Klarinet Archive - Posting 000678.txt from 2001/03
From: "David C. Kumpf" <dkumpf@-----.com>
Subj: RE: [kl] The spirit is willing but the lip is weak! - from a physiologist
Date: Tue, 27 Mar 2001 08:26:28 -0500
Diane,
Thanks for the outstanding and detailed answer. I do have two questions:
1. On increasing the number of capillaries to a particular muscle region
(point 1 in your discussion of muscle endurance): I seem to remember reading
something that suggested that achieving a high level of aerobic conditioning
does this, even for muscle groups not directly involved in the conditioning
exercises. Is that correct or incorrect?
2. On forming the embouchre without the clarinet: is the benefit primarily
to be gained from forming and releasing the embouchre or from forming and
holding it? I assume from your discussion that the latter is the case, but
just want to verify.
Thanks again...I think this information is of great value.
David C. Kumpf
President
Optimetra, Inc.
4420 Red Rock Ranch Road
Monument, CO 80132
mailto:dkumpf@-----.com
http://www.optimetra.com
(719) 481-2956 (voice)
(719) 487-0920 (fax)
(719) 964-8105 (mobile)
-----Original Message-----
From: Diane Karius [mailto:Dkarius@-----.edu]
Subject: RE: [kl] The spirit is willing but the lip is weak! - from a
physiologist
Sorry this is so long. I kept trying to make it short and sweet and failed
miserably... Hopefully you will find this useful despite its length.
David Kumpf wrote:
>One thing I would be curious about, particularly if there are some exercise
>physiologists who read the list, is the relationship between general
>physical conditioning and ability to play for longer periods of time...
General fitness (such as running, walking etc...) will certainly help the
cardiorespiratory components of playing. Swimming would be particularly
good because it specifically works both the inspiratory and expiratory
muscles (more explanation below (note #1) for those that want it...).
The cardiovascular side of this is also postively affected, but the
metabolic demands of lip muscles maintaining a contraction in the shape of
the embouchure shouldn't impose a significant strain on the heart. The
diaphragm itself receives a (somewhat) disproportionate amont of blood for
its size and anything that improves the cardiac muscle will help the heart
deliver the extra blood to the working diaphragm while you play. Unless you
have significant heart disease, this shouldn't be a limitation to playing
clarinet anyways...
As far as the lips specifically - no such luck. Strength (related to the
number of myofilaments in the muscle) and endurance (related to the
oxidative capacity) in a specific muscle require contraction of that muscle.
In particular, the endurance of a muscle is increased by 1) increasing the
number of capillaries in the area so that there are even fewer cells
supplied by a given capillary (more blood per unit tissue, 2) increasing the
amount of myoglobin (a protein related to hemoglobin, which binds oxygen and
"stores" it for use when cellular oxygen consumption exceeds oxygen
delivery); 3) increased mitochondria and enzymes for increased ATP (energy)
production from the oxygen.
So what's happening as you pick up the clarinet again after years away (also
known as: why is it going so slowly?):
If you think about most of the things that lips do, you have a list of
short duration contractions - even with talking included. Based on this,
I'm going to go out on a physiological limb here (see note #2 at the end)
and speculate that the bulk of the musculature in the lip in most
non-woodwind playing people is of a fast-twitch variety (fast twitches, easy
fatigueability - good sprinting muscles). Now think about a clarinet
embouchure - some fairly strong contractions (at least compared to what lips
are used to) may be maintained for minutes on end with only a second or two
for a breath (as far as your lip is concerned, this may represent a
marathon). The muscles of your embouchure have to be biochemically
"reprogramed" to cope with this change - they need more oxygen delivered to
them (more capillaries), possibly more ability to "store" the oxygen (so
possibly more myoglobin), More ATP (energy) over a longer period of time
(more enzymes/mitochondria for making ATP using the oxygen), more strength
(new myofilaments). This biochemical reprogramming is inititated by the
discharge pattern of the alpha-motoneuron (nerve cell) innervating the
muscle (this is why just general fitness won't help - the nerve has to start
telling that specific muscle to do something different). It takes time and
consistent training of those muscles for this all to happen - would you
expect to be able to run a marathon two months after starting to jog
regularly for the first time in 30 years????
Another thing to think about - you can get a least partial training benefit
by practicing your embouchure without the clarinet.
Note #1: on swimming: Inspiratory work is increased because, as you breathe
in, the inspiratory muscles (diaphragm, external intercostals) must work
against the weight of the water to increase thoracic volume. The expiratory
work (abdominals and internal intercostals) increases assuming you are
exhaling into the water - if you are not, expiration is actually a little
easier than normal because of the weight of the water.
Note #2: I've short-cut the entire discussion of fiber types into the two
opposing fiber types, I and II. This is a gross over-simplification,
especially since I suspect that the clarinetist's embouchure muscles are of
the intermediate type...
Diane R. Karius, Ph.D.
Department of Physiology
University of Health Sciences
1750 Independence Ave.
Kansas City, MO 64106
(816)-283-2219
dkarius@-----.edu
www.uhsweb.edu/physio
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