PREPARE
If you go to any sporting event you will see the players or teams conducting a physical warm-up before the game. They do this because science and experience tells them that preparing your muscles and mind is a critical part of elite performance. Traditionally, musicians only warm-up on their instruments and do not pay attention to warming up their body before they play.
A physical warm-up doesn't need to take much time at all and once you incorporate one into your routine, we (almost) guarantee you will be telling everyone what a difference it makes to your practice and play! Our goal is to see every orchestra, ensemble and individuals warming up together before picking up their instruments.
A physical warm-up can:
increase muscle temperature
increase blood flow to key muscles
increase mental acuity
prepare the body for the physical activity to come.
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WARM-UP FOR MUSICIANS
Warm-up for musicians is not at the same intensity nor length of time for sports or dance. You don’t need to increase your body core temperature and get a light sweat - just prepare your body appropriately for playing music. This may also assist you with any performance anxiety you have as musicians who do physically warm up before play also report a change in their mental acuity and preparedness for playing – the body and mind are one!Warm-up exercises should be dynamic, gradually increasing the range of movement and increasing the speed of movement. Stretching is for after play as a recovery strategy not for warm-up.
Check out this free video below where we show you a very easy 2 minute physical warm-up that any musician can use before they pick up their instruments and prepare to play.
This 2-minute warm-up is recorded at 50bpm but you can play your favourite music at any speed! (just don't go too fast as it's a warmup!) It is recorded with 4 or 8 repetitions per movement and flows together through the neck, shoulders, arms and trunk finishing with the "hand-worm" and a final shake out. Prepare to play!