Can weightlifting improve your playing?

[Sigmund]

Hi guys,

this my first post here.

Have you considered how weightlifting can be beneficial to your playing?

Two weeks after I started to lift weights I really felt my playing improved. Rhythm was better, the rolls were more smooth...
My explanation for this is that weightlifting improves the neuro-muscular junction, and thus better neural innervation, and strength helped my playing. This is most likely a short term benefit (but still worth it!), meaning that my playing will probably not benefit much more from lifting weights in the long run. Anyway, I can recommend everyone who is not regularly working out, to try, and to hear and feel the difference! I believe dumbbells are best for this (work the whole upper body), since they require more wrist-stabilisation. I also believe few repetitions with heavy weights is best for improving the neuro-muscular junction.

So another reason to go the gym!

Sigmund

[crookedtune]

My explanation is that physical exercise reduces mental fatigue, anxiety and tension, which leads to more clear-headed thinking (and playing).

Regardless, yes.

[Denny]

and it causes you to breath better!

[chas]

I've generally found that being in better shape leads to better playing. A couple of teachers have told me this, too, although I think they're talking cardio-vascular shape. I pretty much just do aerobic exercise except for day-to-day stuff like splitting wood, ground work, etc. (not that that doesn't count, it's just not exercise for exercise's sake).

[drewr]

I've always noticed that I played better on days when I lift weights.

[jim stone]

Any sort of exercise helps, IMO. Aerobic stuff helps wind, weights make for strength
and ease in holding the flute. Playing a flute is an athletic activity.

[talasiga]

hapsapikos in the gymnasia
flautists tittled
tambourines tattled
naked maidens
lifted bulls by the horn

in other fields
in sleepy groves
an effete fluter
languidly lifts
spirits of the forlorn

[Julia Delaney]

Yes...

[Denny]

unusually terse dear

[m31]

Yes, up to a point. Overtraining, sleep deprivation, hypo-caloric (esp. low-carb) diets will fog your concentration, cause shortness of breath and jumpiness -- none of which are conducive to tone, a relaxed style, creativity (variations), overall musicianship. Nonetheless I wholeheartedly recommend weight training to all flute players, lasses included.

[Rob Sharer]

Good walk in the woods will do the same thing, and you won't have to see anyone in a Gold's Gym wifebeater, if you're lucky anyway.



Rob

[jim stone]

Well, if you're going to buy Ben's 8-key Bb Grinter, you'd better lift weights too.

[Denny]

walk up hill

[LorenzoFlute]

Well I did improve a lot since i started going to the gym, but i didn't connect the two things (i was improving even before). I guess it's together a matter of time, practice, and gym...

[benhall.1]

Yes. The only thing I'd query is that, in common with gym advisers' comments to me in the past, I think more reps of lower weights are better than fewer of higher weights, not only for building strength but for all the other benefits as well.