 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-08-11 12:59
Is good physical fitness required to play well? I'm not just talking about stamina, but strength as well?
do any of you do exercises specifically for playing clarinet?
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-08-11 13:21
I would imagine, Janlynn, that physical strength is not what should be concentrated on.
I have met/seen many players who don't have my physical health who were superior players to me...but I also know several pros who make a great deal of time for their health.
I am certain that improved cardio regimen would be greatly beneficial, however. I would suspect that the ancillary strength that would come from great cardio workouts would be more than enough for "clarinetistry".
Just my 2 cents...(as someone who needs a little more working out!!)
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: clarnibass
Date: 2008-08-11 13:51
I know great players who are very fat, smoke a lot, etc. Take Charlie Parker as an example of someone who had breath and technique pretty much as close to perfect as anyone ever was. He could probably not run three meters.
I run about 7km three times a week, work out about ten minutes a day (similar to a gym except I do it in my home and don't use any equipment), do Yoga, and also play basketball when I can. If any of this helped with playing clarinet then it wasn't enough to notice anything significant.
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Author: skygardener
Date: 2008-08-11 14:08
At a masterclass in April, Richard Stoltzman made a point to mention that everyone should excercise regularly. Especially for the people that practice many hours per day; it is quite unhealthy to sit in a chair and hold a clarinet all day without getting up a moving one's body.
Personally, I make a point to get out and walk for 1-2 hours per day. I also use wrist weights sometimes when I practice.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2008-08-11 14:09
There are MANY top wind players (clarinet and other instruments) in major orchestra who are hardly what we would call in shape, physically.
I often wonder how their endurance is as good as it is with the extra body weight they carry around...GBK
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Author: JHS
Date: 2008-08-11 14:54
While I subscribe to the idea that it's wise to be as physically fit as possible, the reason these so called out of shape players can play as well as they do and for as long as they do is that they play in a very relaxed manner. The more relaxed one is while playing, the less the need for physical "endurance."
Post Edited (2008-08-11 14:56)
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Author: John O'Janpa
Date: 2008-08-11 16:13
I'm physically disabled from post-polio syndrome.
My legs are very weak (struggle to walk with crutches) and my spine is quite curved.
Luckily my arms, hands, diaphragm, and lips are not as weak as my legs.
Playing clarinet is my main excercise.
While playing I must sit as straight as is possible for me, to maximize lung capacity.
Sometimes I think my tounge must have post-polio syndrome, as I'm terribly slow at tounging even with much practice. I'm not sure since I never had to play fast tounging before I got polio fifty one years ago.
I'm about to the stage where I'm going to need electric scooters, ramps, lifts, etc. to get to my gigs, but it's definitely better than 24 hours a day of TV and computers. Still playing at a local college, and in a church orchestra.
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Author: cigleris
Date: 2008-08-11 16:27
Mental fitness is the key. If one achieves that through pysical fitness then so be it.
Peter Cigleris
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Author: Sylvain
Date: 2008-08-11 17:52
Well, just like everybody else the cardio vascular shape comes into play. But one needs to remember that the muscles pro players need are constantly being worked. I bet the embouchure muscles are super strong.
When it comes to finger speed, I am not sure being in shape helps. I have not heard of study of finger tapping speed vs. overall fitness. There are studies showing poor physical health leads to neurobehavioral deficits (including lower IQ), but may not be significant enough for us to observe it. Google "fitness finger tapping speed", if you are interested in scientific studies about the subject.
The only true factor is breath control, an "athlete" player can probably hold a phrase longer than its older overweight player counter part, but this is rarely a necessary skill especially now that circular breathing is becoming common practice.
In any case, being in good physical health should be motivation enough, regardless of its potential benefits to clarinet playing
--
Sylvain Bouix <sbouix@gmail.com>
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2008-08-11 20:13
I would suspect that the only time physical shape can hinder/help your playing is if you are required to move or do something other than sit still while playing. So for those people in Drum and Bugle Corps, they have to uphold themselves to a greater standard of physical health than someone sitting in a chair. Or maybe someone in the show "BLAST" or something like that.
Otherwise, it's (IMO) breath capacity and technique that matter. If you're not MOVING your body and using your muscles, they won't tire you out with their demand for oxygen, and won't leave you panting. At least that's my belief.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: crnichols
Date: 2008-08-11 22:33
I recommend maintaining a high level of physical fitness for oneself, regardless of whether it has a positive effect on clarinet playing. You'll live longer and be healthier.
I feel that having a healthy cardiovascular system and maintaining a recommended healthy weight will aid you with breathing. It takes less effort to expand your torso fully if you don't have an extra 50 pounds of weight to move. You may also find it helps with performance anxiety.
Christopher Nichols, D.M.A.
Assistant Professor of Clarinet
University of Delaware
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Author: William
Date: 2008-08-12 01:58
Dan Immerfall was a speed skater from the same era as the better known Olympic Gold Medalist Eric Hieden, both from Madison, WI. When you read his bio, it is evident that he was in excellant shape and successfully competitive in his sport. What is not noted is that he was also a Univeristy of Wisconsin music major and clarinetist who I played beside in a number of local concert bands. In spite of his superior physical conditioning and the grueling training schedule he and Eric were doing for their sport, he really didn't devote a lot of time to the clarinet and was only an average college clarinet player. Had he devoted the same amoung to preparation and practice to the clarinet that he did to his speed skating, my guess is that he probably would have done well. But the point is, physical excellance does not guarantee success outside of the trainees personal goals. We clarinetists work hard to develop a specific set of muscles and coordinative abilities--speed skaters, football, runners, etc a different set. Good physical shape may help your general stamina, but it won't help you play those scales at warp speed nor play etudes musically. However, you might enjoy another (better) life, other than clarinet :>)
Dan Immerfall http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/museum/exhibits/skate/immerfall.asp
Post Edited (2008-08-12 02:01)
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2008-08-12 02:10
OK guys, what about support? At ClarinetFest one of the research presentations was from a Physiotherapist. She explained in scientific terms of how important good core strength, posture, and stretching is to allow the air to flow freely. One thing she mentioned is that if the core muscles are flabby, the body compensates by having to tense up the shoulder muscles, the neck, the throat and tongue, and the jaw. Once these core muscles are in good shape and the support comes from where it's supposed to come from, these other muscles can relax and allow for far better tone. She used a volunteer to demonstrate the before and after of opening up the lung area for better support, and we could hear a fuller sound. She had us demonstrate on each other some of what she was talking about, and gave us handouts from the standard repertoire of what Physiotherapists hand out to patients with specific stretching and strengthening exercises. Judging by the groans as we tried these stretches, all of us were pretty tense along the neck and shoulder blades!
