Hand tension and tiredness

[sausagefingers]

Hi hope someone can help with my little query.

I recently started playing piano again after packing it in when I was a teenager.Im playing grade 3 pieces and  I'm having a lot of fun trying to get a good hour or two in a day.

I really want to practice as much as possible and dedicate myself to it fully but find myself having to stop because my hands become tired and uncomfortable. How long should i practice a day if i want to progress quickly? Should I practice less to begin with and then pick up the pace later on? Should I practice easier pieces? is it to much tension in my hands? or is it just par for the course? so many questions!, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[jaggens]

When your general playing technique is right, then you always feel relaxed and fluent while playing.

Stiffness comes when some parts of your hand (playing mechanism) are not moving, are blocked and not working. Then other muscles start to compensate and get stiff under pressure.

Pay attention to all your hand parts, that everything is moving and working together but all different parts are independent at the same time.

[bleicher]

Maybe post a video of yourself playing something and we might be able to point out of there are any obvious areas of tension.

[tonalharmony]

Hi hope someone can help with my little query.

I recently started playing piano again after packing it in when I was a teenager.Im playing grade 3 pieces and  I'm having a lot of fun trying to get a good hour or two in a day.

I really want to practice as much as possible and dedicate myself to it fully but find myself having to stop because my hands become tired and uncomfortable. How long should i practice a day if i want to progress quickly? Should I practice less to begin with and then pick up the pace later on? Should I practice easier pieces? is it to much tension in my hands? or is it just par for the course? so many questions!, any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Sausagefingers, The tiredness and uncomfortable feeling in your hands could be a problem with your technique. My question is how do you hold your wrists? If they are bent down, and not even with your hand and forearm then your technique is wrong, and this is most likely the problem with your hands. IF this is your problem, then continuing with the wrists bent down can cause damage(and probably will) to your arms. With the tension in your hands, if you know how to do them scales might help to loosen up your fingers before you play. (I know they help my hands)

Hope this helps,

tonalharmony

[emma84]

When your general playing technique is right, then you always feel relaxed and fluent while playing.

Stiffness comes when some parts of your hand (playing mechanism) are not moving, are blocked and not working. Then other muscles start to compensate and get stiff under pressure.

Pay attention to all your hand parts, that everything is moving and working together but all different parts are independent at the same time.

yes, I totally agree with you. And it's possibly that sausagefingers has just lost his stamina and plays too difficult repertoire