Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano
Subject: Re: My Wrists!
Date: Mon, 25 Sep 1995 14:01:29 GMT


>I am a new student of the  paino, and started playing about 4 weeks ago. I
>love to practice, but when I do, my left wrist begins to get sore,,,, Am I
>doing something wrong
If your wrists hurt, you are indeed doing something wrong. Remember,
don't press down the keys. Walk on them. Always strike the key from
above while maintaining a legato connection (just like walking). Keep
your wrists loose and constantly adjust your hand for the best angle
to the key. You can always rub the pressure point on the upper forearm
about two inches down and to the right of the dimple made between the
upper arm and the forearm. I teach my class piano students to do this
and it always works.
Yours, 
Charles Rowden 


Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano
Subject: Re: My Wrists!
Date: Thu, 28 Sep 1995 11:21:19 UNDEFINED

>Subject: Re: My Wrists!
>Date: Mon, 25 Sep 95 08:55:38 PDT

Another thing to remember is that your wrists should be straight (but not 
tense) when you play, and not bent sideways or up/down.  It's great that 
you're taking care of this early.  Good luck,  Marianne

Newsgroups: rec.music.makers.piano
Subject: Re: My Wrists!
Date: 24 Sep 1995 08:35:28 GMT

Dear sore wrists,

One of the things I notice when I have been away from the piano on 
vacation or illness, is that my wrists get sore too.  Foregoing the 
possibillity of medical problems, it may mean that your fingers are not 
independant enough.  Your wrist is trying to make up for the fingers and 
be everywhere at once, causing undue stress.  I usually can recover from 
the stiffness and fatigue in the wrists by studing trill excercises which 
restrain the thumb(one key is always held down, scales with accents, 
Czerny excercises, and Isidor Phillips "exercises for independence of the 
fingers".  If you suspect arthritis, please see a physician immediatley!

Wrist fatigue can also be the result of not gradually increasing the 
tempo in passages which tax your finers to the limit.

If you need details conscering the works I just mentioned, drop me an 
E-mail.

Hope you get back on your fingers again,

Robby

>In article 
>> I am a new student of the  paino, and started playing about 4 weeks ago. 

>I
>> love to practice, but when I do, my left wrist begins to get sore,,,, Am 

>I
>> doing something wrong

I have had the exact same thing happen to me, except on my right (weaker) 
hand. "We have a lot more strength than we need to play the piano." Here 
is what my teacher recommended and what I do:
1. Do a couple of *gentle* and *slow* stretching exercises with your 
hands, arms and back before you sit down to practice.
2. Relax when you practice. It's supposed to be fun. If you find yourself 
tensing up during practice, stop and stand up and shake your arms out to 
get rid of the tension.
3. Take frequent breaks during your practice. Don't practice for more than 
20-30 minutes at one sitting. The human mind has trouble concentrating 
longer than that anyway.
4. Talk to your teacher about the pain. Chances are good that he/she has 
experienced the same thing sometime in their career.
5. I wish you the best. Good luck.