{"id":19641,"date":"2019-07-22T14:04:38","date_gmt":"2019-07-22T14:04:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roadietuner.com\/?post_type=blog&p=19641"},"modified":"2023-07-10T12:38:53","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10T12:38:53","slug":"the-dos-and-donts-of-guitar-finger-exercises-roadies-guide-to-guitar-warm-ups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roadiemusic.com\/blog\/the-dos-and-donts-of-guitar-finger-exercises-roadies-guide-to-guitar-warm-ups\/","title":{"rendered":"The Do\u2019s and Don\u2019ts of Guitar Finger Exercises – Roadie\u2019s Guide to Guitar Warm-ups"},"content":{"rendered":"

Finger Exercises for guitar: do them right, and they\u2019ll unlock next level playing.<\/span><\/p>\n

Get them wrong, however, and you\u2019re in for a world of hurt.<\/span><\/p>\n

Guitarists recognize the importance of guitar finger exercises, but that doesn\u2019t mean they do them properly.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, we\u2019re going to show you the right way to warm-up, and dispel some myths in the process. Speaking of which, let\u2019s start by talking about guitar <\/span>finger strengthening exercises.<\/span><\/p>\n

Forget What You Think You Know About \u201cStrength\u201d<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

When it comes to hand and finger exercises, many assume that \u201cstrength\u201d is king. But, this assumption is a troublesome one that could lead to problems down the line. As <\/span>Digital Music News<\/span><\/a> notes, \u201cthe emphasis [on strength] is typically happening at the expense of flexibility, which can create serious long-term consequences and reduce playing capabilities. The result is that hands become cramped and imbalanced over the long-term, a situation that can seriously restrict your playing ability.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Why are we so obsessed with \u201cstrength\u201d training for our hands, then? As <\/span>Practice Guitar Now<\/span> notes, most people feel like they need to become stronger in their fretting hand <\/span>\u00a0\u201cbecause they use way too much tension in their hand, to begin with – causing their arm to become fatigued from playing a lot faster than it should.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The solution, they continue, is to \u201clearn to optimize the amount of effort you use in the fretting hand so that excessive tension doesn’t accumulate in your hands (and the rest of the body) as you play. It is the lack of control over excessive tension that causes most guitarists to become tired while playing – NOT \u2018lack of strength\u2019 (or endurance).\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Warm-up Your Whole Body<\/b><\/h2>\n

When we think about warming up for playing guitar, we tend to think about our hands. The sound, we\u2019re told, \u201cis all in the fingers.\u201d But, according to physiotherapist and member of the Performing Arts Medicine Association Vicki Hawkins, we should consider a whole-body workout before focusing on our digits.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWarm-up before playing is very important\u2026 It should include three to five minutes of moderate cardiovascular activity, such as stairs or a fast-paced walk around the room. This should be followed by some large movements of the larger joints – shoulder and elbow – then smaller movements of the wrists and digits.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This might come as a surprise to some of you. But as <\/span>Guitar Player<\/span><\/a> reasons, it makes sense when you \u201cconsider the fact that increased cardiovascular activity results in increased blood flow to your muscles.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cGuitarists need to focus on strengthening the shoulder and stabilizer muscles and the core stability muscles in order to support their playing,\u201d Hawkins continues. \u201cThese exercises may need to be completed daily for a period of time in order to build strength.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Include Finger Exercises\/Stretches In Your Routine<\/b><\/h2>\n

One of the most significant mistakes guitarists make is not thinking about their playing as strenuous physical activity. But, in reality, it is. And, when it comes to warming up, the same rules apply as in sports and athletics. But don\u2019t take our word for it. Here\u2019s what guitar maestro <\/span>Marty Friedman<\/span><\/a> has to say on the subject:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>If you were playing baseball you wouldn’t just get up there and start hitting balls with all your strength — you’d swing the bat a few times before you tried to hit a home run. <\/span>So I believe it’s important to warm up before you do pretty much anything on the guitar, be it recording, playing a gig or rehearsing. There are many bones, tendons, and muscles involved in moving your fingers around, so before you start flailing ’em around recklessly, you should really do some form of warm-up.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

What that form of warm-up is will depend on what sort of guitarist you are. However, this video on essential hand stretches for guitarists is a pretty good place to start:<\/span><\/p>\n\n

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