MandoZen

This article will explore practices to keep your mandolin playing healthy, and enjoyable. A few weeks of mindful posture,

Being relaxed and comfortable when you play your mandolin will improve your skill, the amount of time you can play for, and the feeling of your body throughout the day. It’s super important!

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I’m not a doctor, so if please don’t take this as medical advice. Take the stretches easy. Hurting yourself is the exact opposite of what this post is meant to do. Also, there are affiliate links in this article.

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Be Proactive

There are a few really easy ways to prevent yourself from ever feeling the ache of carpal tunnel, or any other side effect of bad mandolin posture.

Vary the positions you play.

Make it a habit to stand up more often when you’re practicing and jamming. I do this for the same reason that I have a stand up desk at work. Sitting down is just not good for us humans. Plus, when you periodically stand up and sit down while playing you’re learning in new positions. It’s like getting double the practice.

When you do sit down, think about how you’re playing. I find myself twisted like the letter “C”, focusing on my fingers and pick when I’m on the couch. After feeling the weight of my head drooping, I finally straighten up.

To help with this, every few minutes:

• Keep your feet flat on the ground
• Sit up straight and near the edge of the chair
• Relax your shoulders
• Take a deep breath in, then out
• Ease yourself into this position

If I’m feeling super tense, I tense up my entire body for a few seconds. Flexing all the muscles I can. Then let it all go. Often the best thing to do is give into the tension. Get it out of your system.

Reading Music

If you’re reading music, it’s natural to just set the page on the table and lean over to read it. But immediately you’ll be back in the “C” twist. Instead use a music stand, or a DIY music stand so that the page is upright, facing towards you. I set the book or page on my open laptop as a stand a lot of the time.

However, if you already have your laptop open, just use it to read the music! Just about any song you could ever need is online. You can find a bunch at Mandozine. And you can download TablEdit which is an awesome, free program to learn tabs.

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Okay, you’ve got your posture in check. You feel relaxed and supported. If you’re learning a new song from a tab or music, it’s in front of you so that you don’t need to bend over.

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Here are some exercises and stretches to help keep your joints happy and playing fluid.

Hands

Warm Them Up

A super easy way to get the muscles in your hands warmed up, is to rub them together. Get the friction going between them.This will prepare your hands for work, and help make your subsequent stretches even more rewarding.

Applying pain relief lotion can also prove beneficial.

Make a Fist

Take about 30 seconds to clench your fists. Pretty tight, but don’t hurt yourself. Then let your hand relax. Repeat this 2 or 3 times, or throughout the day. You’ll feel your hand become more relaxed.

Claw Stretch

Face palms towards yourself, like you’re looking at a manicure. Then, flex you fingers tightly, like they’re claws, or gripping an imaginary ball. Hold this for about 30 seconds. Then relax. Just like the fist, repeat this 2 or 3 times, and throughout the day.

Finger Lift

Lay your and on a table, or flat surface. One by one, lift up a finger, keeping the rest flat. Be deliberate, and focus on only engaging one finger at a time. No need to rush. I do this a lot when I’m at work. It’s a great, simple, and discrete exercise.

Finger to Thumb

Here’s another exercise you can do anywhere. With your hand wide open, one by one touch a finger to your thumb. Making a wide “O” with them each time. After each touch reopen your hand wide before moving to the next digit.

Fretboard Stretch

We’re going to play the finger stretch scale. It’s made up, and won’t really sound good played along to any song. But it’ll help you with your finger dexterity! So, pick up your mandolin.

On the second fret of the G string place your index finger. Pluck the G string. With your index still on the second fret, place your middle finger on the fourth fret. Pluck. Keep those two fingers on the fret board and add your ring finger to the sixth fret. Pluck. All the fingers still on their frets add your pinkie to the eight fret. Pluck. Then do this again on the D, A, and E strings.

If that is too difficult, alter it. Maybe just place your fingers to the fret next to the last finger. Or space out a few of the fingers, and others next to each other. It’s up to you! With repetition this will get easier.

Exercise Tools

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Wrist

If you’ve got a watch on, or anything that could obscure your wrist’s range of motion, take it off.

Wrist Flexor and Extensor

With your arm straight in front of you, palm facing up, use your other hand to grasp your fingers for the extended arm and slowly pull them towards yourself. Keep it slow and remember, breathe. Hold the position for about 30 seconds. Then do the same with your other arm.

