Hand health and exercise.

Hey CF, Being a newbie still (six months).. Barre Chords still strain on me. But I have learned its like any other physical thing. You need to build up some strength. So...

I think the most common answer you may get is practice, practice and more practice. (vs playing). All these drills that my instructor gave me and those I find in books aren't necessarily about making music. They're just that EXCERSISES.. for the hand(s)! I've even read and do some Physical stretching once in a while.. Here's a link:

Stretches

and I'm sure they're others.
Hope that helps..
D-

I find open chords are a good warmup for both strumming and freting hand. Even though they take no effort to do know, I play an easy song or two when I pick up the guitar and I find both my hand warm and ready to go. Then I do some more intense warmups likes scales, chromatic stuff etc. But I find just ripping threw some open chords gets me going.

keep loose when doing your warm ups... if you start to feel some pain somewhere... stop.. find out where the pain is and figure out why it hurts... relax.. try again, with your new information keeping you from straining something

A good hand warm-up is anything that gets your fingers moving independant of each other. Go up and down the neck, it doesn't matter what it sounds like, warm-up will always save your joints in the end, no matter what part of your body it is. Even stretch your arms, wrists and shoulders b4 playing if you want to.

Thats what I do everytime I start playing, get the blood pumping a little bit.