and wrist strength and stability for performance or daily function.
This includes:
Athletes: Climbers, hockey players, lacrosse players, racket sport athletes, rugby players, football players, and rowers - all of whom require grip strength, stability, and power for passing, catching, shooting, checking, and control.
Occupational and lifestyle groups: Desk workers managing repetitive strain, tradespeople, musicians, gamers and heavy tech users, new parents, and gym-goers looking to build foundational strength.
Anyone seeking long-term hand health: Whether your goal is injury prevention, performance optimization, or maintaining function throughout your life, this program addresses the foundations that support both.
What types of issues can this program help with?
The program is designed for people managing hand, wrist, and forearm issues such as repetitive strain, wrist tendonitis, De Quervain’s, mild to moderate wrist osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel symptoms, trigger finger/thumb, tennis elbow, golfer’s elbow, grip weakness, stiffness, and post-rehab strength deficits.
Is there any literature to prove this type of training works?
Yes, here's a few quick stats we pulled from the literature to back up the effectiveness of a program that trains the hand and wrist:
- Grip strength is one of the strongest predictors of all-cause mortality (BMJ, 2018; Scientific Reports, 2024)
- Handgrip strength serves as a valuable, accessible biomarker for overall muscle strength, neurological coordination, and athletic performance prediction across multiple sports
- A 5 kg decrease in grip strength = 16–17% increased risk of death from any cause
- Carpal tunnel syndrome affects 3–6% of women and 0.6–2% of men, with peak onset ages 40–60
- De Quervain’s tenosynovitis affects ~1.3% of women and ~0.5% of men, with peak prevalence in the 40s–50s
- Trigger finger affects ~2% of the general population and up to 20% of adults with diabetes
- Wrist/hand injuries account for up to 25% of all sports injuries (varies by sport)
- Over 70% of office workers report some form of hand/wrist discomfort over their career
- Grip strength predicts cardiovascular events, cognitive decline, and functional disability in older adults
- The hand/wrist rehabilitation market is growing but has very few structured, progressive, self-directed training programs available to consumers
Is this program only for people with pain?
No. Hand + Wrist Foundations can also be used proactively by people who want to improve grip strength, wrist control, hand dexterity, and upper body performance before pain or injury becomes a bigger issue.
Is this program appropriate for athletes?
Yes. The program is especially relevant for athletes whose sport depends on grip, wrist control, impact absorption, or hand endurance. This includes hockey, tennis, pickleball, golf, climbing, CrossFit, combat sports, baseball, softball, and wheelchair sports.
Can this help if my grip gives out during training?
Yes. One of the goals of the program is to build grip strength and endurance so your hands and wrists are not the limiting factor during activities like deadlifts, pull-ups, carries, climbing, racket sports, stick handling, or long training sessions.
What equipment do I need?
The program may use equipment such as dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, towels, cable attachments, grip tools, squeeze balls, a chin-up bar or rack, and other simple loading tools. Some accessories are helpful but not required, and household alternatives may be provided where possible.
Is this a rehab program or a performance program?
It can support both. Hand + Wrist Foundations is designed to help people rebuild capacity after recurring symptoms or completed rehab, while also helping active people improve strength, resilience, and performance in grip-demanding activities.
Who is this program not for?
This program is not intended for acute fractures, early post-surgical cases without clearance, severe rheumatoid arthritis requiring medical management, severe nerve compression with muscle wasting, or complex pain conditions that require direct clinical oversight.
Should I do this if I recently had surgery or a fracture?
Only if you have been cleared by your physician, surgeon, or physiotherapist. The program may be useful as a bridge after rehab, but it is not meant to replace early-stage medical care or post-surgical rehabilitation.
Does the program include testing?
Yes. The program may include testing for grip strength, wrist range of motion, endurance, pain response, and functional capacity so you can track progress and understand how your hands and wrists are responding over time.
What kind of testing is included?
Testing may include grip strength, wrist flexion and extension, radial and ulnar deviation, forearm rotation, finger opposition, grip endurance, pinch strength, and symptom-based screening to help guide progression.
How is the program structured?
The program is built around progressive phases. Phase 1 focuses on foundation work, mobility, isometrics, and pain-free loading. Phase 2 builds grip, pinch, endurance, and dynamic wrist strength. Phase 3 focuses on performance, sport-specific loading, and return-to-activity capacity. An optional specialization phase may be added for specific goals like hockey, climbing, or racket sports.
How many days per week is the program?
The proposed program structure includes 5 training days per week, combining strength, mobility, and sport-specific or activity-specific work. The final schedule may vary depending on the version of the program and your individual goals.
