Posture Exercises
Improve YOUR playing!

The art of playing a musical instrument is more than just the ability to pluck a string, blow in a hole or pound on a key. One must know everything from how to properly hold the instrument, what to do with your hands and how to properly sit or stand. Being in the correct playing position and having the right posture, is not only important in playing the instrument well, but is also equally important for the comfort of the musician.

When learning to play any instrument, a good teacher should tell you that how you hold your instrument, how you stand or sit, and finger placement. This is essential to playing well. The least amount of tension in the musician’s body allows for the most comfort. Then the muscles are relaxed and the player concentrates not on how to balance the instrument, but on the art of playing beautiful music.

With stringed instruments like the viola or cello, everything you do is affected by your posture from holding the bow correctly to finger placement. Your stance is very important. The body must be balanced, with the weight evenly distributed between the two feet. For example, if playing standing up, the feet should be placed in a V position. To properly distribute the weight, the feet must not be too close or too far apart and the knees must not be too close together either. The musician should stand tall, no slouching. Slouching makes it difficult to hold the instrument properly and can affect the correct placement of the bow that then effects playing. When sitting to play, the legs should not be crossed, as this also distributes body weight incorrectly. Are you a violinist who lowers your head or turns it to one side to hold the instrument? Or are you a cellist who looks down at the fingerboard when you play in thumb position? These behaviors result in strain and tension in the neck. Having to support the head constricts the muscles in the neck and shoulder area, obstructing blood flow and compressing surrounding nerves, many of which extend down the arm. Over time, this tension can bring on disc or nerve problems, headaches, and eye strain.

Some string players, especially violinists and violists, who use a chin rest tilt or rotate their heads and, over time, can cause muscles to become imbalanced. The muscles on one side of the neck become shorter and stronger than on the other side, leading to joint dysfunction and nerve compression.

To avoid this type of injury, keep the head erect, chin in, and shoulders down. Violinists and violists should refit chin and shoulder rests to reduce “holding” tension. There are many different shapes, sizes, and heights of shoulder pads and chin rests available. Experiment and, if necessary, have one custom-fit in order to completely fill the space between your head and your shoulder. Also, maintain as neutral a head and neck position as possible: one that minimizes the need to tilt or turn your head.

Cellists should avoid thrusting the head down and forward when getting into the higher positions or when performing a long shift. Instead, the neck of your cello should be above your left shoulder, not on it, and away from your face. This allows your neck and left shoulder to feel freer. Avoiding tension in that area allows you to keep your head more erect and it promotes more efficient left-hand playing in the lower positions.

Angle your cello slightly across your body, that way your head and neck can feel free.

When playing wind instruments, such as the oboe, flute, or trumpet, the back should be perfectly straight. This helps to lessen the pressure on the diaphragm and increase the air supply available for breathing. Proper posture allows for the correct playing of these instruments. The back should be straight, but not tensed. In addition, the shoulders leading into the arms and finally to the hands, should all be relaxed as well. Poor posture and tense muscles will prevent the musician from breathing properly and playing wind instruments correctly.

Keyboard musicians are known for having some of the worst posture. They often play with their shoulders slouched in, their backs bent awkwardly and their heads leaning forward. Those who play keyboards must start by being certain that they are sitting at the right level to play. Whether too high or too low, this can add to muscles tension in the arms, shoulders and hands. The arms must remain relaxed and not held tightly against the body.

An equally important thing to remember in learning to hold any instrument correctly is that no two people are built the same. Therefore there are dangers in generalizing ways to insure correct posture when playing an instrument. It is essential to take into consideration the different height, weight and age of the player.

Poor posture when playing an instrument can lead to many different health issues. The musician can suffer from serious muscle strain. The tendons and joints can suffer cramping. Poor posture when playing any instrument is detrimental to the overall health of the musician. Recently, musicians that were not properly trained in good posture when playing have had to turn to physical therapists, chiropractors and other medical professional for pain relief. It certainly makes more sense to learn to play using good posture if what you want to do is stay healthy and play well.

Are You Sitting Comfortably?

When sitting, your center of gravity and your body weight should be on your sitting bones and your feet. Do not play when your legs are crossed at the knee or ankle, or while curling your legs around the chair legs. This throws your back into a “C” curve, preventing you from distributing your weight evenly throughout upper body and pelvis, and it prevents you from keeping your weight on your feet.

To test your sitting posture, put your instrument aside and sit with your feet flat on the floor. Now try to get up. Your weight, if balanced far enough forward, will allow you to get up without any major re-shuffling in your position.

Bring the instrument to you, keeping it closer to your body as you play, rather than compromising your posture to reach for your instrument. Avoid twisting or leaning to either side, backward or forward.

Most musicians sit to play, and musicians who are able to play while standing should alternate while practicing. Maintain that proper, aligned posture while sitting and make sure when standing that you maintain that natural curve in your back. Keep your knees slightly bent instead of locked and your shoulders and hips level.

Your body should feel fluid.

Those who cannot play while standing should wiggle in their seat, move, take frequent breaks, and get up and move around. While sitting, shift leg positions frequently. For cellists, one foot slightly in front of the other seems to work well.

Tension in your back muscles from long hours of sitting in awkward positions can proceed from your muscles to the discs in your spine.

