My hands are so god damn cold!

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Dude what the freaking heck is going on?!  Every other part of my body is warm except for my hands!  And you guys know why that's a problem...

No but yeah, this is so freaking ugly!  How do I fix this?  I'll have to play intensely for an hour just to warm up in a Normal temperature room!  But here's thing...  My hands are still freaking cold!

I'm thinking of wearing gloves to school, but I don't wanna get flamed by everyone.



And I know one of you guys have an answer to this.  So don't think you can get away with not telling me kid!  You got that?!  Hey don't look away!  Yeah that's right, I'm talking to YOU!  So don't you dare logg off and pretend like you don't know something!

[j_menz]

My grandmother always used to say that cold hands were the sign of a warm heart.

Since the source of your warm heart appears to be one Ms Lisitsa, I'm afraind you're going to have to give her up.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

My grandmother always used to say that cold hands were the sign of a warm heart.

Since the source of your warm heart appears to be one Ms Lisitsa, I'm afraind you're going to have to give her up.

NEVER!!!!!!!!!

I would cut off my hands for Valentina Lisitsa!



No but seriously though, how the heck do I deal with this?

[perprocrastinate]

Turn on some warm water and soak your hands in it for a minute or two.

[j_menz]

Move to a warmer climate? Keep them in your pockets? 

Can't be much help, I'm afraid, as not one of my problems.

[ajspiano]

signed in, looked to the right..  see this...

Last post by j_menz
in Re: My hands are so god ...

*SEVERELY disappointed that the full title of the thread wasnt "my hands are so god-like"

On topic though, I used to where fingerless gloves to school for this reason.. 

[chopin2015]

It's true(the glove thing) and is similar to avoiding injury so you don't shake anyone's hands and never lift over 5 pounds
 Also, maybe check your blood pressure. Perhaps you are playing so much piano that you are actually lowering it with so much of this activity. For example, I was so close to getting 6 hours in today( but was done after about 5 and a half). Actually, my hands are quite warm right now but that is because after my practice I cooked a lot and did the dishes and cleaned after myself, which is consistent activity and so my blood pressure was high?. I am just not sure how to help you but I assume this is related to your blood pressure differences between your active state at the piano and the stuff before and later...? I'm no doctor, kid.

[chopin2015]

By the way, take time during whatever you are doing to practice trills and alternating fingers in patterns, moving your hands faster and faster. Also conclude every one of these "stretches" with a nice comfortable one to keep the good form, so do some moving around at a comfortable speed before you conclude your stretches.

[quantum]

Cold hands can be a symptom of stress.  Some googling will turn up information on that.  

[lostinidlewonder]

Cold extremities also can be sign of poor blood circulation as chopin2015 also mentioned

[outin]

I assume you do not smoke? So it may be too much skating...

[rachmaninoff_forever]

I assume you do not smoke? So it may be too much skating...

Actually before piano lessons, I skate a bit because it warms them up.

[chopin2015]

Actually before piano lessons, I skate a bit because it warms them up.

I drink hot coffee or (rarely) a half of a small redbull

[pianoplunker]

Dude what the freaking heck is going on?!  Every other part of my body is warm except for my hands!  And you guys know why that's a problem...

No but yeah, this is so freaking ugly!  How do I fix this?  I'll have to play intensely for an hour just to warm up in a Normal temperature room!  But here's thing...  My hands are still freaking cold!

I'm thinking of wearing gloves to school, but I don't wanna get flamed by everyone.



And I know one of you guys have an answer to this.  So don't think you can get away with not telling me kid!  You got that?!  Hey don't look away!  Yeah that's right, I'm talking to YOU!  So don't you dare logg off and pretend like you don't know something!

I was tempted to logoff when I read this but this individual needs us to help. Ok dude, take off those gloves - NOW.   Pink with little ponies ? Yikes.  Anyhow, take them off or we dont know you anymore. Instead of gloves - why not just touch something warm ?  Dude

[outin]

Unless your house is really cold, the coldness of hands is a blood circulation matter. It can be caused by many things (googling is adviced), stress is one of them. Did you say you have had some major exams at school?

