Health & Wellness
Why?
It's common knowledge that it is important to be healthy, and yet many musicians don't take care of their bodies. This could be due to many factors, but often the excuse is "I don't have time." Taking care of ones self, even if it's only going on a one-mile run, doing 30 minutes of yoga, or taking a break from practicing to check-in to what's happening with ones body, offers palpable benefits not only to ones energy and stamina, but also to how they play their instrument.
When one looks at master musicians such as Jascha Heifetz, Yo-Yo Ma, and Francois Rabbath, one sees an effortless way of playing their instruments. This comes from not only many many hours of practicing, and performing, but also from an awareness of ones body. Francois Rabbath, in particular, has an uncanny awareness of how he is using his body to produce the sound he desires. There are many forms of exercise that are enormously helpful in becoming more aware of the barriers in ones body.
When one looks at master musicians such as Jascha Heifetz, Yo-Yo Ma, and Francois Rabbath, one sees an effortless way of playing their instruments. This comes from not only many many hours of practicing, and performing, but also from an awareness of ones body. Francois Rabbath, in particular, has an uncanny awareness of how he is using his body to produce the sound he desires. There are many forms of exercise that are enormously helpful in becoming more aware of the barriers in ones body.
RunningNot only is it proven to be the best exercise for your heart, one learns many great lessons from running. For example, if you work harder when running, you make it harder to run. This is directly applicable to bass, where if you try harder, you are likely hindering your ability to play the bass. Like with running, there is a balance that needs to be found where one can play the bass, or run, with the least amount of tension possible for that act. That means that there will be tension, but having too much is a problem.
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YogaBoth a physical and spiritual exercise, Yoga is a great exercise for building strength & flexibility. It's also a great for developing ones proprioception, and use of breath while in the midst of, at times, difficult exercise.
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Tai-ChiHow to describe Tai-Chi in one paragraph... I'm not sure I can. Tai-chi is a martial art. Tai-chi is the most popular form of Tai-chi, but there are many related styles. Like most Eastern martial-arts, meditation is directly linked to movement. It's a great way to coordinate ones body with the utmost ease, and explore how ones body naturally moves.
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PilatesPilates is a physical set of exercises designed to improve strength and flexibility, while also improving awareness. It was invented with the intention of rehabilitating wounded soldiers during World War I.
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Alexander TechniqueFor information on the Alexander Technique, please visit my specific Alexander Technique website here. For additional information, please visit this page.
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Feldenkrais MethodThis method develops coordination, improves range of motion, and flexibility by analysis of the connection of mind to body. In some senses it is similar to the Alexander Technique (Moshe Feldenkrais drew from the Alexander Technique, in addition to other sources, when developing his method.).
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If you are interested in any of the methods above, the best thing is to sign up for a class and see what it's all about. In the case of running, go outside, run and explore.
