Top 5 Stretching exercises for musicians

BEFORE TO START STRETCHING:

I’m not a yoga coach, postural trainer or any professional figure about this argument, so be careful! Reliance on any information in this post is solely at your own risk.

General rules:

-Painful? – then STOP!

-Stretches about 10 to 15 seconds. With slow gradual movement and good breathe in-out.

-NEVER do other movements like bounce back and forth when you stretch.

I would like to tell you my “lucky” story:
It was my Summer before the Bassoon degree and of course, I was studying. It was everything normal between frustration and stress until something goes wrong. I had a big pain in my right wrist, a pain that started from the elbow to the tip of the pinkie. The feeling it was the same like a group of ants climbed on my arm. Immediately I thought about tendinitis. I went to the doctor and he visited me. He told me that I had a start of it and I was really scared for my degree (and me). But the cure it was just some easy exercises before and after my practice. Because when we study a piece so intensive our body does the same movements repeatedly, this is not the top for the posture, nerves and muscles.

It’s helped me totally with my problem! I understand that some easy stretching/warming up exercises can really help musicians to prevent these kinds of problems.

Normally musicians have to stay in one position for long periods, the consequences include the overworking of some tissues and underworking of others. It is important to be in good posture whenever possible. Just check together some easy and fast exercises that can help you!

1.NECK stretching

Standing tall – keeping chin parallel with the floor – gently turn your head from side to side to look over each shoulder – Drop the chin to the chest – then gently back to look over your head – coming back to look at the front – Gently take your ear over to your shoulder each side.

(anywhere you feel the pain just stop!)

2.SHOULDERS stretching

This exercise is called Wall Angel. Firstly you need to find a wall and stand with your back against it – Put your arms like a policeman is telling you “Put your hands up!”, so the back of your hands are touching the wall, above your elbows – Slowly move your arms up and down over your head while focusing on maintaining contact between your elbows, hands, and the wall.

There is also this other stretching exercise for your shoulder region. “Grap” with your hand a door/wall/column – push “out” your body from your line with the arm and the wall.

Check this VIDEO for the first example.

Check this VIDEO for the second example (min. 0:19)

3.FOREARMS stretching

For the tension in your forearms and wrists. With your right hand take the fingers of the left hand and make a slow pressure to the back (towards the wrist).

Check this VIDEO for the example.

4.FINGERS stretching

Take one by one your fingers with straight arm – with the other hand slowly push your fingers to the wrist.

Another exercise could be to put your hand up – Open-close your hands and move fast your fingers (keeping your arms up) – fast leave fell down your arms (like a dead weight). Do this for 3/4 times and you will feel the difference in your arms and fingers.

Check this VIDEO for the example one. (min 3:18)

5. BACK stretching

You need to sit like a Buddha – hands on your knees, straight back and push to the front your chest and slowly your head to the back – then the opposite movement, always with your hands on your knees, push your back to the back and your head to the front.

Another exercise is always to sit like a Buddha – put your weight to one side and leaning slightly on one hand to the ground – the other hand/arm moves to the top of your head – this for both sides.

Check this VIDEO for the examples.

As a result, your body would be more relaxed and stretched before or after practising or concert. Let’s try and let me know what do you think about these exercises. Your feedback is important for me!

Would like to improve your Practice!? Check this post for the best 10 ways to improve!

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