Do you ever feel like your hands just won't do what you tell them to?
Do you ever feel like your hands just won't do what you tell them to?
Does it seem like you're fighting against your body, but you don't know what to do about
it?
Does it seem like you've reached the limits of what your body is capable of in terms of technical ability or the length of time you're able to play without pain?
These three seemingly separate experiences are, in fact, all symptoms of the same problem:
You are getting in the way of yourself.
The most common way you might get in the way of yourself is through unconsciously using too much tension in your body. If you play music regularly you've more than likely noticed some of these symptoms during or after your playing: clenching your jaw, hunching your shoulders, mysterious aches and pains, or even full-on repetitive strain injuries.
This tension acts like the emergency brake in your car: if you drive around with your e-brake on your car will still work OK, except that you won't be able to go as fast and you'll put more wear and tear on your car.
When it feels like your hands are being disobedient it's because tension in your neck or back is putting the brakes on your arms and hands.
When you feel like you're fighting against your body it means you need to learn how to let go of this excess tension.
When you've reached your limits of what your body is capable of in terms of technical ability or the length of time you're able to play without pain you can increase those limits by letting go of the tension that gets in the way of your playing ability.
I have a new webinar out that touches on these points and explains them in great detail, so if you're:
Interested in learning more about overcoming these commonly stressful and frustrating patterns,
A professional musician or active amateur musician,
Experiencing too much pain and strain while playing,
...then please do check it out!
If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out to me. I'm making myself available to be your resource when it comes to making music less stressful and painful, and more satisfying and fun.
Best wishes,
Joseph Arnold
