Jackson's Gymnastics for the Fingers and Wrist / being a system of gymnastics, based on anatomical principles, for developing and strengthening the muscles of the hand for musical, mechanical and medical purposes: with thirty-seven diagrams

by Edwin Ward Jackson

Fig. 18.

Move the wrist, without moving the arm or elbow, vigorously up and down in a perpendicular direction, from 20 to 40 times, first slowly, then more quickly; finally, as quick as possible. In doing so, let the elbows rest close to the body, so as to bring both hands and wrists into the proper position. As soon as you are tired, leave off.

Second movement.

Fig. 19.

Fig. 20.

Move the hand horizontally or vertically without moving the arm.

To understand the practical utility of this exercise (19, 20), it ought to be borne in mind that the entire action of the wrist is effected by two principal joints, one of which, the smaller of the two, lies at the root of the hand, and is called the “joint of the hand,” by means of which it becomes possible to move the hand, independently of the arm, at its root. The other joint, the larger of the two, rises from the elbow, and is called the rotatory joint of the forearm. Holding, then, all the five fingers close together, move the smaller joint perpendicularly or horizontally, as you please, without in any way moving the arm, and at the same time holding the elbow close to the body.