As I've aged, I've found that the suppleness in my fingers has lessened which affects the speed at which I can play.  I spoke with a local physiotherapist a few days ago and she told me that this was to be expected and showed me a simple exercise which, after only a short time, has definitely helped.  Hold both hands out in front with the palms facing and the slowly roll the fingers into the palm, hold for a few seconds and open the hands as far as you can, stretching the open fingers until you feel the muscles and tendons tighten. Hold for 5 seconds and then repeat up to ten times.  I've been doing this as often as I can during the day and the improvement is very noticeable.  Well worth trying for those of you in my situation.

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a vidéo , Steve  ,?, i would like to play faster

Hi Steve, thank you for the finger exercise. My friends, who play other instruments, and myself, I'm sure will find it beneficial, we have all been grumbling about our fingers and thumbs just lately.

Good tip Steve, and you have saved all us oldies a £40, 15mins at the physiotherapist's as well.

I, too, find my fingers stiff when I first start to play and it seems to take longer for them to loosen up than it used to.  I put it down to being aged...  and now you have confirmed it... damn!!!

Which way to the palms face, please?

 

"Hold both hands out in front with the palms facing and.."

Sorry for the typo, Steve. What I meant to ask was which way DO the palms face? (up or down, towards oneself or away?)

Jody,

I read it as   "Hold both hands out in front with the palms facing (each other)  and..."

Britain and America, divided by a common language.

The palms should be facing the body, as if you are carrying something in the crook of both arms....Steve.
Jody Stecher said:

Which way to the palms face, please?

 

"Hold both hands out in front with the palms facing and.."

Thank you for the clarification Steve.

There you are Jody... even I can't understand English, and I have been doing it wrong for the last 24 hours!

 

;-)

It's probably my fault, I've got one of those annoying text processors that tries to anticipate what you're typing and unless you check it, what you mean and what is says is often at odds. I'm off into hospital on 7th December for surgery on my right knee and that will entail a fair bit of post-operative physiotherapy so I'll see if I obtain any more useful hand exercises from the physio. I'm not looking forward to the surgery but as I'll be laid up at home for 4 to 6 weeks,  at least I can get in some serious playing.
thereallyniceman said:

Thank you for the clarification Steve.

There you are Jody... even I can't understand English, and I have been doing it wrong for the last 24 hours!

 

;-)

I have been watching a Youtube video which gives a quite intensive hand stretch out and it feels amazing. I will be doing this regularly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSrfB7JIzxY

That looks worth a go but I don't think my fingers are quite ready for it just yet!  A variation on those exercises is to stand facing a wall with the feet about 3 feet away. Put both hands flat against the wall with both elbows bent than the gradually straighten the arms and this causes the fingers to stretch backwards. When at full stretch, support the body weight on the fingers for a few seconds and then repeat.

 

thereallyniceman said:

I have been watching a Youtube video which gives a quite intensive hand stretch out and it feels amazing. I will be doing this regularly!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSrfB7JIzxY

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