Physical exercises to improve your playing

**princeplanet** · 06-14-2015, 09:26 AM

For the last few years I've bee practicing unplugged with intentionally too high action. I also strike the strings very loudly compared to most people and aim to match the intensity of all struck notes with those that are slurred. All this means that I practice with way more strength than is required. Last year it caused tennis elbow the year before it was carpal tunnel and neck nerve twinges...... so I don't recommend it!

- BUT, I don't regret it either.... I see it like resistance training, when I do plug in and aim to sound musical, I have so much power, strengh, speed and control in reserve that I know I sound much, much more expressive than say 5 years ago.

Listen to CC and Django, they're exciting and dynamic for many reasons, but also, I believe, because they had to "fight" the instrument to get it to speak loud enough to compete with the horns. Gypsy players are the only players these days that play with so much attack, and that takes a lot of strength. For non gypsy styles, you can still use that extra dynamic range to great effect, the trick is to not over play everything, to pull it all back when it's time to be musical.

But is is much easier to play soft if you're used to playing loud than the other way around. Most Jazz guitarists I know (as well as the ones I hear), play with very weak attack and very little dynamics. Those that rely on compression I find unlistenable. Guitarists already have the weakest dynamics of all the instruments in Jazz, why compress the shit out of what little remains in one's playing?

Going against the grain and practicing unplugged loudly with high action seems wrong to most people on so many levels, but despite it's issues, it still feels right for me.

**vintagelove** · 06-14-2015, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by princeplanet

For the last few years I've bee practicing unplugged with intentionally too high action. I also strike the strings very loudly compared to most people and aim to match the intensity of all struck notes with those that are slurred. All this means that I practice with way more strength than is required. Last year it caused tennis elbow the year before it was carpal tunnel and neck nerve twinges...... so I don't recommend it!

- BUT, I don't regret it either.... I see it like resistance training, when I do plug in and aim to sound musical, I have so much power, strengh, speed and control in reserve that I know I sound much, much more expressive than say 5 years ago.

Listen to CC and Django, they're exciting and dynamic for many reasons, but also, I believe, because they had to "fight" the instrument to get it to speak loud enough to compete with the horns. Gypsy players are the only players these days that play with so much attack, and that takes a lot of strength. For non gypsy styles, you can still use that extra dynamic range to great effect, the trick is to not over play everything, to pull it all back when it's time to be musical.

But is is much easier to play soft if you're used to playing loud than the other way around. Most Jazz guitarists I know (as well as the ones I hear), play with very weak attack and very little dynamics. Those that rely on compression I find unlistenable. Guitarists already have the weakest dynamics of all the instruments in Jazz, why compress the shit out of what little remains in one's playing?

Going against the grain and practicing unplugged loudly with high action seems wrong to most people on so many levels, but despite it's issues, it still feels right for me.

in 2 years, you have had two major problems, how many years you think you can keep this up???

Could it be possible, and stick with me here..... Could it be possible that the reason your more expressive and better, is 5 years worth of practice?

Now imagine that 5 years was spent playing with as close to ideal technique and instrument setup as possible.

Im not trying to be an a@@, im not even suggesting everyone should play with the same technique. I am pointing out to you that your own body is telling you to stop. You should listen now while you can. There are many horror stories of players who lost the ability to play, don't turn yourself into one.

**princeplanet** · 06-14-2015, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by vintagelove

in 2 years, you have had two major problems, how many years you think you can keep this up???

Could it be possible, and stick with me here..... Could it be possible that the reason your more expressive and better, is 5 years worth of practice?

Now imagine that 5 years was spent playing with as close to ideal technique and instrument setup as possible.

Im not trying to be an a@@, im not even suggesting everyone should play with the same technique. I am pointing out to you that your own body is telling you to stop. You should listen now while you can. There are many horror stories of players who lost the ability to play, don't turn yourself into one.