[hmpiano]

I find the more I 'work out' on the piano the colder my hands habitually are.  My guess is the fat gets burned off developed hands.  Play directly underneath one or two desk lamps.

[outin]

I find the more I 'work out' on the piano the colder my hands habitually are.  My guess is the fat gets burned off developed hands.  Play directly underneath one or two desk lamps.

I have never had any fat on my hands, they are bones and skin...but they are never cold. Except in the winter when I forget my gloves

[nyiregyhazi]

I find the more I 'work out' on the piano the colder my hands habitually are.  My guess is the fat gets burned off developed hands.  Play directly underneath one or two desk lamps.

It's widely taken that localised use of muscles doesn't burn fat in the specific area- eg sit ups don't slim the stomach. If playing reduces blood flow, there's too much tension in playing that is restricting it from passing freely. Good technique only encourages blood flow. I used to blame cold hands on bad circulation. Exercise and changes to my technique fixed it.

[hmpiano]

You can disagree a fitter hand is a leaner hand all you like - I'd be surprised you have any evidence contrary.  Whats the abdomen to do with the price of bananas?  That's the body's fat store.

[mikeowski]

When my hands are cold, I wear my winter coat inside the house. fixes the problem in a few minutes. It's also very comfy and somehow makes me play better. Probably because I get more self-confident feeling protected in the thick coat lol. So I just keep it on until it gets too hot.
Or put your hands in hot water.

[nyiregyhazi]

You can disagree a fitter hand is a leaner hand all you like - I'd be surprised you have any evidence contrary.  Whats the abdomen to do with the price of bananas?  That's the body's fat store.

Precisely. Fat is burned in general areas of storage- not where activity takes place. You've been duped by an old wives' tale. If it were true, fat people who eat a lot would have thin cheeks from all the chewing. And volodos and other "big boned" pianists would have slender hands. If you burned a prodigious number of calories while playing, it would burn fat from such areas as the waist- not specific fat on the hands. The error likely stems from the fact that local use of muscles aids toning in that area. However, that is not to be confused with the totally different issue of burning fat in the particular area. Fat loss is distributed around the body as a whole and never specific to the area of activity.

The fact that you get cold hands from practising more is not a sign that you should congratulate yourself on supposedly having burned the fat off and hence left them cold. Healthy hands do not require fat. They require quality of blood flow. If practising more makes your hands colder, it shows that (far from this nonsensical premise of having have "developed" them better) you are doing something wrong while playing that restricts proper blood flow.

[hmpiano]

You misunderstand - the hands are not cold whilst playing, just during a usual day in autumn/winter.

[nyiregyhazi]

You misunderstand - the hands are not cold whilst playing, just during a usual day in autumn/winter.

That doesn't sound any less worrying. Activity should improve blood flow and warmth. The fat thing is definitely not the explanation, so something about how you play is reducing the transfer of blood to your hands, in general.

[lloyd_cdb]

I get the same issue.  I'll poor a hot glass of water and just hold it for a little while before I play.  It usually solves the issue without recurrence in the practice session.  It's most likely due to circulation, regular aerobic exercise will help that.

The issue could also be an illness called Raynaud's disease.  My brother and father have it, and both of them only started suffering from it around age 20. FYI the pictures are extreme cases, more regularly it's feelings of frostbite or numbness without actually having the physical effects.  Before being paranoid though, I'm just mentioning it as a possibility, not a likelihood.  Most of my family members are in medicine, so as my usual response: check with a doctor, not the interweb.

[hmpiano]

The one-size-fits-all hypothesis for circulation is bonkers - some people are just more genetically prone.  I suffered from Raynaud's disease even before I played the piano - smoking was the culprit.  Caffeine is another problem - I can only tolerate one cup of coffee a day. 

