Hey there musicians. If you’ve spent some time this week taking care of your instrument, then consider this your reminder to make some time to take care of your body as well.
This week’s musician specific movements focus on evening recovery, nerve glides, and routine maintenance.
As always, make sure you understand the newsletter exercise ground rules. Also, remember that reading about exercises and thinking about doing them is better than nothing, but nothing is actually going to change unless you take some action. If you’re not ready to do everything on the list, that’s ok, but try to pick something and get moving. Your body will thank you!
Upgrade Your Evening Routine
Recovery is an area I think can be tremendously helpful for musicians. Before bed is an excellent time to undo some of the stress you’ve put your body through in order to set yourself up for a better tomorrow. Here’s a great bedtime routine I think would be helpful for musicians from physical therapist Stacie Morris, PT, DPT. Watch the video here, then try the routine below. I’ve reduced the numbers from what she recommended, because I bet you can get about the same benefit with a little less time investment.
- Sidelying Arm Sweep: 5 per side. This is one of my favorite exercises. Make sure you breathe the whole way around.
- Cobra into Childs Pose: 5 times through. Nice and slow, make sure you breathe.
- Hip Circles: 5 per side.
- Deep Breathing: 10 slow breaths.
- Legs up the wall: 2 minutes. Make sure you aren’t getting any tingling in your arms or legs with this position. If you are, decrease the stretch or change your position to keep it comfortable.
- Journaling: What are you grateful for? What are you proud of? What can you do better tomorrow?
Improve Your Bedtime Routine | Stacie Morris, PT, DPT via Instagram
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Get Those Nerves Gliding
Nerve irritation is one of the most common causes of pain in musicians, so taking a little time to take care of your nerves makes sense. Nerves love blood-flow, movement and space, so here are two exercises to try from physical therapist Dr. Jack Dockery. Watch the videos here, to learn the movements. If you have no pain or tingling in the arms, then try the second exercise (tensioner). If you have some discomfort or tingling, then do the first movement (slider).
- Ulnar Nerve Slider: 10 times, nice and slow. Repeat 1-3 rounds per side. You should feel no stretch, tingling or fatigue with this movement.
- Ulnar Nerve Tensioner: 10 times, nice and slow. Repeat 1-3 rounds per side. Go gentle with this movement and only go to the first sensation of stretch. More isn’t better.
Ulnar Nerve Sliders for Arm Pain and Numbness | Jack Dockery, PT, DPT via Instagram
Routine Body Maintenance
You’ve probably seen this program (because I send it to you when you sign up!) but I though I’d include the routine maintenance program that I put together. It addresses all the body areas the scientific literature has identified as being important for musicians, and the routine will take you less than 15 minutes complete. All you have to do is click here to start the video and I’ll lead you through every rep of every exercise.
See if you can do it 1-2 times this week, ideally on days where you don’t already feel totally drained.
Routine Maintenance Program for Musicians | Cody Weisbach, PT, DPT
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