Thanks for your concern (seriously), well I guess it's each to their own, and I'm totally willing to risk these kinds of issues, it's an all or nothing approach I guess - that's how much I loathe wimpy guitar technique

So far I've been lucky, the issues have receded and (I think) have made me stronger. Actually, for the last year or so, I have backed off the over stressed attack and left hand "over" gripping (pressing harder than necessary to "burn in" moves more efficiently). I had to in order for the elbow to have a chance to heal. Every once in a while I would strike and press HARD, just to see if I still had control. Actually, the year of soft playing was great for the opposite end of the dynamic scale, subtlety and nuance, not just a whole 'nother muscle set, but a different mindset as well.

Not saying anyone should ever try this approach, it's insane and I know it, but I'm the kinda guy that always found out how hard to push anything by finding out (always the hard way!) where you cross the line to "too hard"

**pushkar000** · 06-14-2015, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by princeplanet

Thanks for your concern (seriously), well I guess it's each to their own, and I'm totally willing to risk these kinds of issues, it's an all or nothing approach I guess - that's how much I loathe wimpy guitar technique

So far I've been lucky, the issues have receded and (I think) have made me stronger. Actually, for the last year or so, I have backed off the over stressed attack and left hand "over" gripping (pressing harder than necessary to "burn in" moves more efficiently). I had to in order for the elbow to have a chance to heal. Every once in a while I would strike and press HARD, just to see if I still had control. Actually, the year of soft playing was great for the opposite end of the dynamic scale, subtlety and nuance, not just a whole 'nother muscle set, but a different mindset as well.

Not saying anyone should ever try this approach, it's insane and I know it, but I'm the kinda guy that always found out how hard to push anything by finding out (always the hard way!) where you cross the line to "too hard"

As vintagelove has said, you have already suffered injury twice. It will probably happen again, and one day, it may rid you of your ability to play for good. This is fact. You being X or Y kind of guy makes no difference to this fact. Also depends on how much you play day by day.

I agree with vintagelove. Not to be an ass, but I urge you to listen to your body and take care of it.

**princeplanet** · 06-14-2015, 02:33 PM

Originally Posted by pushkar000

As vintagelove has said, you have already suffered injury twice. It will probably happen again, and one day, it may rid you of your ability to play for good. This is fact. You being X or Y kind of guy makes no difference to this fact. Also depends on how much you play day by day.

I agree with vintagelove. Not to be an ass, but I urge you to listen to your body and take care of it.

I hear you, and again, I appreciate the concern. I'm definitely not feeling as bulletproof as I once did.....

**henryrobinett** · 06-14-2015, 04:41 PM

I always thought those artificial balls, claws, grips were kind of stupid. There's NOTHING BETTER than actually practicing guitar. Fingers on the fretboard. Everything else is diversion.

**targuit** · 06-14-2015, 07:40 PM

I am not permitted to give specific advice as a physician to someone who is not my patient, so my comments must be considered general advice. I agree that playing guitar regularly over time not only conditions and strengthens your fingers and forearms but improves your playing. I do believe that moderate exercise to strengthen forearms and thus your flexor digitorum extrensor and flexors are a benefit in terms of strength and agility, but not at the expense of repetitive motion disorder. Moderation in all things. If it hurts, not a good sign.

destinytot · 06-15-2015, 02:48 AM

Like the man said, "Be water, my friend"... always stay within soft limits, and relax harder.

**princeplanet** · 06-15-2015, 03:25 AM

... My man never tells me that, instead it's "Go hard or go home..."

**Pocket Player** · 06-15-2015, 11:38 AM

At 43 putting in the long hours of practice , i should have done as a teenager !!!! i've run across several issues over the last 2 years. everything from a really sore neck !!!!, from looking at my fret board, and hand pain,sore back!!! . and really.... i feel some sort of light soreness at all times. not in a bad way ! at the moment but in a fatigue way. I usually do 30 min of chromatic work and 20 min trills to warm up most days.and as i changed my hand position from a thumb over the top player, to a thumb behind the neck player . I went back to step 1 after 30 years and Fixed all my short comings in my technique. Best thing i ever did !!!! that being said !!!! i now always start my practice with stretching routine !!! for my hands,neck and back. and this has been huge! in not getting so sore anymore. And Icing and hot water afterward.This has been the biggest thing!!! and saved my hands lol. id also like to say,that doing the trills has built a ton of strength in my fretting hand !. I really have to hammer the rep's to be really fatigued now,and don't push that boundary to hard anymore. its not worth it !!! Tomorrows a new day !! learning to focus on just being as relaxed as possible as i play, as eliminated most of the tension, and i don't really feel my fingers pressing down on the fret board anymore. Really cool

