Hands care

[marao]

Does anyone use regular immersion of hands in hot water or ice before or after playing?

[pnogirl]

That's an excellent question.  For me, it is very difficult to play when my hands are cold.  They get stiff and rigid and the compositions just don't flow out like I would like them too.  Before practicing and performing, I run my hands under hot water.  I believe that this loosens the muscles and allows them to move and flow more evenly.  Glenn Gould, a famous Bach performer, soaked his hands in a bowl of warm water before he went on stage.  However, what do you do when there's nowhere to wash your hands?  This is when I put on a pair of extremely heavy and thickly insulated mittens.  It has the same effect, just without the physical water.  Hope this helps!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Before I practice, I take a shower.

Because I feel like running your hands in hot water takes too long.  And after I take a shower, I feel UNSTOPPABLE!!!  I could play the left hand of revolutionary etude in octaves!  I could play the right hand of La Campanella's ending in 64th notes!  (not really lol)

But seriously though, if you practice right after you take a shower, it feels like you can play anything.

Or sometimes I play with a Rubik's cube before I practice because it makes your hands feel smaller than they really are and I think it helps out a little.

[chrisbutch]

This is very much age-related. As with any other muscular activity, including most sports, the older you are the longer it takes to warm up. At my age it takes me about 90 minutes at the piano before I feel really flexible and in control. I'm still a competitive cyclist, and it's exactly the same on the bike.

[piano_vs_science]

first lay your hand flat on the table
then scrunch up your middle finger
and try lifting the 4th finger without moving your entire hand
problem?

[j_menz]

first lay your hand flat on the table
then scrunch up your middle finger
and try lifting the 4th finger without moving your entire hand
problem?

Not really. A little surprised to find my left hand found it easy, but there was some tension in my right (I'm right handed). Could only manage about a centimetre though before the hand had to move a bit.

[piano_vs_science]

actually i ment try lifting you marridge finger

[j_menz]

actually i ment try lifting you marridge finger

That is my 4th finger, isn't it. It's the one I can move least, anyway (other than the middle which is scrunched up).

[piano_vs_science]

Not really. A little surprised to find my left hand found it easy, but there was some tension in my right (I'm right handed). Could only manage about a centimetre though before the hand had to move a bit.

a centimeter???
wow!!! you must be superhuman
i thought it was impossible

[benk88]

Hi guys!
I'm new in this forum and I'm so interested in piano...great to read your ideas here:)
this will serve as my past time after my cpr classes los angeles and emt training san diego .

[j_menz]

wow!!! you must be superhuman
i thought it was impossible

Nah, not superhuman, just annoying. And it's not impossible, just most people can't do it. One of those little quirks of existence.

[zezhyrule]

Weirdly, I'm also able to move my 4th finger on my left hand slightly and not on my right hand when doing that 'trick'.

[piano_vs_science]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=OIq_CHcDNP4
I dare you to watch it