My hands are cold :(

[henrah]

And it hurts, and makes my playing sloppy and slow.

Means I have to stick them in a bowl of hot water for a couple of minutes before every practice session. Even having a break for 5minutes makes them cold again if they aren't stuck underneath or between my legs, or under my arm pits.

Does anyone else suffer from cold hands here?
Henrah

[Kassaa]

Me,  I especially suffer from it at exams. I play most of my exams with cold hands .

[henrah]

Does it affect your performance? Can you feel your hand getting tight and your fingers not moving as fast as they should?

[bench warmer]

Try some of those pocket-size thermal packs. You just squeeze the salts together in the pouch and they'll heat up for hours. Some are re-useable.

The problem w/putting hands in water is that when you take 'em out to dry them there's a lot of evaporative cooling on the skin surface.

I decided to go to Florida in the winter, that Really cures the problem.

 

[steve jones]

And it hurts, and makes my playing sloppy and slow.

Means I have to stick them in a bowl of hot water for a couple of minutes before every practice session. Even having a break for 5minutes makes them cold again if they aren't stuck underneath or between my legs, or under my arm pits.

Does anyone else suffer from cold hands here?
Henrah

I do, and its funny as mine have gone cold again recently. It seems that they are toasty right up until the temp goes below a certain point... then they stiffen up.

Only remedy Iv found is a good hot bath that thoroughly warms the body. This usually gives me a good 30mins of playing time.

SJ

[henrah]

Only remedy Iv found is a good hot bath that thoroughly warms the body. This usually gives me a good 30mins of playing time.

Would be a hectic lifestyle, taking a bath every time you want to play for 30mins

[instromp]

My hands do that all the time when we have a little recital in front of the whole class like everyother week.Soon as it's my turn to go play, like all the warmth vanishes    .Even when im not nervous it happens, it must be the dreaded piano ghost of cold hands,woooooo gets me all the time,haha   

[Kassaa]

Does it affect your performance? Can you feel your hand getting tight and your fingers not moving as fast as they should?

Yes, getting tired faster, getting less nice sound. I have less problems when performing though, might be because I am actually less nervous than for an exam.

[henrah]

Well I hope that you'd be glad to hear that they are warming up now, and I can actually practice well!

Let's hope that they don't get cold tomorrow ^_^
Henrah

[henrah]

Well, it's tomorrow and they're cold again. There goes the practice I wanted to do....

[thalbergmad]

Sounds like you need to improve your circulation old chap.

A few 40 mile night marches with a 30 kilo rucksack should do the trick.

Good for the body and soul.

Thal

[ihatepop]

And it hurts, and makes my playing sloppy and slow.

Means I have to stick them in a bowl of hot water for a couple of minutes before every practice session. Even having a break for 5minutes makes them cold again if they aren't stuck underneath or between my legs, or under my arm pits.

Does anyone else suffer from cold hands here?
Henrah

Remindes me of Beethoven.

Do you get cold hands when you're nervous, or all the time?

ihatepop

[henrah]

Remindes me of Beethoven.

Do you get cold hands when you're nervous, or all the time?

ihatepop

It's only recently, and because the house is so cold. I'm scared of turning it up whilst my dad is away though cos he'll notice when he gets back and have a fit. It's warm enough to keep my body warm, but just cold enough to make my hands stiff and tight.

[G.W.K]

My hands are always ice cold...always. I tend to frighten people who I touch them. I grew up on a farm and was never allowed to hold chicks in case I accidently murdered them with my cold hands!

They do have a use in the warm weather...however they never go stiff or affect any of my daily activities...

G.W.K

[etudes]

well...then i would practice with cold hands
my hands also get cold before concert or exam....thats why i did practice after put my hands in very cold water.....and then when you get used to it ,it wont be problem anymore

[G.W.K]

You do get used to it eventually...

G.W.K

[rc]

Nerves sometimes makes my hands cold in performances...  I just power through it, hahah.

For practice at home, I always seem to want the temperature warmer than anyone else in the house.  It was a burden in the winter months...  I bought a little electric heater for about $100 (can), problem solved.  Anytime the fingers get cold I plug it in and point it at myself, in seconds I'm comfortable.  A purchase I've never regretted!

[andersand]

It sounds like if you have a lack of blood circulation thing going on. You need to make the blood flow :-)  I suggest you try to do 50 push-ops before playing, that will certainly leave your arms (and hands) on fire. Or just some appropiate exercises.

[G.W.K]

Andersand,

A good theory but sadly incorrect. I vivisted several GP's, reasearched through books and the internet, ect and my cold hands are not caused by a blood restriction.

Some people's hands are naturally cold...

G.W.K     

[andersand]

Okay, g.w.k, I think that sounds reasonable. But when i'm at home they are often cold and lazy too and they just need to be warmed up. My suggestions was to do just that. But I have cold hands also when i'm getting nervous but that doesn't mean they aren't agile.

[G.W.K]

(Agrees)

G.W.K

[thalberg]

Wear warm long sleeved sweaters and stuff .......if you keep your arms and forearms warm your hands will stay warmer.

[G.W.K]

Doesn't work I'm afraid...sorry to be such a pesimist (if thats how you spell it)

G.W.K

[thalberg]

It works for me--in fact I do it a lot.  But maybe our problems are different.  I'm a pretty hot blooded person in general.

[csharp_minor]

And it hurts, and makes my playing sloppy and slow.

Means I have to stick them in a bowl of hot water for a couple of minutes before every practice session. Even having a break for 5minutes makes them cold again if they aren't stuck underneath or between my legs, or under my arm pits.

Does anyone else suffer from cold hands here?
Henrah

Yeah, I'm always complaining about that too, one of the most common things you will hear me say is ' I'm cold' ' or 'my hands are frezzing'.

I definitely agree that if they are cold you are more clumsy when playing. If my hands are cold I do warm them in water, but then they get cold - try to dry them as quickly as you can with a towel. I also find if I play with cold hands I am more likely to get a muscle strain in my hand or arm.

Why don't you losen up your hands and stuff my doing some scales or hanon to warm up before playing a proper piece?

[kelly_kelly]

Ugh, yeah. I have the same problem. I just came in after half an hour in 9 degree weather, and it's going to be at least 45 minutes before I can practice like I wanted to...

[javacisnotrecognized]

Praktise octaves & thirds when your hands are cold; when you warm them up again you will impress people with how fast you can play those

[mad_max2024]

I usually just sit on my hands for a while.
More practical than heating pouches and baths.

[communist]

when my hands are cold i do Hanon to warm them up