Exercise!

[pianowelsh]

Hi guys.. Having just had my morning coffee and CAKE! I was sat for a moment pondering I really should start doing some exercise. How many of you regulalry exercise? what do you do? and do you think there are benefits to be gleaned in your playing?

[wishful thinker]

I swim every day during the week.  I go a health club here in the city, and do 30 mins of lengths.  Apart from keeping the weight off and being fit (and it does wonders for one's breathing), I no longer get back ache sitting at the piano for long periods 

[zheer]

. How many of you regulalry exercise? what do you do? and do you think there are benefits to be gleaned in your playing?

  yup, yesterday did 1/2 hour ov yoga pluz 40 minut ov gym work, it is very important exercise, it has a feel good factor which i love.
   Does it help piano playing, NO not directly, infact most sports can dammage your hand if not carefull.

[jas]

For me, there's no point in exercising if you're not going to work up a sweat. I like kick boxing because you'll be knackered at the end of it, but you feel great. And you'll be strong, too. Try getting a Tae-Bo DVD or something, they're a lot of fun.

Apparently things like yoga, pilates etc. improve your posture, which may decrease the likelihood of backache while sitting at the piano, but if you're like me and aren't satisfied with a workout unless you're exhausted at the end, that's probably not the way to go. I didn't have the patience for it, but maybe that's because I bought a DVD and did it at home. It might be different if you go to a proper class.

I don't think exercise helps my playing at all, but it does improve your general frame of mind, so you may be more inclined to practice.

[thalbergmad]

Me does lots of cycling, about 50 - 100 miles per week.

Petrol in England is generally over 90p a litre, so i save a fortune as well as giving the old heart a work out.

Thal

[pianistimo]

i'm impressed.  at what point do you need to check the pedals?  one of mine fell off with no warning after 10 years of cycling.  i was just riding along and it tweedles, then - off it falls.

'tweedles' means dangling sideways for about three strokes.

i can still do 60 miles a day.  but, mostly do 30 in the summer.  the thing is that cycling is very different from running - of which i am most averse.  i find fast walking a lot kinder to the knees and legs.

[ahinton]

i'm impressed.  at what point do you need to check the pedals?  one of mine fell off with no warning after 10 years of cycling.  i was just riding along and it tweedles, then - off it falls.

'tweedles' means dangling sideways for about three strokes.

The trouble with bicycles (spoken admittedly as a self-confessed born-again fundamentalist non-cyclist) is that, like some horrible upright (or, as I would rather say, downright) pianos, they have only two-thirds of the correct complement of pedals...

Best,

Alistair

[pianistimo]

alistair is right.  i think that for the price - cycles should come with an automatic extra set of pedals that you can screw on when the first ones fall off.  this is common sense.

[thalbergmad]

alistair is right.  i think that for the price - cycles should come with an automatic extra set of pedals that you can screw on when the first ones fall off.  this is common sense.

Well, you could say that it is common sense not to have the same pedals for 10 years. In addition, you should have your bike regularly serviced.

I have mine stripped down and re lubed every 4 months.

Things that cost a lot of dosh, should be looked after.

Innit

Thal

[ada]

I run 3km-8km every second day. Perfect counterpoint to sitting on your arse practicing piano or writing all day. Forget drugs (well, maybe not entirely) running gives you a massive endorphin kick that lasts for hours.

[ahinton]

Well, you could say that it is common sense not to have the same pedals for 10 years. In addition, you should have your bike regularly serviced.

I have mine stripped down and re lubed every 4 months.

Things that cost a lot of dosh, should be looked after.

Innit

Thal

Like pianos - yes...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

And girlfriends

[ahinton]

And girlfriends

Different kind of maintenance technician involved there, however - and maybe there is, in your observation here, a barely concealed homliy about the number of each that one ought to have, given the maintenance costs (I'm talking about pianos here, of course, but the same principle could as well be applied to...)

Best,

Alistair

[pianistimo]

hmmm. 

[ahinton]

hmmm. 

Dear "pianistimo",

I do not wish to appear rude - but must you contribute such long posts as the above?...