[nyiregyhazi]

The one-size-fits-all hypothesis for circulation is bonkers - some people are just more genetically prone.  I suffered from Raynaud's disease even before I played the piano - smoking was the culprit.  Caffeine is another problem - I can only tolerate one cup of coffee a day.  

Given that the body is of highly constant temperature (except during illness) the fact that cold hands are caused by inadequate circulation is a one size fits all reality. Or do you have a hypothesis involving the circulation being fine but the hands receiving much colder blood than the rest of the body? Blame genetics or a disease or whatever, but when your hands are cold, they aren't receiving adequate blood supply. Only if a person is known to to be eating a good diet and engaging in proper cardiovascular exercise (and no,walking doesn't count) should we look to any other considerations beyond basic fitness and the manner of technique. Those who suffer the disease should probably look to such considerations with even more urgency than those who don't. Improving the blood circulation will never be anything but a positive.

[hmpiano]

Only if a person is known to to be eating a good diet and engaging in proper cardiovascular exercise (and no,walking doesn't count) should we look to any other considerations beyond basic fitness and the manner of technique.

Non cardiovascuar exerciser slinks away....

[nyiregyhazi]

Non cardiovascuar exerciser slinks away....

So, you don't do any exercise and your hands are cold? Is it really that hard to put 2+2 together? Why not have that extra cup of coffee but add some jogging?

[hmpiano]

So, you don't do any exercise and your hands are cold? Is it really that hard to put 2+2 together? Why not have that extra cup of coffee but add some jogging?

Wouldn't be seen dead, mate!  In fact more likely seen dead - remember what happened to the inventor of jogging.

[nyiregyhazi]

Wouldn't be seen dead, mate!  In fact more likely seen dead - remember what happened to the inventor of jogging.

Fine, let your playing suffer in favour of a stubbornness against basic health.

[lloyd_cdb]

Fine, let your playing suffer in favour of a stubbornness against basic health.

You only have so many heartbeats in life.  Exercise raises your BPM, and therefore wastes some of your heartbeats, causing you to die at an earlier age.  It's science.

[hmpiano]

You only have so many heartbeats in life.  Exercise raises your BPM, and therefore wastes some of your heartbeats, causing you to die at an earlier age.  It's science.

Yeh, I knew that

[outin]

You only have so many heartbeats in life.  Exercise raises your BPM, and therefore wastes some of your heartbeats, causing you to die at an earlier age.  It's science.

And that is of course the reason why I never exercise 

[nyiregyhazi]

You only have so many heartbeats in life.  Exercise raises your BPM, and therefore wastes some of your heartbeats, causing you to die at an earlier age.  It's science.

I presume this is intended as a joke. Either way, the heartbeat concept is a hypothesis not a scientific fact. Also, exercise lowers the average heart rate. Lack of exercise causes not only poor circulation but a higher resting heart rate. Exercise means you get more out of each heart beat, so the heart generally beats far slower for a person who exercises. If even if this were not so, I'd sooner have a slightly shorter life but play the piano better- compared to having a longer life of struggling to get the fingers moving move properly due to poor blood flow and having to waste time messing around with gloves and hot water.

[pianoman53]

There was one guy who thought that one only had that many steps in life too... So once he 'discovered' that, he sat the rest of his life in a wheelchair, got fat, and died. Obviously he would have died anyway, just like the inventor of jogging, but...

If you don't want to do any exercising, at least give your arms and hand a massage, to get some blood in there.

[scherzo123]

Dude what the freaking heck is going on?!  Every other part of my body is warm except for my hands!  And you guys know why that's a problem...

No but yeah, this is so freaking ugly!  How do I fix this?  I'll have to play intensely for an hour just to warm up in a Normal temperature room!  But here's thing...  My hands are still freaking cold!

I thought I was the only one...

[lloyd_cdb]

I presume this is intended as a joke.

