Warm-ups/stretches for hand health?

[chino_151]

What are some warm-ups/stretches that promote hand health? I have been working through speed mechanics and while I dont normally feel any pain I do feel some strain. Sometimes my fingers are sore at the end of the day (not finger tips) and while its not a bad problem I dont want to take any chances and screw up my hand.

 

I also play in a band that uses a lot of weird chords where you have to stretch a ways to play. I am sure a lot of people would benefit from doing warm-ups/stretches before they played to make sure they dont injure themselves. I would hate to have to quit playing guitar because I messed up my hands

 

So if you have any feel free to share. I would really appreciate it. Thanks:)

[Essex]

I would suggest you pick up the new guitar one with eric clapton on the cover....it has some great warm up exercises in it. Talks about a 1 hour warm up session...also some great articles this month.

If you want me to post some warm-ups i use let me know....

Cheers

Essex

[chino_151]

Originally posted by Essex I would suggest you pick up the new guitar one with eric clapton on the cover....it has some great warm up exercises in it. Talks about a 1 hour warm up session...also some great articles this month. If you want me to post some warm-ups i use let me know.... Cheers Essex

 

 

Yeah if you could post a few that would be great. Not only for me but for anyone else interested:)

 

Thanks for the tip about the Guitar One. I will try to pick up a copy when the stores open tomorrow.

 

Thanks again:cool:

[Essex]

These are great....

Linear

e --------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4
b --------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4------------
g --------------------------------------1--2--3--4------------------------
d --------------------------1--2--3--4------------------------------------
a --------------1--2--3--4------------------------------------------------
e --1--2--3--4------------------------------------------------------------

and then

e -4-3-2-1----------------------------------------------------------
b -------------4-3-2-1------------------------------------------------
g -----------------------4-3-2-1--------------------------------------
d ---------------------------------4-3-2-1----------------------------
a -------------------------------------------4-3-2-1------------------
e ----------------------------------------------------4-3-2-1---------

Angular

e --------------------------------------4-------3-----2---1----
b --------------------------4-------3-------2-----1------------
g ------------4---------3------2--------1----------------------
d ---------3--------2------1-----------------------------------
a -----2--------1----------------------------------------------
e -1------------------------------------------------------------

and then

e -1-------------------------------------------------------------
b ----2--------1--------------------------------------------------
g -------3--------2--------1--------------------------------------
d ----------4--------3--------2--------1-----------------------------
a ----------------------4--------3--------2-----1-------------------
e ----------------------------------4--------3-----2----1-----------


These are great exercises....there are 2 other variations i will list if you want....try these and let me know what you think...

Cheers

Essex

[chino_151]

The first two I already knew and I had something similar to the last two but I like your way better.

Are you using strictly alternate picking throughout all of those? I have been using it on the chromatics and sweep pick style on the string skipping. I am trying to work more on my technique at the same time I am trying not to mess up my hand. I think the reason my hand has been feeling weird is because I have been working on the finger independence exercises in speed mechanics and I guess its just the tendons(?) getting use to it?

I dont know though so I figured I would be safe and ask;)

Thanks for the exercises. Feel free to post more if you want and anyone else as well. Thanks:)

[Essex]

Yeah man i usually just use alternating picking....how much do you play a day? I usually play about 5 hours a day....it took me a while to get use to but once i did i hardly ever hurt now...sometimes my fingertips will hurt after like 10 hours of playing. Usually when me and rythme player get together we will jam out for like 4 hours of just constant trade off of soloing and rythme. Then i will do my studies after that so that makes for a long day of playing. I am pretty much use to it now though so hardly ever have a problem. I always warm up though with that angular exercise...that is a great exercise. I will post some more later...i am in the middle of a vocal exercise...just taking a little break...

Cheers

Essex

[chino_151]

Originally posted by Essex Yeah man i usually just use alternating picking....how much do you play a day? I usually play about 5 hours a day....it took me a while to get use to but once i did i hardly ever hurt now...sometimes my fingertips will hurt after like 10 hours of playing. Usually when me and rythme player get together we will jam out for like 4 hours of just constant trade off of soloing and rythme. Then i will do my studies after that so that makes for a long day of playing. I am pretty much use to it now though so hardly ever have a problem. I always warm up though with that angular exercise...that is a great exercise. I will post some more later...i am in the middle of a vocal exercise...just taking a little break... Cheers Essex

 

 

Well depending I usually practice from the time I wake until the time I go to bed. Not constantly but I cant not play if my guitar is around. I feel compelled to pick it up every couple of minutes. I dont know how many hours in all but quite a bit. Thats why I was concerned about my hand. I feel that strain but I still pick up my guitar and play until I remember why I stopped playing:D

 

I just want to make sure I dont injure anything by doing that. Like I said its probably just my hand getting use to the new exercises and whatnot and hopefully the "feeling" will go away soon.

