posture

kungfumonk007

Any posture tips - I practice 3-6 hours a day and my back just isn't up for that amount of time. Especially my middle upper back between the shoulder blades and some tension in my upper shoulders. I try to focus on having as relaxed a frame as I can but it just isn't doing it. Anyone have some advice on some better posture to keep my back limber, loose, relaxed?

Right now I sit in a normal chair with my right leg elevated about 6-10 inches and slightly forward from my left leg.

Jazzaferri

Are you getting up every 30 - 40 minutes and doing a few minutes of stretching.

I use a really good totally adjustable office chair that cost a bomb back when and focus on keeping my back straight. I find more often than not after a bit of concientious straight posture I find I have my legs crossed and am hunched over my guitar. So I take a break every 30-45 minutes and stretch particularly curving back to concave in middle and pulling shoulders back and trying to put my elbows in my back pockets. That, some shoulder rolls, some finger and wrist stretches and generally loosening up my arms helps lots.

kungfumonk007

No - I am not taking proper breaks, but I definitely need to - I'll start doing that.

kungfumonk007

Getting up and stretching every 15-20 minutes is helping. Some other things:

Sitting more forward on my chair so I'm slightly leaned forward from the hips.

Sitting a little higher so my lower leg had a natural 90* angle. My chair was too low.

Trying to keep my back straight had the opposite effect, just caused lots of horrible tension and weird posture distortions. Instead, just trying to extend my neck a little makes my back go in-line naturally without the tension.

Hope this might help anyone else trying to get their posture in order.

HotTinRoof

Good advice on taking breaks and stretching, however - IMO - go workout. Build some muscle and strength. Don't be a skinny fat musician (not saying you are ), take care of yourself. You aren't going to bulk up and no it won't effect your playing - well only the first few weeks when you are sore.

For instance, being you are slumped over a guitar for so many hours you want to work the opposite position/movement, arching backwards (back exercises). Lay on the floor face down, arms above your head. Now lift your legs,arms, and head off the ground and look forward - fly like super man. Too hard? Bring your arms to you side like a football field goal sign. You can rep this motion up/down, up/down for 10-20, or lift and hold for 3 secs, then 5 secs, then 10, then 20 etc. Good at it? Easy? Do not go all the way down, keep tension, lightly touch the floor in stead. Great! You worked your back, now roll over and do some leg raises for your stomach.

Tons of stuff like this.

Nothing wrong with being an in shape musician. Denis should chime in, he's been doing a da*n good job.

Same goes for diet.

kungfumonk007

I'm as Svelt as Bruce Lee

Actually I just lost 30 lbs, and was doing a gig with that guitarist from Iceland and when he heard I lost 30 lbs he didn't understand the lbs-kilo conversion and thought it was like 150 lbs. He stared at me weird and said "Boy Aaron, you were REALLY fat!"

Those sound like good exercises - thanks.