Hand warmup without the guitar

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Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

Hand warmup without the guitar

Hello, friends! I just recorded a video with a helpful 5 minute hand warmup without the guitar. Works well if you don't have a chance to play before performing. Start with 10-20 reps of each of these exercises for he initial warmup and then go back and do everything again this time with 50-100 reps each. The first 3 exercises are the most important ones. Do them at a fast tempo for best workout.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 11:12:03

Stu

Posts: 2529
Joined: Jan. 30 2007
From: London (the South of it), England

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

nice grisha thanks mate!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 11:17:37

Pablito

Posts: 56
Joined: Sep. 27 2009
From: Long Island NY

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Awesome! Thanks for that Grisha. you're extremely fast with opening and closing the hand! I can tell your arm is really muscular, do you lift weights also? If so, does that help with endurance? Also, do you so similar warm ups with the left hand? Thanks again, you're great and are an inspiration!

Paul

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 11:20:21

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thank you, friends!

I try to stay away from weights because I feel that while helping the stamina, they slow me down and take some of the musical receptiveness out of my playing. Please do these exercises with BOTH HANDS at the same time.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 11:25:06

GuitarVlog

Posts: 441
Joined: Mar. 19 2009
From: San Francisco Bay Area

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thanks Grisha!

Cripes! You're fast too even with these exercises.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 11:37:44

Elie

Posts: 1837
Joined: Apr. 10 2010

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thank you so much

your vids are the best and the most beneficial ones ever I always enjoy learning from them.
yea I've been told that lifting weights will affect my ability to play the guitar

:S
Grisha I hope you don't mind my question but I want to ask you how do you warm up "with" the guitar ?
thank you so much again.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 11:44:10

yohan

Posts: 306
Joined: Feb. 5 2007

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

thanks grish! im going to try them
you have got huge muscular forearms btw

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 12:02:26

Ron.M

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

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Very sensible and natural exercises to do Grisha...

Thanks again for your insight and wisdom on these matters!

cheers,

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 12:14:16

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thank you, thank you...

DarkElieDraven, the warmup routine really depends on how much time you have at your disposal. There are tons of exercises. However, one of the best things you can do before performing (and it's not obvious) is play a piece of music very softly and very slowly.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 12:31:27

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Grisha, you ROCK! Are you telling me that you got to having such forearms SOLELY out of playing guitar? Never ever done any weight lifting?

Here is something I think you will enjoy (as well as everyone else). I saw these when I was studying for my final exams, and I wanted to start doing them but forgot. Your video reminded me.

http://www.youtube.com/user/lgiugno#g/u

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 12:36:52

Elie

Posts: 1837
Joined: Apr. 10 2010

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

quote:

DarkElieDraven, the warmup routine really depends on how much time you have at your disposal. There are tons of exercises. However, one of the best things you can do before performing (and it's not obvious) is play a piece of music very softly and very slowly.

thank you

cheers !!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 12:37:24

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thanks, Ramzi! I used to do weight lifting. That's how I know the way it affects the playing. But right now my muscles are primarily a result of hours of playing.

By the way, those are some interesting videos in your link! Thanks a lot!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 12:42:12

rombsix

Posts: 7808
Joined: Jan. 11 2006
From: Beirut, Lebanon

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

quote:

By the way, those are some interesting videos in your link! Thanks a lot!

Glad to be of service.

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Ramzi

http://www.youtube.com/rombsix

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 12:50:14

Elie

Posts: 1837
Joined: Apr. 10 2010

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Damn!!! Ramzi that guy is a machine

hahaha
he even adds some robotic sounds to his clips :P

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 13:00:32

jg7238

Posts: 2869
Joined: May 11 2009

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

I like these exercises. They are very helpful. I also notice that having a small glass of wine a half an hour before a performance is good too. I do occasional private parties and that is what i do but these are very good as well. Before a performance as opposed to playing in a bedroom, house, couch, etc.., the blood goes towards the center of the body and the hands get cold. So the wine helps alot with of course warming up if you have a chance. If you do not have an instrument, these are great.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 13:19:01

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

I found alcohol to be a very unreliable source of warmup and stage fright suppressor. Sometimes at a party I would drink some and feel relaxed, pumped and musical and it's a great feeling. But more often my fingers would simply become lazy and fatigued, and in those cases I really sound my absolute worst. But that is just me.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 13:32:14

jg7238

Posts: 2869
Joined: May 11 2009

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to jg7238)

Well the key here is I said a SMALL glass of wine 1/2 before the performance. Everybody is different though.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 14:57:16

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Just an update. Make sure that you relax between the exercises to prevent muscle overwork. You don't have to do 50-100 reps for the thumb exercise, that may be to exhausting. Mix these exercises with stretches. A stretching video is coming shortly.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 18:56:12

gj Michelob

Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thank you so much, Grisha. Is this a routine you structured yourself, or are the exercises sourced from any specific authority?

