got back from a 2.5 week vacation...

[donjuan]

and when I try to play, my wrist and fingers get tired, stiff, and painful very quickly.  Especially when I play 6ths in tremolos as in Spanish Rhapsody or Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2, when the passages go

3  5  3  5  3  5  etc.. in the right hand.  I used to do this so easily, but
1      1     1             it's just impossible now.

I think it is going to take months to get my hands back in shape.
does anyone know of any good hand exercises I can do when I dont have access to a piano for an extended period?  I would like to avoid this happening in the future.

Also, what is a good way to get my hands back in shape?  Should I continue to play things that hurt, but stop as soon as it hurts, take a break, and then come back to do it again?  Or is it better to forget Spanish Rhapsody for a while and do less demanding things and work back up to it slowly over a long time?

thanks

[nicco]

My advice is to play things that doesent stretch your hand too much, but rather something that requires a delicate touch. I recommend some mozart slow movements because they make your hand feel warm and "oiled" (like a machine lol). And make sure you dont play with cold hands. A totally relaxed hand on the piano makes wonders.