From the November/December 2022 difficulty of Acoustic Guitar | By Judy Minot

Most of us don’t suppose a lot about our our bodies after we’re taking part in till we expertise discomfort or ache. When that occurs, we are likely to focus simply on the half that hurts. Studying higher general physique consciousness may help chase away pointless rigidity and ache earlier than they develop into problematic. It may well additionally provide help to play extra comfortably, extra musically, and with extra power and focus. It may well even provide help to play quicker.

As a guitarist, I make use of many concepts I discovered in martial arts coaching (I practiced and taught Kokikai Aikido for 22 years.) Whether or not I’m tossing a 190-pound attacker to the bottom or standing in entrance of a mic and an viewers, I’ve discovered to remain bodily relaxed, balanced, and centered. You can begin to combine physique consciousness in your entire taking part in. You’ll see essentially the most enchancment in case you method it persistently and with a little bit of a plan. So, right here’s the plan.

Discover Your Finest Posture

Earlier than you begin a taking part in or follow session, take a second to evaluate your posture. Sit or stand together with your guitar. Take a deep breath and elevate your chest to take among the C-curve out of your higher again. Place your head over your shoulders and intentionally calm down your higher arms, shoulders, neck, and decrease again. 

Subsequent, visualize a spot in the course of your physique slightly below your navel. Make that your heart of steadiness. Let go of any tightness in your palms, thighs, knees, and face. Shut your eyes, take some extra deep breaths, and as you do, actually attempt to expertise this sense together with your complete physique. 

Begin each taking part in session with discovering this finest posture. As you get deep into practising and taking part in, you’ll catch your self slipping again into previous habits of posture and rigidity. That’s to be anticipated. The truth that you observed is definitely a win! 

At first you’ll have to cease taking part in to reset your posture and discover a relaxed state. Over time it will get simpler to test in as you play. Make a behavior of being extra conscious of the sensations in your physique whereas taking part in. What occurs bodily once you make a mistake or attempt one thing difficult? Does it make a distinction once you open your chest, discover your heart, and calm down extra? 

As a result of many people have a behavior of slouching, it may be tiring to take a seat upright at first. Our muscle mass simply aren’t used to it. That’s OK. You don’t need to purpose for good posture always. Simply attempt to do a bit higher than you probably did yesterday. 

Observe: When you sit to follow and also you don’t play with a strap, severely think about using a footrest. It would provide help to place the guitar so that you don’t have to hunch, slouch, increase one heel, or cross your legs. This could shortly make a distinction in your taking part in consolation. 

Don’t Attempt Tougher, Attempt Softer

As a small individual practising a martial artwork, I seldom out-mass any of my opponents. Counting on my muscle energy is just not a successful technique to defeat an attacker. What does work although is making an attempt softer as a substitute of making an attempt more durable—utilizing the minimal effort to get the utmost impact. 

This isn’t simple. Our brains are wired to suppose that making an attempt means utilizing extra muscle. After we’re taking part in and focusing intently, we naturally constrict muscle mass that actually aren’t wanted. We unnecessarily tighten our fingers, palms, arms, and shoulders, and even maintain our breath. We have to actively rewire the conditioning that makes us affiliate effort with muscle rigidity.

When you really feel you’ve been hammering away at a chord development, riff, or fingering sample and also you’re not getting anyplace, pause, sit up, reset your posture, calm down, and let your heart of steadiness sink into your hips. Breathe deeply and let your thoughts be comfortable. 

Now attempt softer, utilizing solely as a lot effort as you want. Launch each muscle that isn’t crucial to carry the guitar or decide, transfer the fingers, and convey the strings to the frets. Is it simpler? Do you hear a distinction?

Chill out Your Face

Within the martial arts, even the slightest facial rigidity might be lethal, alerting an attacker to once you’re about to maneuver. Stress-free your face has sensible utility for musicians, too. A facial twitch or a frown is an indication of psychological or bodily rigidity—normally each. 

Actively stress-free your face may help launch rigidity elsewhere within the physique. For the reason that physique and thoughts are related, doing this additionally subtly calms your thoughts. Once you see your guitar heroes rip out superb riffs sporting a beatific smile, it’s as a result of they know this trick.

Studying to play with a relaxed face is simpler than you may suppose. Begin by taking part in one thing you realize fairly nicely. As you play, pay attention to how your jaw feels. Once you let go of the stress in your face, does something change in your taking part in? Is it simpler to get the sounds you need? Use a mirror if it helps.

You could not hear or really feel a direct change. It might take every week or two, and even three, however step by step you’ll discover your face is calm for an increasing number of of your taking part in time. You’ll additionally develop into conscious of these little winces as they occur. In smoothing them out, you’ll be doing the identical together with your taking part in. 

Analysis says that altering a behavior can take two or three months. Constructing higher physique consciousness isn’t any exception. You’ll want to supply persistent consideration, humility, and even a little bit of humor. The rewards—taking part in with larger ease, consolation, and power—will take some time worthwhile.

Judy Minot is the creator of Best Practice: Inspiration and Ideas for Traditional Musicians.