One of the Clarinet magazines a couple years back had an article about core strength and its value to tone production and endurance.
My former teacher used to laugh and say that at his age he was able to play circles around his students half his age, because he would go for his runs several times a week. He has an ability to support his tone, play out, and play longer before having to take a breath than a lot of people. Of course he was a student of Abe Galper who emphasized these abilities. Playing clarinet is a physical activity and requires keeping those sets of muscles in shape!
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Author: janlynn
Date: 2008-08-12 04:01
the reason I asked is because I have fibromyalgia. recently ive been having a lot of wrist and thumb pain and when asked to hold my arms above my head for 10 seconds, i was unable to do it. i was told this was my problem.that i didnt have enough strength which is why i am getting the thumb and wrist pain.
it never occurred to me that i needed to be strong to play the clarinet. but i just got my neckstrap to help hold the clarinet and found i could play better. i have now started a range of motion/strengthening program. and just wondered what others thought about all this since it never occurred to me.
i think someone with normal physical strength is ok. but someone in a weakend condition should work on staying strong or they could really suffer bothe physically and musically.
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Author: sfalexi
Date: 2008-08-12 05:01
One thing you might consider doing is BRINGING your clarinet to your doctor and showing him/her your playing position. Explain to the doc that you play the instrument and where the pain is when you play. Show them with as much detail the problem and hopefully they can work back to the root, and prescribe a solution.
Much easier to do with the clarinet there instead of trying to explain the weight, angle, location of the pressure on the thumb, etc.
Alexi
US Army Japan Band
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Author: DavidBlumberg
Date: 2008-08-12 11:42
I've got very strong core muscles, but am heavy - could stand to loose 70 lbs. So it's a work in progress.
What I do remember when I was thiner is that I couldn't sit as long without my butt getting sore after about 4 hours.
Cardio fitness I feel is very important for most everything in life including playing a wind instrument. Still working on that one..... I can't run for crap, but can hold a tone for as long as I ever need (Brahms Piano Concerto #2 slow mvt no problem without circular breathing crap)
Here's a strength video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHls8CjOXKA
I don't go all the way down so as not to screw up my knees at that weight.
http://www.SkypeClarinetLessons.com
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Author: Tobin
Date: 2008-08-12 14:17
Along with many strong valid opinions above, I think Alexi is on the right track for Janlynn's situation.
Your doctor will be better able to assist your health if you bring in the horn so he can see all the variables involved. You might also ask for a referral to a physical therapist to tailor your exercises to your exact personal and clarinet playing needs.
Good luck!
James
Gnothi Seauton
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Author: claritoot26
Date: 2008-08-12 15:06
Janlynn,
I think every clarinetist is different in this regard. As pointed out, there are many physically unfit players who can still play beautifully, maybe as someone pointed out, because they can relax the right muscles when they play. I experienced a lot of physical pain when I was preparing for a senior recital several years ago, and went to a physical therapist for help. A neurologist said I exhibited symptoms of a "pinched nerve", although the x-ray didn't reveal anything abnormal. The exercises and massages the PT put me through really helped, and I still do some of them. My range of motion improved. I also notice that I feel a lot better in my neck, shoulders, and arms when I exercise regularly at the gym, and work on strengthening my core muscles. I also found that a neckstrap helped. Much of my problem was due to poor posture. I sat a lot at a computer, practicing, and studying when I was in school, which isn't good for you physically. I also found that standing up to play with my back and head against a wall helped me achieve good posture, and relieved tension when I played. After the PT I made it a priority to exercise on a mostly daily basis, and have found much relief. Sometimes I consider going back to PT, but too much $$, so I just try to keep up with my fitness. Good luck to you!
Lori
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Author: Brenda ★2017
Date: 2008-08-13 02:42
I think of the opera singers who are pretty rotund in shape but have amazing strength to sing. Obviously even though they're not joggers they have developed the right set of muscles for their skill. Fortunately they don't need their legs for singing so don't need to run! Unless they can no longer hit the high C anymore, that is.
Lori's mentioning some of the very things that the physiotherapist mentioned at ClarinetFest. So these strengthening and stretching exercises are pretty basic not only for clarinetists but for office workers too. After my car accident my elbow and wrist were strained, and the stretching and strengthening exercises the PT printed off for me are those that actually help for holding the clarinet.
But I was truly surprised to see how many performers at ClarinetFest used neck straps. So it's not an unusual thing to use. And it's a smart idea to avoid further strain on the hands and thumb.
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Author: Nancy_S
Date: 2008-08-15 13:39
Coincidentally, it was around the same time that I started playing again, that I had time to do some serious training at the gym. I found that that my gym experience directly supported my clarinet practice. The benefits were: more stamina, better internal rhythm, more discipline, and more confidence.
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