Now for the other side. Put your arm straight forward, palms facing down. With your other hand pull your fingers towards your body. Slowly. Breathe. Hold for about 30 seconds and then switch arms.

Wrist Rotations

With loose fists, rotate your hands, pivoting on your wrists. First at a slow rate twist your hands towards yourself. Do this for about 30 seconds. Then rotate in the opposite direction for about 30 seconds.

Table Stretch

Stand up next to a flat surface or table. Lay your palms on the table, keep your arms straight. Then apply a bit of pressure down onto your hands, a bit of your bodyweight into your wrist. Take it easy, and breathe into the stretch.

Then flip around your hands so that the back of your arms are flat on the surface. Have your fingers pointed towards you. Apply a bit of pressure just like before.

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Neck

Side Tilt

Whether sitting or standing, begin with an aligned back, neck and head. Then place your right arm over your head so that your palm is flat against the left side of your head, just above your ear. Gently pull your head to the right and slightly up. Hold this for about 30 seconds. Then do the same on the opposite side.

Forward / Backwards Tilt

Our heads are tilted forward way too much. To counteract this, begin with good posture. Then tilt your face straight up to the ceiling or sky. Don’t look directly into the sun ;). Remember to keep your body in line. Hold for about 30 seconds.

For the forward tilt, bend your head so that you’re looking at the ground. Otherwise, body straight. Then place your hands on the back of your head. Let the weight of your hands be the only pressure pulling down. Hold for about 30 seconds.

Neck Rotation

With a body vertically aligned, slowly circle your head around. Start clockwise. Take your time. You can even rotate a little from your hips. Do what feels natural. Remember to breathe.

Then go in the opposite direction for about 30 seconds.

Shoulder Roll

Maybe this is more of a shoulder exercise than a neck one. Either way it’s vital to have relaxed shoulders when you’re playing your mandolin.

With good posture, flex your shoulders back as if they touch behind you. Then circle them up towards your ears and then forward almost as if they could touch in front of yourself. Breathe in as your shoulders move up, and out as they move down. Do this for 15 rotations. Then reverse the direction. Still inhaling as your shoulders lift up and exhaling as they drop.

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Lower Back

Trunk Twists

Sit down in a chair (an office chair is perfect for this). Inhale with your feet firmly on the ground, exhale and twist from the middle of your body to the right. Feet remain pointed forward, eyes gazing calmly over your right shoulder to beyond the back of the chair. Breathe calmly here for 30 seconds and then return to the normal sitting position. Then do the same to your left.

Seated Bend

Again in your chair, with good posture and feet flat on the floor in front of you, inhale through your nose. Fold your body over so that our head is somewhere near your knees and arms are loose above your head, hands near your feet. Breathe easily here for about 30 seconds. After the time is up, exhale as you return to a normal sitting position.

Streamline Stretch

I call this the streamline stretch because we’d do it a lot during swim team practice. You will feel the stretch throughout your back and shoulders.

Either sitting or standing, align your upper body, feet firm on the ground. Hold your arms directly over your head. Place your right palm on top of your left hand. Breathe naturally. Try to keep your arms as close to your head as you can. Let your body be natural though. After about 30 seconds, switch your hands, left on top of right. Hold for another 30 seconds.

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Legs

Most of the lower back pain we feel is actually from our hamstrings and hips being too tight, so we’re going to focus on those muscles here.

Touch Toes

This has got to be the most famous stretch on the list. Stand straight up, your body all in a line, breathing relaxed. Inhale and exhale. Drop your torso, bending at the waist. Keep your back straight and a slight bend in the knees. Try to touch the ground, folding yourself in half. I can’t do this, but I try! Don’t bounce your body at all, just let your body move naturally. Hold whatever position you find yourself in for about 30 seconds. Inhale as you return to your standing position.

Towel Stretch

I have grown to love this stretch. It’s great for getting you to being able to touch your toes. You’ll need a towel or an exercise band.

Sit down with your legs stretched in front of you, and back straight. Place the band or towel round the bottom of your right foot. Slowly lift up your leg, gently pulling from the towel. You’ll feel the stretch in your right hamstring. Breathe naturally. Hold this position for 30 seconds then let your leg down. Do the same with your left leg.