Of course.  I should have informed you that my last sentence was an impression:

[stiefel]

I don't think poor circulation is a reason.  I am a cross country runner and basketball player and track runner and have been throughout all of high school.  Because of this I have had my fair share of aerobic exercise.  However, I suffer from the same cold hand problem.

[080088888]

OK dude your very persuasive text has got my attention
I sometimes have the same prob as you but I figured out a way no one can notice but keep ur hand warm at the same time

JUST TAKE A SHOT OF VODKA OR WISKY 5 MIN BEFORE PERFORMANCE

not enough to get u drunk or tipsy but 100% enough to keep u warm from hair to cock

note 1 - don't drink if ur under 18
note 2 - be sure u don't have alchohole allergy

Ur friendly Chinese superviser Pei Lun
Remember to thank me when it work

[outin]

JUST TAKE A SHOT OF VODKA OR WISKY 5 MIN BEFORE PERFORMANCE

Love that  

But I am afraid I couldn't keep it to just one shot... and Whiskey tends to make me feel all powerful and successfull in everything I do...unfortunately it would not necessarily come out as well to the listeners ...

Actually I sometimes hope I could have a glass of something before my lesson... that would help me relax and would help me slow down my overactive thoughts...I also never  get frustrated when am under the influence. But I don't think my teacher would approve 

[hmpiano]

I don't think poor circulation is a reason.  I am a cross country runner and basketball player and track runner and have been throughout all of high school.  Because of this I have had my fair share of aerobic exercise.  However, I suffer from the same cold hand problem.

As I said, I think it's lean fingers and a problem many pianists who practice a lot have.

[nyiregyhazi]

I don't think poor circulation is a reason.  I am a cross country runner and basketball player and track runner and have been throughout all of high school.  Because of this I have had my fair share of aerobic exercise.  However, I suffer from the same cold hand problem.

It's still a lack of blood getting to the hands- and hence circulation issues. Aside from general fitness, I believe that manner of technique is an issue. Bracing muscles tends to restrict blood flow. Some people may be more predisposed to problems (even when fit) but I think that the right manner of technique tends to get blood flowing quickly, unless in a truly cold room.

[unholeee]

you could put your hands between your legs. although, maybe that's where the blood flow has gone. i find the masseuses (im sure that implies registered but im pretty sure they arent) hands are really warm after a massage. and im not just saying that because the prior statement. a hem. my hands are really warm, in fact im generally warm. i could teach you but it will cost you a lot. luckily for me I was just born with the skills and started really early, i mean really early.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

i could teach you but it will cost you a lot.

How about a recording of me playing the complete WTC?

[unholeee]

How about a recording of me playing the complete WTC?

that would be as painful as it is for you, as it is for me.

i have seen people use these gel pads you snap and they release heat. also icecream. icecream is cold. i am very cold now.

[lloyd_cdb]

Actually I sometimes hope I could have a glass of something before my lesson... that would help me relax and would help me slow down my overactive thoughts...I also never  get frustrated when am under the influence.

I wouldn't recommend it.  I play fairly often under the influence, since I'm a home-brewer and have beer on tap in my house  .  Based on how well I play, I strongly advise against it 

[rachmaninoff_forever]

i have seen people use these gel pads you snap and they release heat.

I was thinking of trying that.

[hmpiano]

When my reynaud's was real bad I used to take one of those heaters hunters use to work every day.  The ones you light a piece of charcoal and put it inside.  I've still got them somewhere (one for each hand).

[outin]

I wouldn't recommend it.  I play fairly often under the influence, since I'm a home-brewer and have beer on tap in my house  .  Based on how well I play, I strongly advise against it 

Actually I have this unfortunate stomach condition that gets really irritated with alcohol...so I can only drink every now and then

Alcohol also has this strange effect on me: No matter how little I drink, the next day or two my memory does not work. I forget names, everyday things and piano keys .... So never drink on weekends, since Monday is piano lesson...

[lloyd_cdb]

So never drink on weekends, since Monday is piano lesson...

Time to switch it to Wednesday