hand gripper fo finger strength

[picur85]

Hi!

Is it good to use hand grippers beside finger exercises to build up finger strength? Or my fingers might become stiffer or something?

[49410enrique]

good for finger strength? yes. good for piano? no.

[hfmadopter]

That will give your hand global strength, great for say gripping handle bars on a bike. Nothing for articulation which you need for piano. Probably you are better off sticking with the slow route of fingering excercises etc. Then later some Bach Inventions and on to various Etudes. Not to mention playing in general.

[nyiregyhazi]

Hi!

Is it good to use hand grippers beside finger exercises to build up finger strength? Or my fingers might become stiffer or something?

A powerball is better.

[nystul]

Piano technique isn't really about physical strength.  At work I grab and pull about 10,000 boxes off a conveyor every night.  It has developed a strong grip and freakish forearms. It hasn't helped my piano playing a darn bit.  There are still 9 year old girls and 80 year old ladies who can play a better trill.

[p2u_]

Hi!

Is it good to use hand grippers beside finger exercises to build up finger strength? Or my fingers might become stiffer or something?

Practicing a trill slowly in the air with all finger combinations is certainly more useful than a hand gripper. You do NOT need that kind of strength in your fingers to play the piano well. What you do need to play the big concert repertoire is sturdy (firm, unyielding) fingers and loose, flexible wrists. A gripper may affect mainly the latter, making it impossible to move your fingers without also locking the wrists.
P.S.: I can do a fingertip handstand (this one is not me) without any of the joints collapsing. This has certain advantages if you don't want to waste energy in tone production. I'm not going to tell anybody here, though, how I got there to avoid having damage claims filed afterwards.

Paul

[iansinclair]

Not, in my humble opinion, a good idea.  As several folks have said, piano playing (or other keyboards, except maybe carillon!) is not about strength, but speed and articulation.  And, to a certain extent, stamina -- the ability to keep it up for a longish time (my right hand still gets a little weary on Schurbert op. 90 #4, after all these years... or maybe because of all these years?!  ).  The best way, again IMHO, to get there is practicing... up to the point that your arms might be a little tired, but not much beyond.  Other finger agility exercises can help too -- for instance, learning to touch-type (NOT txt n an iPad!!!) is great.

[p2u_]

The best way, again IMHO, to get there is practicing... up to the point that your arms might be a little tired, but not much beyond.  Other finger agility exercises can help too

"Agility exercises" are intended to "develop speed", which is the wrong mindset and has caused lots of sorrow to many generations of piano students. Instead of striving for speed, which is already inborn, we should be learning how to SLOW DOWN, create awareness, and practice the "Music of Silence" (free after A.B. Michelangeli). That is how you unlock speed.

While a gripper is too rough on piano hands, stretching (as a preparation, not during playing) is generally beneficial if done with care,  and so is a workout of the finer motor muscles in the hand with playdough, play clay, silly putty or plasticine. Most importantly: always keep a flexible wrist.

Paul

[nyiregyhazi]

"Agility exercises" are intended to "develop speed", which is the wrong mindset and has caused lots of sorrow to many generations of piano students. Instead of striving for speed, which is already inborn, we should be learning how to SLOW DOWN, create awareness, and practice the "Music of Silence" (free after A.B. Michelangeli). That is how you unlock speed.

Absolutely. Quite often slowing down isn't enough though- due to the vaguery of the "and then relax advice" that is so often given without clarifications. I've found that countless students improve immeasurably when I get them to focus on feeling the quality of contact with the keybed after the keys have been depressed. It's inadequate focus on comfortable yet secure balance that hampers speed the most- and causes a physical struggle to get between keys. The most typical thinking is to see the hand drooping after every sound occurs- causing an extremely difficult and unpredictable playing position for the next finger (or severe stiffening to try and compensate for the droop).

[iansinclair]

Perhaps I might add a note to my comment, hopefully to clarify: yes and no on agility exercises for speed.  I have never considered them as a way to increase speed (of course, I've only been playing for 60 years, so I may not have encountered that yet) but I find that they are very helpful in maintaining rhythmic accuracy and precision, and finger placement.  Particularly with regard to rhythmic accuracy, that is impossible (even in a slow passage) unless each finger on both hands responds Right Now to the mental command to play the note.  That's really what I meant...

[picur85]

Thank you all for the answers