 

Thanks for the replys and if you or anyone else has any more exercises/stretches to share I would appreciate it:cool:

[Chiisu]

Originally posted by Essex These are great.... Linear e --------------------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4 b --------------------------------------------------1--2--3--4------------ g --------------------------------------1--2--3--4------------------------ d --------------------------1--2--3--4------------------------------------ a --------------1--2--3--4------------------------------------------------ e --1--2--3--4------------------------------------------------------------ and then e -4-3-2-1---------------------------------------------------------- b -------------4-3-2-1------------------------------------------------ g -----------------------4-3-2-1-------------------------------------- d ---------------------------------4-3-2-1---------------------------- a -------------------------------------------4-3-2-1------------------ e ----------------------------------------------------4-3-2-1--------- Angular e --------------------------------------4-------3-----2---1---- b --------------------------4-------3-------2-----1------------ g ------------4---------3------2--------1---------------------- d ---------3--------2------1----------------------------------- a -----2--------1---------------------------------------------- e -1------------------------------------------------------------ and then e -1------------------------------------------------------------- b ----2--------1-------------------------------------------------- g -------3--------2--------1-------------------------------------- d ----------4--------3--------2--------1----------------------------- a ----------------------4--------3--------2-----1------------------- e ----------------------------------4--------3-----2----1----------- These are great exercises....there are 2 other variations i will list if you want....try these and let me know what you think... Cheers Essex

 

 

those are what i use

 

first, play some barre chords. start high up on the beck, then work all the way down to the first fret.

 

here's some other things i do:

 

e-1-2-3-4-2-3-4-5-3-4-5-6-4-5-6-7-etc

b----------------------------------------------

g----------------------------------------------

d----------------------------------------------

a----------------------------------------------

e----------------------------------------------

 

e-15-14-13-12-14-13-12-11-13-12-11-10-etc

b-------------------------------------------------------

g-------------------------------------------------------

g-------------------------------------------------------

a-------------------------------------------------------

e-------------------------------------------------------

[grafemberg]

for you, playing over 4-5 hours every day I suggest: have a break of 1 day a week.

I find it very important, for my hands and, much more, for my "head".

when I get back playing the next day I'm full of ideas, my hands had digested the last 6 days practice and every automatic repeating fingering is lost.

I find it very usefull.
(don't know if I translated it well to english..)

[chino_151]

Originally posted by grafemberg for you, playing over 4-5 hours every day I suggest: have a break of 1 day a week. I find it very important, for my hands and, much more, for my "head". when I get back playing the next day I'm full of ideas, my hands had digested the last 6 days practice and every automatic repeating fingering is lost. I find it very usefull. (don't know if I translated it well to english..)

 

 

Translated perfectly;)

 

Yeah I know that is something I should do but its hard! A while back I was sick and couldnt play guitar for a week or two and when I started playing again it just felt a lot better and even though I was sketchy I noticed that I could do certian things better.

 

I am always telling myself to take a break but its hard for me to actually follow through with that. Plus I just joined another band so I jave been trying to write some material for that. Well hopefully soon I will stop being lazy and go out and get a job so that should help give me some time off.

 

Thanks for the replys and keep the advice coming:)

[grafemberg]

Originally posted by chino_151 Yeah I know that is something I should do but its hard!

I know very well how hard it can be, I usually miss the sweet smell of the wood (!)

just try the pleasure of opening again the case after one day of missing, you are full of ideas and licks that you want to prove are right!

the first 20minutes when you play you really listen to "new" sounds that your mind didn't expect from your fingers; I think it is the effect of having imaginated fingering without hearing it, the day before...

[MASQUE]

Try washing your hands in warm water, for 5-6 minutes, rubbing and stretching them while you're at it........helps loosen muscles and tendons, added bonus ;less gunk on your strings.

You can also stretch your hands, fingers, wrist by warming up, somewhat like a runner stretches his legs arms neck etc etc.

