Each month, yoga coach Gwen Lawrence shows us the best poses for athletes. As always, consult a doctor before you begin any new exercise program.Whether youre a pro athlete -- or a keyboard warrior spending hours pounding away at your desk each day -- wrist care is important and makes sense. As an athlete, you need to have grip strength, be able to absorb falls and have powerful arm strength. One key to gaining those qualities is a supple wrist. If youre at your desk all day youre overdeveloping all the tiny muscles in your hands and wrists, which can then develop chronic pain.Try these wrist openers to gain freedom in your hands and wrists.Reclining seated mountainTo properly open a joint, you need to stretch surrounding joints and muscles at the same time. This pose accomplishes that for you.Keys to the pose:* Start on the floor, sitting up straight.* Place your hands on the floor behind you. Play around with the direction the fingers point according to where you feel the best stretch. Whatever you choose, be sure your hands are symmetrical to each other.* Lean back on your hands, with your palms flat and fingers spread evenly.* Inhale, lengthen your spine and push the floor away. Then exhale, open your chest and heart forward, while squeezing the shoulder blades together behind you.* Do this move for one minute of focus and breathing.Inverted tableThis move takes the reclining seated mountain to the next level. You might want to progress to this once you feel you are executing the previous pose well. You will continue to stretch the entire shoulder girdle, forearms and wrists. Then progressively add the strength element of the arms when you lift up, making it a well-rounded yoga move.Keys to the pose:* Start sitting, and place your hands on the floor behind you with your fingers spread and palms flat.* Make sure you find the optimal direction for your fingers to point for the best stretch for you. Keep your knees bent and feet flat. Distribute your weight evenly between your feet and hands.* Inhale and lift your hips off the floor, aiming to eventually lift them as high as your knees. Exhale, then lower back down.* When youre in the lift, push evenly into your hands, pushing the floor away, and gently squeezing your shoulder blades toward each other. Pause before you lower.* Do this for 1-3 minutes depending on your ability.Downward facing dogThe beauty of this pose is that you get a less direct, gently angled stretch on the wrist joint, while strengthening all the shoulder and arm muscles at the same time.Keys to the pose:* Set your hands shoulder-width apart, with palms flat and fingers spread out evenly.* Your feet should be approximately hip-width apart. For the purposes of your wrists, do this pose with bent knees.* Inhale and push the floor away, then exhale gently and drop your head down toward the mat.* Breathe and hold this pose for 30 seconds to one minute.Wrist turnsThis pose is the kingpin stretch for the wrists and should be considered as an everyday move if you are experiencing tightness and pain in the wrist joint. Approach this move slowly and mindfully, so as not to be too aggressive when you first do it.Keys to the pose:* Start on your hands and knees. Make sure your wrist joint is directly under your shoulder joint.* Stretch one wrist at a time. Turn the right wrist to the right, moving a little more each time until one day, your fingers are pointed toward your body.* Inhale, push the floor away, lengthen the neck out of your shoulders and hold for 30 seconds. Slowly come out of it and switch sides.* Do this move two times on each side.Reverse wrist openersAll the previous moves focus on a flexing stretch of the wrist joint -- this move is unique, because you will finally feel an amazing extension stretch. It might feel strange at first because its not a stretch you do or feel regularly, so approach it slowly and, before you know it, the small muscles in the wrist joint will begin to release and you will finally experience new freedom and flexibility in the wrists.Keys to the pose:* Start on your hands and knees. Bring your left wrist under your shoulders, palm facing up. Spread your fingers evenly.* Put your right hand on top of your left wrist to gently press down on the left hand.* Lean into the stretch until you reach your limit, then hold and breathe for 30 seconds to one minute.* To come out of it, lean away from the stretch and slowly release your left wrist.* Repeat the move on your right hand. Custom Twins Jersey China . Vettel, who has already clinched his fourth straight F1 title, enters the finale with a chance to equal Michael Schumachers 13 victories in a year and match the record of nine consecutive wins by Alberto Ascari in the 1952 and 1953 seasons. Cheap Custom Twins Jersey . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. http://www.customtwinsjersey.com/ . The 29-year-old Baines has established himself as one of the top attacking full backs in the country and was the subject of two bids from United during the last off-season. Everton manager Roberto Martinez says that keeping Baines at the club is a "massive boost and exciting for the future" because he brings "maturity and football knowledge in a very specialized position on the pitch" and an "infectious and positive influence to the rest of the squad. Custom Twins T-shirts . There are surprises among the Vezina candidates, but most of the others are standard top-tier performers, even if the two Hart Trophy runners-ups have never been quite as good as they have been through the first half of the season. Custom Twins Jerseys . The quest begins with what is supposed to be an easy one, although Germany has traditionally been a stubborn opponent to Canadian teams at international tournaments. The Cleveland Browns actively pursued a trade involving Josh Gordon before the talented-but-troubled wide receiver decided to check himself into an inpatient rehabilitation facility, multiple sources told ESPNs Adam Schefter.The Browns had discussions about Gordon with other teams as recently as last week and were looking to acquire a first- or second-day draft pick, sources told Schefter.But Gordons trade value crashed after his announcement Thursday that he will enter the rehab facility, citing a need to gain full control of my life.ddddddddddddOne source familiar with Gordons case told Schefter that the receiver would not have decided to enter the facility without slipping up.A source told ESPNs Dan Graziano on Friday that the Browns intend to part ways with Gordon, who is serving a four-game suspension and has committed multiple violations of the NFLs substance abuse policy. ' ' '