Why is it difficult to play with cold hands?

[rovis77]

I find it difficult top play the piano with cold hands, why is this?. Does anyone have any tips for this issue?. thanks a lot!

[perfect_playing]

When our hands are cold we often can't move our fingers as fast. We are less agile and our general coordination skills are thus decreased. When I begin a practice session and my hands are cold, I run them under some warm water, or if I don't I begin practising with warm-up pieces to gently ease into it. Chopin Etudes are often good for warmups. I notice you have posted questions about Op. 10 No. 1 in this forum, and when I learnt this piece I found it was good to use as a warm-up; you can begin by practising groups of 4 etc. which gently warm up your hand for a practice session. 

[louispodesta]

I find it difficult top play the piano with cold hands, why is this?. Does anyone have any tips for this issue?. thanks a lot!

1)  Playing the piano with cold hands, or playing football, basketball, baseball, golf, running, volleyball . . . well, you get the drift, is a very bad idea.

2)  Instead of telling you what I do, which works for me in my particular environment, I will list a link to a classical pianist in California, who is also an accomplished physiotherapist.  He is a very giving human being.

Good luck to you.
https://www.triangleassociates-us.com/about_us

[pianoplunker]

I find it difficult top play the piano with cold hands, why is this?. Does anyone have any tips for this issue?. thanks a lot!

I also find it difficult to play with cold hands. Tip = Gloves ( but take them off before playing )

[coda_colossale]

1:23

[louispodesta]

1:23

I have stated vociferously in another thread that David Helfgott was and is a fraud, and the movie associated with his life (affirmed by his living relatives) was a complete misrepresentation of the facts.

Finally, what does any of this have to do with warming up ones hands before playing or practicing?

[coda_colossale]

Finally, what does any of this have to do with warming up ones hands before playing or practicing?

I don't know, maybe it was a joke? (My timing was off by 3 seconds.)

I have stated vociferously vindictively and despisingly in another thread that David Helfgott was and is a fraud

Most of the forum members have the intelligence and musical background to deduce alone from his recordings and performances, without your help, that Mr. Helfgott is not a good pianist at all.

Do we have to be as mean-spirited as you and show how much we hate and envy this "spastic lunatic" by commenting on something that wasn't even related to his pianism to gain your approval?

Or forget about the "wasn't related to his pianism" part. You still didn't have to do that even if that was a post praising Helfgott's interpretation.

And they call me a hater because I merely don't like Buniatishvili's playing

[Bob]

Muscle tension.  Different ways of using the muscles.  All the muscles in the hands and arms are close together, plus the same for bones. 


Tension -- One muscle pulling one direction while another (it's balancing twin) is pulling the other way.  Colder muscle shrink/tense up a little to keep warm.  Different muscle state compared to what it is when it's warm and relaxed.



Warm everything up or learn to play with a little more tension (by that I mean slowly adjust to it).  I haven't found a great way around it, but yes, it does suck.


What I would do -- Crank up the heat and practice normally.

[dumkagal]

Hi!

I have the same problem a lot of the time, and have gotten into the habit of hand-washing the dishes shortly before first practice session of the day. (I tend to doze off at night with a pileup in the sink, so shoot me.) If I am noticeably stiff from cold or from overzealous practice the previous day, I don't play until I'm better, but that's not frequently, thank de lawd. One thing I do in cold weather that helps right away is I start out wearing long (mid-forearm), soft-cotton-knit fingerless gloves--one hole for the thumb and another large hole for all the fingers. This can be an issue if I need to be playing a passage with hands crossed close to each other, but so far I've never ended up with my right thumb in the left fingerhole or anything like that! I think the reason this helps even though the fingers remain uncovered is that there are no muscles in the fingers, only tendons, so the kind of blood circulation you need to overcome the "cold" (or stiffness from cold or any other reason) is aided by merely covering the body of the hand, the wrist, and lower forearm.

Cheerio!