just workout pain, or am I hurting myself...?

[CoG]

Hey guys,

Any physiotherapists out there? :lol:

I'm going through a technique tune-up phase... you know how those are...

The past couple weeks I have gone from doing 15-20 minutes of patterns/scales as a warmup, to doing 50-60 minutes of scales and modes as a big chunk of my fixed practice routine (daily--no kids and my wife is a pianist, so we understand 'practice time'.) When I'm not playing, I'm noticing an ache between my first and second fingers on my fretting hand. It's not a sharp, ow-I-don't want-to-move tendinitis-type pain, it feels more like post-workout muscle ache. However, it's never happened before, even when playing for 3-4 hours in rehearsal.

I'm told that my form is generally good, but I do use heavy strings (13-56s) and consequently I fret hard.

Any thoughts or experience? Is this just sore muscles (which I'm used to everywhere except my fingers) or am I hurting something here...?

 

[Russ]

Having played sports in my youth I can say it is more than likely just your hand reacting to increased activity. You might be unconsciously tightening your hand slightly while increasing the practice time also while doing your technique tune-up. I would say cut back some. You are already used to 15-20 minutes. I would go back to that until your hand restabilizes at that increment with your attention to technique. Then I would reincrease but only by 5 minutes at a time over extended periods of time (weeks) per increase increment to build up the endurance in your hand. Think about it like doing situps. For example, say you can do 50. If you try to push yourself to triple or quadruple that all of a sudden, something is going to quit. If you increase by smaller amounts at a time in the long run you will yield better results. Just because you can play for 3-4 hours doesn't mean you can scale paying attention to your form for that long.

 

[ToneAddictJon]

I completely agree with Russ, it's like working out any other muscles, you don't go from dead lifting 80lbs right up to 300 lbs, you have to slowly adjust your workouts. You could always start your practice routine with 20 minutes of scales and end with 20 minutes of scales, that way it's spread out more.

 

[CoG]

thanks guys.

I wasn't sure if 'rest of body' workout responses were applicable to hands and fingers because of the different types of muscle fibers; when I change my workout at the gym it starts hurting 24-36 hours after the change, and this took like a week to kick in.

but yeah, this all makes sense, especially the bit about focus-- even if I'm rehearsing for four hours I'm not playing scales for a solid hour. I'm gonna scale back some and try to work up to this stuff, since I'm really enjoying it and have the time to do it for the next few months.

muchas gracias.

 

[Russ]

When I use my hammer more than my nail gun I tend to get cramps and lingering pain in my hands but after a while of going back to old school nailing the cramps aren't as bad. I have actually lost some of my grip that I once had in my ring and pinky finger of my hammer hand but I think that is due to years of abuse. Occasionally I drop things if I am not concentrating on holding them. Fortunately, I keep my fret hand limber and exercised with the nails. It is nice to be able to spin nails in my fingers and position them to be used while holding a handful of them and driving the previous one. The part that sucks is accidentally hitting my fingers with the hammer. I sometimes put myself out of commission as far as being able to play guitar for a while though.

 

[Eric]

A brand new estwing hammer does gnarley damage to fingers

 

[Russ]

Oh no... I won't use those. I usually have one on site though for concrete work. I only use hickory handles myself. Actually, Hart (24 oz. CA framer) hammers were my thing for years. I recently (5 years ago) switched over to Daluge (24 oz.) but I had been using Death Sticks (24 oz) since the demise of Hart back in the late 90's. I actually know Donny Deford (the guy that originally invented the Death Stick line). I have some original Death Stick heads that are still like new though they have seen several handles each. I swear, those original ones were way better than the new ones. I managed to deface the checkering from the head of a new one in 6 hours of use a couple years ago just hand nailing while laying down subfloor on the second story floor system on a custom house I built. I returned it to my supplier and they were shocked. I also managed to repeat it the next day. Both new wasted hammers were RTV'd and I was given credit towards any hammer I wanted as a good faith gesture regardless of price. That was when I switched to Daluge. I tried the Stiletto Titanium but those wore out too fast also. I didn't care for that hammer either because I like some heft when I swing my hammer. I carried a Vaughn rig builder (32 oz.) for about 5 years. I like that hammer but it scares clients with the axe side swinging around. It also intimidates workers to the point that they are scared to talk to me. I would much rather people be comfortable talking to me, so now I carry a regular hammer.