Best,

Alistair

[thalbergmad]

hmmm. 

I thought i had seen it all.

A one word post.

Faint

Thal

[pianowelsh]

Gosh I now have this impression of the whole forum being lean mean piano playing machines!!

[dnephi]

I thought i had seen it all.

A one word post.

Faint

Thal

Minimalism

[jpianoflorida]

hmmm. 

yes..wow! as much as I love you, I can't believe you were at a loss for words! what happened???

[pies]

I exercise 5 days a week.  I do weight lifting/strength training Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri. On Wednesday, I run. Weekend is for rest.

[pianistimo]

the part that said 'every four months' seemed out of context.  but, i suppose that it depends on the weather.  it used to be that the weather didn't matter much to me (wind, cold, rain) but now i need good weather.  in cold and humidity, my leg acts wierd.  like it's arthritic.

i spray my chain with wd40.  that's my maintenence.

[pianowelsh]

Ok I know some say excersise is bad for your playing (ie weightlifting and pushups etc) but can anyone explain why it is (if it is) and are there ways around it.  What are some of the tangible benefits of excersies on your playing, I know a couple mentioned stamina, and posture, could you go further with those and explain exapmles of how your posture or stamina has imporved. possibly even concentration (as one which comes to me now). Think guys lets apply all the hours you spend excersising and see if we can glean from it!

[zheer]

.  What are some of the tangible benefits of excersies on your playing, I know a couple mentioned stamina, and posture, could you go further with those and explain exapmles of how your posture or stamina has imporved. possibly even concentration (as one which comes to me now).

  Ok i was reading through a Yoga book this morning,in this book some postures were apparently better for musicians and artists, The reason was that the posture increased the blood flow to the brain thus increase memory and concentration. I have no doubt that 20 minuts of yoga in a local park not under the direct sunlight,will do wounders for your piano playing.
     To be honest nothing wrong with weight training provided you dont over do it. For about 4 years i did kick boxing then weight training, the result eventually was bad on my wrist and chest and head for that matter,so i stoped the KB and started taking YOga classes insted.
Strongly recomend yoga, it takes a lot of time and effort to learn like piano playing,but well worth it.
    Good luck.

[pianistimo]

agreed about the blood flow and increased memory and concentration.  also, after about an hour of any sort of exercise (and possibly yoga) you get this high.  it's hard to explain.  i feel my lungs able to expand and take in more oxygen.  it's like having a second set of lungs.  when i have exercised a lot - it only takes 20-30 minutes to get to this point.  i start pacing myself - because i like to do long distance cycling and not a short ride.  if i go - it's usually 3-4 hours.  i try to concentrate on stride, breathing, and upper body movements sometimes. 

having flexibility is nice.  to move smoothly and not jerkily.  sorry to go on - but i can't help saying this.  olive oil seems to be something that i've taken up as a sort of passion in cooking.  i use it to cook everything from spaghetti noodles to whatever.  i think it helps joints keep their flexibility.

[Waldszenen]

I jog 5.7km every day, seven days a week from 6am. Sometimes it takes me thirty minutes, sometimes forty five, depending on how tired I may be feeling.

[rc]

I've got a little informal plan for myself:  Alternating days of cardio with calisthenics, and a walk on Sunday for a break.  The challenge is to discipline myself to stick with it, last week I got lazy on the weekend, but this week went fine.  handstand pushups are pretty difficult too, tough to balance.  So far I can only manage 17 in a row.

Keeping the body in shape feels great and I have no doubt it helps in all areas of life.  Especially that high Pianistimo described, you really become unstoppable.

[pianistimo]

we had a good 12 mile ride today.  hardly enough, but it's going to rain and was getting windy.  several squirrels tried to get tired. 

[ksnmohan]

Hi pianowelsh,

2 to 3 miles (or 3 to 5 km) of walking daily. Simple and easy to carry out. Depending on age, will take anywhere between 40 to 60 minutes.

Doctors say that 5 days a week of this is sufficient - I do it every day.