Will the program make my symptoms worse?
The program is designed to progress gradually and build capacity without unnecessary flare-ups. That said, any exercise program can aggravate symptoms if the starting point is too advanced or if pain is ignored. If symptoms worsen significantly, stop and consult a healthcare professional.
What should I do if I feel numbness or tingling?
Numbness, tingling, weakness, or symptoms that disrupt sleep or daily function should be assessed by a qualified healthcare provider. These symptoms may involve nerve irritation or compression and may require more individualized care.
Can this help with carpal tunnel symptoms?
The program may help some people improve strength, mobility, and tolerance around the wrist and hand, but carpal tunnel symptoms can vary in severity. If you have significant numbness, weakness, or loss of hand function, you should seek a proper clinical assessment.
Why is grip strength important?
Grip strength is closely tied to daily function, sport performance, and long-term independence. Stronger hands and wrists can help with lifting, carrying, climbing, training, opening jars, using tools, and maintaining confidence in everyday tasks.
Is this program good for desk workers?
Yes. Desk workers, tech professionals, and people who use a mouse or keyboard for long hours may benefit from structured hand and wrist strengthening, especially if they deal with fatigue, stiffness, repetitive strain, or numbness and tingling.
Is this program good for new parents?
It may be helpful for new parents dealing with wrist or thumb discomfort from repetitive lifting, holding, feeding, and carrying. However, if symptoms are severe or worsening, especially around the thumb side of the wrist, a physiotherapy assessment is recommended.
Does this replace physiotherapy?
No. This program is not a replacement for individualized physiotherapy, medical diagnosis, or one-on-one treatment. It is a structured training program designed to support strength, mobility, and resilience. If you have a complex injury or persistent symptoms, work with a clinician directly.
Is support included?
The program is designed to be self-directed through an app with exercise guidance and video demonstrations. Depending on the final delivery model, support may be available for questions or modifications, but it is not the same as one-on-one coaching unless that option is added separately.
What type of hand specialists were consulted in the creation of this program?
The program was mostly written by the core 4: Grant Holliday (hockey skills coach and S&C coach), Nicholas Simpson (senior strength and conditioning specialist at Vital with a decade of work with Olympic teams), Carla Robbins (exercise physiologist and co-owner of Vital), and Dr. Mac Forde (chiropractor with a special interest in injuries of the hand and wrist).
How might this program help a lacrosse player?
Here's a sport specific example of how this program could help this type of athlete:
Cradling: Maintaining ball control requires rapid wrist flexion/extension, pronation, and supination. Centrifugal force during a cradle demands continuous micro-adjustments under load to keep the ball seated in the pocket.
One-Handed Play & Reach: The increased prevalence of one-handed dodging, cradling, and extended poke checking drastically increases torsional load and eccentric stress on a single wrist, requiring exceptional unilateral forearm strength and stability.
Defensive Checking & Stick Craft: Executing poke checks, slap checks, and lift checks relies heavily on rapid wrist snaps, radial deviation, and top-hand control to disrupt opponents without incurring penalties.
Ground Ball & Loose-Ball Battles: Securing loose balls under pressure requires strong bottom-hand grip strength to create downward leverage, clamp down, and lift out of tight scrums.
Shot Power & Passing Mechanics: Generating velocity on overhand, sidearm, and time-and-room shots is directly dependent on the explosive snap of the top arm’s wrist flexors and the pulling action of the bottom arm’s wrist extensors.
Force Absorption & Contact: Blocking passes, cross-checking defensively, and absorbing body checks with the shaft transmit immediate impact forces directly through the hands, wrists, and forearms.
Padding & Constraint Mitigation: Lacrosse gloves restrict full wrist range of motion and tactile feel; training grip and forearm endurance without gloves builds raw strength capacity and joint resiliency.
Common Injuries: Scaphoid fractures, TFCC (Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex) tears, hook of hamate fractures, wrist sprains, and thumb UCL sprains (skier's thumb).
Don't Just Take It From Us
Here's what our clients are saying about us at Vital Performance Care.
"I cannot recommend Vital Performance highly enough - they are, without question, the premier clinic in Calgary.
The entire team shares this same standard of professionalism and care, creating an environment where you feel both heard and supported."
- George Haralabakos
"I have been working with Vital Performance Care for several years now, and I plan to keep working with them going forward as I crush new goals."
- Bonnie Mackinnon
"Update: Still loving Vital. So knowledgable, kind, and motivational!
If I could give them 10 stars, I would! Well worth the investment. Highly recommend."
- Meghan Hole
Have more questions? We have answers. See FAQs.