how good technique feels.....after years of not having it !!! but to be honest !!! i never felt i had bad technique. and never ever worried about it, until i needed to play faster clean tempo's.(alt picking quad's 120 bpms or faster) i just couldn't get it down with out eliminating all the finger slop, and really looking what my hands were doing. after years of enjoyable playing, and going back to the wood shed for a few months has easily doubled my ability as a player. in regards to my dexterity and confidence in my attack of the fret board. and now 2 year later i'm a different player ! breaking new barriers all the time in my personal development. Thanks to good technique! and proper hand positioning. ice,ice,iceeeeeeeeee

**mrcee** · 06-15-2015, 03:27 PM

I've got a bunch of left hand issues, none of which are a deal breaker. Thankfully I can still play although there've been times when I couldn't. Django would have been thrilled to have my left hand. I've got a whole physical therapy routine I go through at home. A good physical therapist can recommend things that won't aggravate an injury. Aggravating an injury is not good. I've known people that have lifted weights and other exercise to help a bad back, etc and wound up cripples. And there's the famous story of the composer Schumann who ruined his hands with some pulley and weight device he invented to try and improve the third/ring finger's natural inability to lift as high as the others. Like probably most people on this forum I like to practice a lot and sometimes if my left hand is looking sideways at me I might just play for a couple of minutes and then stop for a few and continue this alternating routine for a hour. If I ever get actual pain I stop immediately.
There's a elastic band called a Theraband which can be purchased from most physical therapists and chiropractors. But, again you need the advice of a health care professional to use it, and any other exercise, safely the right way. I've had great success with it for various injuries including my wrists which at one point kept me from playing at all.
I've been playing for 55 years and have come to realize that even though there's all kinds of things that I need to work on musically, as much of my practice has to be concerned with maintaining my physical ability to play the instrument.

**targuit** · 06-16-2015, 03:35 AM

I look at weight resistance training as maintenance for the body and mind. After the age of thirty, it is downhill for your metabolism and musculature unless you take preventive measures which only stem, not halt, the inevitable decline. But apart from good technique to reduce strain on muscles in the neck, torso, and extremities, resistance training helps you weather the physical stresses.

Sounds crazy, but I injured my right shoulder in a fall on ice one frosty January morning more than fifteen years or so which left me with a kind of vulnerability there to overextension injury. Though I have been doing resistance training for longer than that, about six months ago I started experimenting with a new exercise that involved putting a stress on my extended arms that involves a kind of traction resistance that has been incredibly beneficial and has literally relieved that slight limitation in range of motion and sharp pain that I would occasionally incur nearly daily. For which I am grateful and impressed.

But at this point in my life I am not training for Mr. Olympia. It is about keeping the foundation solid.

**targuit** · 07-09-2015, 01:54 AM

This thread has been dormant for a while, but I thought I would update on how my "exercise" program has impacted my playing. The answer is very positively.

As a physician, I have a good knowledge of how the machinery works in your forearms and hands. My goal is to strengthen my flexor digitorum muscles in the forearms which are the muscles that manipulate your fingers. I wanted to be sure not to harm my coordination or create injury to those muscles in the process. Essentially I have just been using the spring loaded type grip exercisers which you clench and release. I do the exercise simultaneously, clenching the grips and holding for a second or two, then releasing. I do "sets" of six to eight reps, two or three sets daily.

The result is that I see a definite increase overall in grip strength which has translated very positively into my fretting speed. I have noticed no deleterious problems or muscle strains of any type. The results have been overwhelmingly positive. I do take care not to exceed this modest regimen, as in the past there were some concerns that "isometric" type exercise could adversely affect your blood pressure. But I am quite pleased with the results and wish I had picked this up much earlier.