I ask because I find it interesting that you open-stretch your hand and fingers and then quickly fold it with your fingers reaching outside your palm, as opposed to folding/rolling into your palm, in a fist formation. Also you recommend that such movement be repeated in quick successions. The orthopedic surgeons I saw about my condition, recommended a slow stretch, holding the extend fingers out and later, slowly folding them into a fist.

However, I suppose the more exercise and warm up the more unlikely the injury. Since I suffered the consequences of my lack of proper muscle preparation, I am quite sensitive to this subject.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 20:21:20

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

You are welcome! These are the exercises I discovered myself. That being said, I am not suggesting that I am the only one on this planet with the knowledge about these simple exercises. I am sure people have discovered these before me. I am just unaware of these individuals. So far, I have to say that the execises work extremely well. But I want to ask all of you to try them out and tell me if there is a flaw somewhere. These are a couple of weeks fresh and I am planning to refine them further.

gj, I just saw your addendum. These are not stretches, these are just exercises for your fingers that work in the same way as lifting weights. If you have problems with your hand muscles, I suggest that you take it easy on these, as I cannot support my finds with any research at this time. Let me know how these work for you. Thanks!

By the way, the second exercise rolls the fingers into the palm.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 20:35:31

tommyV

Posts: 8
Joined: May 15 2010

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Cool !!!
Thanks

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Tommy V

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 27 2010 20:51:38

gj Michelob

Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

quote:

gj, I just saw your addendum. These are not stretches, these are just exercises for your fingers that work in the same way as lifting weights. If you have problems with your hand muscles, I suggest that you take it easy on these, as I cannot support my finds with any research at this time. Let me know how these work

I am definitely incorporating these in my rotation of warm-ups, thank you Grisha. You are indeed a talented musician, but also have a remarkably altruistic disposition. Undoubtedly a great teacher, as well. With Jason, Ricardo and Todd, you are one of the four pillars of this foro –in my book.

APOLOGY:
Off topic for a moment, I want to seize this opportunity and offer an apology. I once wrote that I found your musicianship lacking in passion, and overly mechanic. I later realized that such perception was conjured by my ignorance. As I learn more about flamenco and about guitar in general I find that you too have learned so much since

-teasing, of course-

Your work is truly inspiring.

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gj Michelob

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 28 2010 6:42:32

Guest

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 28 2010 7:18:55

Grisha

Posts: 1263
Joined: Mar. 17 2005

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

gj, thank you for your words!

And there is absolutely no need to apologize for anything at all, I don't dwell on such things (read my youtube comments). I am very glad you like my playing! I wish I were as important a contributor to this forum as the people you mentioned, but I am either very present or entirely absent. It has to do with my schedule. But I try to do what I can when I am available.

Shroomy, I am very glad you like these exercises. I would be very interested in getting feedback from you after you've tried them a few times. As for knuckle cracking... I used to do it a lot when I was a kid. Now they don't even crack anymore unless something is wrong. I think it gives you a bit more flexibility and ease of movement. But I would refer to medical studies before I started doing them regularly.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 28 2010 8:45:45

beno

Posts: 881
Joined: Nov. 3 2006
From: Hungary

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thanks a lot Grisha!
Just like Shroomy, I need quite a lot warm up to get that control over my hands. I've just watched Your video, did it together with You, and feel it's great! I think I'm gonna include these exercises in my everyday routine! I've been doing 2 of them by my own so far, but not in this organized manner.

Awaiting for Your streching video!

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 28 2010 22:51:22

Elie

Posts: 1837
Joined: Apr. 10 2010

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

I just couldn't stop my self from thankin you again .

yesterday I had a little party or a gig I dunno wat its name is, anyway I had to perform on the stage and I didn't get the chance to touch my guitar before I go up so all wat I did is using your method and ur exercises for about 2->3 minutes and bingo my hand specially picado was on fire

¡Olé!

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 28 2010 23:31:43

ashod

Posts: 227
Joined: Jan. 11 2006

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

Thank you Grisha, it worked for me!

I'm like jg7238 with the wine. I had three gigs these three last days, and I used wine to get more blood in my fingers.

But I just tried your method, and it works very good. Plus it doesn't cost anything

and there are no risk of going overboard with the wine like this.

I won't do the 100 reps tho, the 20 (5mins) worked very good and my muscles were already on fire.

Thanks again

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 29 2010 7:13:07

Exitao

Posts: 907
Joined: Mar. 13 2006
From: Vancouver, Canada

RE: Hand warmup without the guitar (in reply to Grisha)

It's good stuff. Thanks. Just something to watch for if you record more like this...The volume is really low on this video. (I don't think it's just me)

Sort of related... kind of the opposite...

Some times after intense manual labour my hands will feel like big slabs of meat. Not quite swollen, but they feel incapable of doing delicate, precise quick movements.

Does anyone have experience with this and what do you do?

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date May 29 2010 9:27:48