I have been playing for a few weeks. Before I started I read many aritcles about playing. I tried to understand all I could about playing relaxed to try to lower pain, and keep good playing posture. I started focusing my time the past couple of days on barre chords. Now taht I am working on those chords, I find that I am becoming very sore. So my question is what kind of excersises can I do to help strenghten myself for playing? And what I need to do to keep good playing posture while working on these chords? Any info would be great, thanks.
I am addicted to the guitar, just like I am addicted to air and water.
1. you have only been playing a few weeks
people who have been playing for years over do it sometimes. pace yourself
2. you are starting with barre chords?
barre chords are very difficult for most beginners. i suggest open chords and scales. maybe a few songs from the "easy songs for beginners" section of the lessons here by David Hodge
as far as specific exercises i have been doing fingertip pushups for over twenty years in addition to working at a fingertip hardening job as well. i would say stretching and squeezing exercises would fit the bill.
btw, Welcome to GN
#4491....
read the jamie andreas article/lesson on discomfort.
what they said....
I wanted to WELCOME you to Guitar Noise :)
Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. - Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977)
Hey thanks. It has been good to hear from other much more skilled than myself. And thanks for the welcoming to Guitar Noise.
I am addicted to the guitar, just like I am addicted to air and water.
rock climbing is the ultimate hand exercise. i always mention it on threads like these.
As a beginner and even a seasoned player, you always always always want to warm up... I've NOT done this on a few occasions and hurt both my wrists and those muscles in my fore arm. One day it hurt so bad I thought 'Oh-No, I did something real bad now'.. luckily it went away in a day or so.
Warming up is so very important, even if its starting slowly with some simple power chords.. getting the hand and fingers going. There are some great tips here and abouts for some exercises both with and without the guitar in your hands.
Research is what I'm doing when I don't know what I'm doing. - Wernher Von Braun (1912-1977)
welcome. your wrists and many other body parts will be sore. you are learning something new and it takes time to build the muscles. your wrist, handfs etc are moving in new directions the new movements will hurt for awhile, but as you gain strength the soreness goes away....
somewhat. I still get sore after a long gig or practice session.
if you move from sore to acute pain thatt would be a good time to take a break.
There are stretches of sorts you can do, for the fingers and that...
Like put your hand on a table/ or a wall and stretch you fingers against it, but don't let your wrist touch, or like warm ups on the fretboard, like a good scale would be the chromatic one, or a pentatonic and build up speed as you go...
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