Careful avoidance of twisting or turning your back and neck, or thrusting your head and chin forward can literally save your spine.

With your pelvis correctly positioned, and with your head in a neutral position, the spinal alignment follows naturally, freeing your ribcage and allowing free breathing.

Remember, any awkward position or poor posture that is held can produce fatigue, which can eventually lead muscle pain, but also long-lasting damage to joints, tendons, and ligaments.

Chairs sometimes force us to make compromises in our posture. Many chairs are too low, or molded, and sometimes slope backward, forcing us to adjust to our chairs rather than vice versa. Tall people feel that their knees are “in their face” and short people’s feet dangle.

It is important to sit in a position where your knees are lower than your hips and your thighs slope downwards. Forward sloping seats are advantageous because one’s center of gravity is placed forward over the sitting bones rather than thrust backward. Tall musicians should look for a chair with a seat height that reaches a level above their kneecaps, if possible. This ideal position can be achieved by using cushions, such as portable foam wedge seat cushions to “raise the seat.”

Blocks placed underneath the chair’s legs to raise the seat can also work. Several of my colleagues have made their own blocks to raise their chair height: four three-inch squares of wood with a height of either one, two, or three inches (depending on the height of the musician), with a groove in the center of the block in which the chair leg is placed. Make sure it is stable! Another solution to a low chair is to put the entire chair on a platform while keeping your feet on the floor.

Try to choose a seat that is higher at the back than it is at the front. Short musicians should sit forward in the chair until feet are flat on the floor and weight is shifted forward. Build up chair backs with cushions. Fortunately, there are several companies that have manufactured ergonomic chairs and several types of seat and lumbar support cushions for the long hours and stress of musicians’ work.

Don’t settle for the dismally hopeless “multi-purpose” chair. Experiment so that you can maintain proper back posture at all times. Try to avoid the urge to freeze. Keep tension from building up by taking every opportunity during practice and performance to move and wiggle, to dangle your arms, to shrug, to stand, to pull your arms back and to stretch your neck.

Any posture that is rigidly held for any length of time is exhausting. If you move around when you play you are making the position dynamic rather than static. Take breaks. A minimum of 10 minutes per hour is a good guide.

Relieving the tension

Rigidity is our enemy. Remember to keep moving to release tension. Sometimes we are susceptible to neck tension and stiffness despite our best efforts. Always warm up to make your neck more limber. If you are injury free, try the following frequently and gently before practice, during practice, and before performance. To release tension, try nodding, looking side to side, tilting your head (left ear to left shoulder, right ear to right shoulder), shrugging shoulders, and doing shoulder circles frequently.

Be vigilant about your music stand placement. Align it in such a way that the stand allows you to keep your head level and looking directly forward. To see the conductor or the music, vary the position of your chair and your whole body, rather than just turning your head.

Posture Exercises

The exercises below are used by schools and deportment teachers to help models, actors and singers achieve correct posture. This age old practice has been used for years and are designed to help you become more aware of how your body works, therefore enabling you to move fluidly and correct mistakes as you feel them happening. Take them at your own pace. Master one exercise before moving on to the next. Don't rush or try to do too much in one day.

Please Note: Whilst the following exercises are easy and safe to do people with disabilities, back pain or any physical disorders should consult a physician before attempting any form of exercise.

For these exercises you will need:

A long mirror (preferably full length)A largish book of medium weightWear comfy loose clothingWear flat shoes, trainers or bare feet.A flat long surface i.e., hallway or enough room to walk several paces.A friend who can observe and make constructive comments & notes.Patience & a good sense of humour!

All movements should be fluid and breathing natural.

Place the mirror in a position at the end of the hallway or room where you can see the whole of (or at the least the top half) of your body.

When walking your weight should be mainly on the balls of your feet, so your heels just lightly touch the floor, with the majority of movement from the hips and legs. The upper body should remain straight, relaxed and not 'swing' from side to side.

Even if it seems that you are standing and moving with the correct posture it is difficult without an impartial, experienced observer who will notice bad habits that may appear normal to you.

The following exercises will not work if your posture is incorrect!! 5 to 10 minutes practice a day will help you to achieve better posture, the ideal is to reach a point whereby your posture and movements become automatic and unconcious.

Exercise 1

Place the book centrally on the top of your head.

Turn your head slowly to the left, return to center then repeat the exercises turning your head to the right. The head movements should be smooth with eyes ahead, chin level, head, neck and shoulders relaxed. If the exercise is done correctly the book will remain in place. Tense up, drop the jaw or move jerkily & the book will fall! Repeat this exercise until you can do it several times without the book falling off.

Exercise 2

Stand at the end of the walk space and place the book centrally on the top of your head.

Walk normally towards the mirror, observing your posture as you walk. If your posture is correct and your movements are smooth then the book will remain in place - if not it will fall! Repeat this exercise until you can walk the length of the space without the book falling.

Exercise 3

Stand at the end of the walk space and place the book centrally on the top of your head.

Walk normally towards the end of the walkspace, turn and walk back towards the starting point. If your posture is correct and your movements are smooth then the book will remain in place - if not it will fall! Repeat this exercise until you can do the exercise without the book falling.

For more exercises you can do these short exercises when you are having a tea break

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