Weight training and Guitar playing

Costs are rising and times are tough.
Please consider a donation to keep this
place going.

Welcome to one of the most active flamenco sites on the Internet. Guests can read most posts but if you want to participate click here to register.

This site is dedicated to the memory of Paco de Lucía, Ron Mitchell, Guy Williams, Linda Elvira, Philip John Lee, Craig Eros, Ben Woods, David Serva and Tom Blackshear who went ahead of us.

We receive 12,200 visitors a month from 200 countries and 1.7 million page impressions a year. To advertise on this site please contact us.

You are logged in as Guest

Users viewing this topic: none

Printable Version

All Forums >>Discussions >>General >>

Page: [1]

Message

<< Newer Topic Older Topic >>

Guest

Weight training and Guitar playing

Hi Ya'll. Its Billyboy. I haven't posted for a while, but just wondered what people think of weight training and Guitar playing. Iam quite a heavy trainer, and wondered if the weight training will tire the hand out, or will it strenghen the ligaments. My hands seem more stronger when I stop weight training, but I have heard that it can be benificial for Violinsts etc. Is there any info out there that could shed some light on the subject
Thanks
Dave

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 4 2005 11:33:03

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Weight training and Guitar playing (in reply to Guest)

Hiya Dave,
How's things?
Moraito and Vincente Amigo certainly don't look like they do any weight training!

I would imagine your grip and strength would improve enormously, which could perhaps be a disadvantage, as you could easily snap the guitar neck off in a moment of frustration.
Good if you get into a fight though! LOL!

cheers

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 4 2005 11:43:51

Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

RE: Weight training and Guitar playing (in reply to Guest)

Hi Dave, good to have you back. Sorry in advance for what follows.

Mmmm...weight training?
You'd have to get a guitar with a shaped back, a bit like a Roman Centurian's breast plate 'in reverse' otherwise the guitar would be too far away for you to play. Then steel strings for those 'iron' fingers you'd develop.
Other problems could be that the guitar might be too high when you've got it up there traditional style on top ot that huge thigh muscle. Then I guess you'd have to invest in a special lead lined case just to make carrying the guitar feel like a good work out!

Too many things to consider.

Jim.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 4 2005 12:34:41

hamia

Posts: 403
Joined: Jun. 25 2004

RE: Weight training and Guitar playing (in reply to Guest)

20 years or so ago I spent a couple years weight training with some degree of regularity - not that any one would know this by looking at me now. Wasn't playing the guitar at the time but I didn't notice any problems with my hands.

I was recently trawling through some archived posts on one of the forums and discovered a weight training thread (!) so you're not on uncharted territory.

Good luck.

Hamia

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 4 2005 14:23:57

gshaviv

Posts: 272
Joined: Mar. 22 2005
From: Israel

RE: Weight training and Guitar playing (in reply to Guest)

I do weight training on a regular basis. Apart from being constantly afraid I'l break a nail while hitting a weight there is no other effect I noticed on my playing. I do weight train with gloves to protect my hands and take care to put a hand lotion after I train so my fingers will not become dry or stiff. I tried at some point to do some finger/grip strength sets but that had no effect.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 4 2005 16:15:57

rickm

Posts: 446
Joined: Jan. 23 2004

RE: Weight training and Guitar playing (in reply to Guest)

me too weights. What I find is that on heavy days my hands are "stunned" for a couple of days after. I dont think weights contriubte to overall guitar strenght as it is more flexibility of tendons that aid guitar not muscular strenght. I dont know but I have heard there are few or no muscles in your hands anyway, comprised mainly of tendons. Alsow when I dig in the garden or split firewoood, it is the shock of those hard activities that seem to impact the flexibiity and lets say the touch at times. Like their stunned. I think if you were going to make a career out of professional guitar I would stay away form that stuff, but for most of us I think we recover. I did know of one professional classical player who was breaking concrete with a sledge hammer and messed up a tendon immensely bad requiring surgery and the surgery was not successful. No rasquedo today and no tremelo. Ruined his classical career. I wear gloves also and make sure they are very tight when I do over 300+ bench lets say and dont seem to have longlasting effects, but can feel it when I try and play soon thereafter. cheers

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 4 2005 20:14:10

Guest

RE: Weight training and Guitar playing (in reply to rickm)

Thanks Guys, cracked up laughing at Jim and Rons posts. I agree with gtrr66, that the hands seem stunned, especially after doing back work. Im taking a small course of Roids at the mo just to supplement my training, just wondered if anyone knows of a good stack for flamenco guitarists, Sus, Deca ? Sorry only kiddin.
Cheers
Dave

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Apr. 5 2005 8:24:10