Guitar Warm Up

Guitar Warm Up

Do you love to play the guitar? Well let's just say that if you do and you value the gift you've been given to be able to play, then you should take guitar warm up very seriously. Because if you don't, very bad things could happen.

Why warm up for guitar?

Sorry about the melodrama. But seriously, warming up properly can really reduce the possibilities of you developing injuries because of your guitar playing, specifically tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome or other repetitive stress injuries. (over many years of course)

Not to mention that warming up will make playing all the guitar techniques you learn here easier to execute.

How long should I warm up during my guitar practice?

I usually spend about 5-10 minutes warming up and cooling down. But it's important do both. Cooling down is just as important as warming up. Runners don't go out and do all out sprints without stretching and warming up. Nor do they simply stop and go about their business. Their bodies need to cool down. So does yours. Five to ten minutes should suffice for both.

What should I focus on when I warm up and cool down?

• Focus on warming up and cooling down, not on building guitar technique.
• Focus on relaxing. Warm and relaxed equals greater functionality.

How do I warm up before my guitar lesson or guitar practice?

First start with some stretches for your wrists, hands and fingers. Then I'll give you some hands on guitar warm up tabs you can implement in your practice.

There are a lot of them so don't try to cram all of them into one practice session. Focus on like one or two a week until you're very comfortable with them and then just experiment with different combinations. Make up your own if you like, The possibilities are really endless.