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Ben Hogan, the famous golfer in the 30s-50s, told a story about a fellow pro who decided his hands needed strengthening.
In those days people traveled by train. He spent his time on the way to the next tournament squeezing a rubber ball over and over.
Once there he played terribly as his hands had lost all feel.
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02-06-2020 06:57 PM
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I think that all of you who say strength training is bad are right. Those who practise light athletics for example have to wait 2-3hrs before they can play a fingered instrument with nuance/feeling. I follow the 'correct position plus light touch' advice, which in general makes playing more rewarding and comfortable too. I'd really hate to get tendinitis or such.
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I searched Internet for reliable medical advice – not quacks or panhandlers but medical institutions. Preliminary results indicate that nobody is advising exercise for strengthening fingers, except when they have been broken or afflicted by arthritis. Grip strengtheners are recommended only by businesses with a financial interest in them.
Be careful out there, and remember Robert Schumann.
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There are muscles that makes the hand close (Flexors) and muscles that make the hands open (Extensors). Since everything we do in life involves closing our hand in some way like playing the guitar it is pretty redundant to get the grip strengtheners.
Not only is it redundant but actually pretty dangerous because working only on the Flexor muscles with no regard to the Extensor muscles causes muscle imbalance and can cause something called the 'fake carpal tunnel syndrome'. Then people get surgeries (potentially further damaging their hands irreparably) and whatnot without knowing they can actually reverse the symptoms themselves. Truly tragic.
But anyways the only things that I know of that help out Extensor muscles with regards to guitar is to be able to do Rasgueados with both hands (on a soft object or knees help). That and there are various hand opener exercise thingies that you can order online in case you're not playing guitar. But yeah.. The opening of the hands. Very overlooked imo
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Originally Posted by jazznylon
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