Arm, wrist, shoulder stretches

[redhead]

What are your favorite daily streches, either before or after playing?

Top of my list are:
1.  Arm straight out in front palm facing down.  Pull fingers up with other hand until palm facing forward.  (Wrist at 90 degree angle to forearm).

2.  Arm straight out, palm down,  Pull fingers down until palm facing backwards.  (Wrist at 90 degree angle to forearm).

3.  Clasp hands behind back.  Arms straight.  Keep back straight, and raise hands to stretch the shoulders.

4.  Leg stretch.  Sit on floor, legs extended.   Grab toes with hands, and pull your heels off the floor, and lean your torso towards your legs.  Relieves lower back strain from sitting all day.

5.  Arm swings as discussed in Fink.

Bicep and tricep  free weights.  Crunches for abs (for back support).  

There are many books on stretching, and literally hundreds of different possible stretches.   Does anyone else have specific stretches in their piano routine?

thanks
brian
 

[xvimbi]

The usefulnes of stretching is highly dubious at best. In fact, more and more research appears to indicate that stretching does not seem to have any physiological benefit. It is rather another good source for injury.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that one should NEVER stretch at the beginning of a practice session (be it soccer or piano playing), but only after the muscles are thoroughly warmed up, i.e. best after the practice session. This is particularly true if stretching is used to increase the range of motion around a joint (which should be done extremely carefully anyway, because it always leads to problems with the tendons). In most cases, doing the activity itself will stretch the muscles involved and will naturally lead to an increased range of motion without forcing the issue too much.

[rlefebvr]

I can see you have never had a groin injury. Groin...groin...groin injury.

(Everytime I say that I think of Ted Danson in Cheers. What a great episode)


Anyway, not much chance of that playing the piano.

[xvimbi]

Anyway, not much chance of that playing the piano.

Only if you had to play an eleven-note chord and wouldn't want to use your nose or play two notes with the same finger...

Seriously, I assume you are referring to my post. Stretching is alright if used for physio-therapeutic purposes, i.e. to treat an injury in order to get the muscles back to a healthy state. I was assuming that redhead was talking about stretching of healthy muscles.

[redhead]

Interesting.  Do you have any links to those studies you mention?

As I get older (30+ now), I find I need to stretch more to just maintain the range of motion I had yesterday.  So this isn't technically about increasing flexibility, just not losing it.

Ever notice when a dog or cat gets up?  They always immediately do some stretching before walking.  I think they are instinctively on to something.  Also, all the athletes (olympics) stretch and make sure their muscles are loose before their events.  I doubt they ALL have injured muscles.

[xvimbi]

Interesting.  Do you have any links to those studies you mention?

Rather than pointing out one or two sources (one can always find a couple of references that support any opinion or statement ), talk to conscious athletes and trainers; check out your local bookstore and skim through chapters in books about various sports, exercise, workout routines and sports medicine; Google around.

As I get older (30+ now), I find I need to stretch more to just maintain the range of motion I had yesterday.  So this isn't technically about increasing flexibility, just not losing it.

I hear you

Ever notice when a dog or cat gets up?  They always immediately do some stretching before walking.  I think they are instinctively on to something.

There is a big difference between an occasional stretch and systematic stretching. Over time, tension builds up in muscles, which can often be relieved by a quick stretch, e.g. during yawning in the morning, every now and then during a work day, etc. This is the mild form of using stretching for therapeutic purposes. Yet, it happens often enough that people pull muscles during those casual stretches. I have done so, and everybody around me I cared to ask about has done so too.

 Also, all the athletes (olympics) stretch and make sure their muscles are loose before their events.  I doubt they ALL have injured muscles.

They probably do all have injuries. Most top-athletes are not deemed fit for military service, but that is besides the point. When you see these athletes stretch, their muscles are already thoroughly warmed up. There is nothing wrong with that as I have stated in my first post.

I am not warning against stretching in general. In fact, I whole-heartedly agree with the advice that says "Proper stretching is good". The question is: what is "proper"? I am only warning against stretching in order to increase the range of motions and stretching without having first properly warmed up the involved muscles.