[chino_151]

Originally posted by MASQUE Try washing your hands in warm water, for 5-6 minutes, rubbing and stretching them while you're at it........helps loosen muscles and tendons, added bonus ;less gunk on your strings. You can also stretch your hands, fingers, wrist by warming up, somewhat like a runner stretches his legs arms neck etc etc.

 

 

I will have to try that warm water thing. Do you know of any particular stretches?

 

Hell I am going to try to take tomorrow off so I can come back with some new ideas. I could really use that right now. Well now I said it...hopefully I can follow through with it;)

 

Thanks:)

[grafemberg]

thanks god I didn't play yet YESTERDAY..

[MASQUE]

Originally posted by chino_151 I will have to try that warm water thing. Do you know of any particular stretches? Hell I am going to try to take tomorrow off so I can come back with some new ideas. I could really use that right now. Well now I said it...hopefully I can follow through with it;) Thanks:)

 

 

Just stretch your hands, extend your fingers, work every joint, stretch them like when doing a stretchy chord shape, basically, just get them feeling loose, no tension in the fingers.

 

work your wrist back and forth, rotations are good both clockwise and counter....

[MASQUE]

Originally posted by MASQUE Just stretch your hands, extend your fingers, work every joint, stretch them like when doing a stretchy chord shape, basically, just get them feeling loose, no tension in the fingers. work your wrist back and forth, rotations are good both clockwise and counter....

 

 

Not only will you be looser for playing, you also fight CTS by warming up.

[chino_151]

Originally posted by MASQUE Not only will you be looser for playing, you also fight CTS by warming up.

 

 

Yeah that is something that I have always been very afraid of. I dont know what I would do if I got CTS. So I want to make sure that I do everything I can to avoid that.

 

What do you think would be a good amount of time to spend on stretching my hands and getting them loose?

[grafemberg]

Originally posted by chino_151 What do you think would be a good amount of time to spend on stretching my hands and getting them loose?

 

 

10 minutes, than play slow for another 10 minutes. than rock your fingers bleeding.

 

PS can anyone tell me what "CTS" stand for? thank you.

[siliC0N]

I wedge my wrist in between each of my fingers (spreading the fingers apart), hold it for 15 seconds or so and then move on. I then stretch each finger up to its furthest point, holding all of my other fingers to the center of my palm. Then I push one finger down, holding all the others up. I do this to all of my fingers.
This was taught to me by a guitarist friend, and I later was shown it again for Aikido (martial arts).. The warm water thing helps too. Also, it can't hurt to stretch your wrist. I fold my wrist away from the center of my body, pinky toward the ceiling and grab the wrist with my free hand and pull toward my chest and sleightly upward. Keeping my elbows level with the ground.
Hope this helps....

[siliC0N]

Originally posted by grafemberg 10 minutes, than play slow for another 10 minutes. than rock your fingers bleeding. PS can anyone tell me what "CTS" stand for? thank you.

 

 

'C'arpo 'T'unnel 'S'yndrome. It involves the muscles of your wrist squeezing the main nerves in there I believe..... A brace can help. It's caused by overworking of the hands. (typing, playing guitar, etc.) hence the importance of stretching..

[grafemberg]

Originally posted by siliC0N 'C'arpo 'T'unnel 'S'yndrome.

thank you, I didn't know the english acrostic.

It involves the muscles of your wrist squeezing the main nerves in there I believe..... A brace can help. It's caused by overworking of the hands. (typing, playing guitar, etc.) hence the importance of stretching..

yes, I know, I'm a chiropractor

[MASQUE]

Originally posted by chino_151 Yeah that is something that I have always been very afraid of. I dont know what I would do if I got CTS. So I want to make sure that I do everything I can to avoid that. What do you think would be a good amount of time to spend on stretching my hands and getting them loose?

 

 

I guess ten to fifteen minutes should do the trick, but you may do it a while longer if you don't feel stretched enough, i guess it's a trial and error sorta thing where everyone has different needs.

 

But error in regards to CTS are not something we wish for.

[MASQUE]

Originally posted by grafemberg 10 minutes, than play slow for another 10 minutes. than rock your fingers bleeding. PS can anyone tell me what "CTS" stand for? thank you.

 

 

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, if no one else answered yet.

[chino_151]

Thanks for the replys:)

Does anyone use one of those stress balls? You know the balloons filled with corn starch? I have heard of a lot of people that use these and I was just wondering what, if anything, these help achieve.

Thanks again:cool: