Where to look
On the back of the hand, in the space between the thumb and index-finger metacarpal bones.
Get to know the muscle between your thumb and index finger. Learn the movement, practise gently, and keep track of how your hand feels.
Start the guide ↗On the back of the hand, in the space between the thumb and index-finger metacarpal bones.
Rest your hand palm-down. Move your index finger sideways towards the thumb, away from your middle finger. Feel the muscle gently tense in the web space.
It moves the index finger sideways and helps with knuckle flexion, finger control and stability during pinch tasks.
A more visible bulge is not a reliable strength measurement. This guide does not promise muscle growth or diagnose hand conditions.
For comfortable, uninjured hands: keep movements slow and easy. If you have had an injury or surgery, follow your hand therapist’s programme before adding resistance. Stop for sharp pain, tingling, numbness or swelling.
Rest the hand on a smooth surface. Slowly spread the fingers apart, then bring them together. Keep the wrist relaxed.
Focus: controlled sideways movement, without forcing the range.
With your hand palm-down, move only the index finger towards the thumb and back. Keep the other fingers relaxed and avoid twisting the wrist.
Focus: smooth movement rather than speed.
Once movement is comfortable, a hand therapist can help choose suitable resistance, such as soft therapy putty. Spread the fingers slowly against it.
Focus: manageable effort. Do not use a tight band around a finger.
This is a tracking framework, not a prescribed rehabilitation or hypertrophy programme. Use the repetitions and resistance appropriate to you.
Learn the movement. Record comfort and control before increasing effort.
Review your journal. Keep the same workload if the hand is sore or movement becomes less controlled.
If sessions remain comfortable, consider one small change to your practice. Avoid increasing several things at once.
Compare like-for-like sessions. Look for smoother movement and better tolerance rather than judging appearance.
Ready when you are.
Choose a workload you can control. Leave recovery time between resistance sessions. If symptoms persist, get advice from a physiotherapist or hand therapist.
For sudden new weakness, persistent numbness or a shrinking muscle, seek medical advice rather than training through it.
Six entries from your uploaded journal are included. Entries are stored in this browser when available, with CSV export for backup. They are not shared or synced across devices.
| Date | Hand | Movement | Sets | Reps | Minutes | Comfort | Note |
|---|