I don't need an Eastwing to blow up or cut off my fingers. I have managed to completely rip my fingernail off at times with a single unattentive swing. I have taken the flesh from the side of my finger off to the bone also with a glancing blow. This was with basic hammers. I broke my finger once with a light swing of an Eastwing and figured I better not use one anymore.

What I don't understand are the resin shafted hamers. Typically they have rubber handles too. I don't dig rubber grips. Something about the whole thing doesn't feel natural or right. I get a lot of feedback from my hammer handle resonating. With anything but a hickory handle it feels like I am not able to connect with the work.

 

[clutch71]

thanks guys.

I wasn't sure if 'rest of body' workout responses were applicable to hands and fingers because of the different types of muscle fibers; when I change my workout at the gym it starts hurting 24-36 hours after the change, and this took like a week to kick in.

but yeah, this all makes sense, especially the bit about focus-- even if I'm rehearsing for four hours I'm not playing scales for a solid hour. I'm gonna scale back some and try to work up to this stuff, since I'm really enjoying it and have the time to do it for the next few months.

muchas gracias.

I would try a finger spring device like or similar to this...

http://www.guitarcenter.com/shop/product/buy_gripmaster_exercise_tool?full_sku=100271327

They are used to strengthen the muscles and tendons at the carpal regions, wrist and forearm. I haven't picked one up but I want too. I don't know what you do for a living but if you type a lot, make sure your workstation is ergonomic.

If it continues I'd consult your physician.

 

[CoG]

Update:

Um, heh, yeah, the fact that my guitar is strung with 013-060s is probably somewhat relevant.

I'm going to try and pick up a yamaha AES420 since they play somewhat similar to my main axe, string it up with something normal in a sensible tuning and use that for the do-re-mis.

thanks again for the advice!

 

[clutch71]

Update:

Um, heh, yeah, the fact that my guitar is strung with 013-060s is probably somewhat relevant.

I'm going to try and pick up a yamaha AES420 since they play somewhat similar to my main axe, string it up with something normal in a sensible tuning and use that for the do-re-mis.

thanks again for the advice!

If your doing standard tuning w/ 13's then there you go! I bet your calluses have calluses! I have a set of 12's on an old Epi SG Jr. that's dropped to C. I tuned it standard once and boy were my hands sore. Sorry I didn't think of that in the trouble shooting phase.

 

[CoG]

Yeah, I can't believe I didn't think of it. I talked to the guitar instructor I go to sometimes and he said something to the effect that Yngwie Malmsteen would get tendonitis doing an hour of scales a day on 13s.

I'm tuned down a full step and drop-C, but when I pick up a normal guitar the strings feel like dental floss-- whee, full-step bent doublestops!

I have relatively small hands/fingers, too. Overall, heavy strings are probably not a great choice for me in pure physical terms but I love the tone. I'd been playing like that for around two years and it never bothered me until I got into serious chops-improvement mode.

Like I said, I figure I'll get another axe with a similar neck and use it for patterns and modes and stuff, and use my main axe for actual playing and just practice bends, vibrato, hammerons and other stuff where string gauge matters on it.

I've been looking for an excuse to buy an AES-420 or RGX-520 as a backup anyway 8)

 

[Shep]

try and strech your fingers foward to try and touch your wirst and hold of 6 seconds.. one finger at a time...this strechs the top of your hand.. now try that same strech backwards so make your finger touch the back of your hand..one by one..do this before you play to..

 

[phaboo]

If your hand is cramping up, maybe you need a girlfriend?

 

[eltrain858]

If your hand is cramping up, maybe you need a girlfriend?

hahaha

 

[Shep]

If your hand is cramping up, maybe you need a girlfriend?

hahaha

i don't get it.. Can someone please explain..

 

[eltrain858]

i don't get it.. Can someone please explain..

to give him a hand massage so his hand doesnt hurt. :lol:

 

[Shep]

i don't get it.. Can someone please explain..

to give him a hand massage so his hand doesnt hurt. :lol:

ahahah.. yeah that sound's right!!