Back to School: 4 Ways to Ease Back into Practicing
So it’s back to school and your musician hasn’t exactly been practicing regularly throughout the summer! No fear I have tips on helping them get their chops back in ways that will get them excited to practice!
Summer is a time to relax and take a break from activities. And I’ve noticed over the years this has been the case for many of my students as they take a break from lessons. Although the knowledge and muscle memory may be there when they jump back into lessons in the Fall, their physical endurance may not be. Just like a sport, playing an instrument takes physical stamina and expertise. And unfortunately when you don’t practice you lose this endurance pretty quickly, which can lead to frustration and injuries when trying to go from not playing at all to suddenly playing as often as you used to.
To get your musician back in the game in a healthy way, check out my tips below for practicing smarter after a hiatus!
Have an honest conversation with your private teacher!
We’ve all been there. Not wanting to disappoint, so we fib. But when it comes to getting back into playing it is extremely important that students are honest with their teachers on how often they have been practicing. If you say you’ve been practicing for an hour 5 days a week then your teacher is going to give you a practice plan for an hour a day 5 days a week. And if you haven’t been practicing at all this will lead you to a possible injury if not just overwhelm. Being honest about where you are currently will help you and your teacher build a practice plan that will help you ease back into playing and get your stamina back in a healthy way!
Come up with a practice schedule!
Again, this is something you should discuss and plan with your teacher based on how often you have been practicing, any coursework you have, as well as any goals such as auditions and concerts that you may be preparing for in the future!
Print out my FREE Back in Action Practice Planner to help you track your practice at the beginning of a new school year!
Practice stretches before AND after practicing your instrument!
Struggling through my own fair share of practice related injuries over the years, I now believe that it is a MUST to stretch either before or after practicing your instrument if not both! If you are getting back into practicing after an extended hiatus then I recommend stretching before AND after practicing! We stretch when practicing sports so why isn’t it commonplace to stretch when practicing an instrument? It is quite possible to be able to play your instrument for the rest of your life but only if you take care of your body.
Check out this playlist of stretching videos for musicians on my youtube!
Listen to your body!
As an adult I now realize that we are not taught this enough. Our bodies carry us through this life so it is so important that we listen to what they are telling us. Having pain? Take a break! Having discomfort? Take a break! Stretch it out! Don’t work or push yourself through pain! Obviously you may be sore once you get back into practicing but use the tips and tools above to help get yourself back in the groove in a healthy way! Your body will always let you know what it needs!
And if you are having constant pain, make sure to contact your doctor immediately and halt practicing until you have an okay to continue.
Have you or your child ever had an instrument related injury from going too hard at practicing too soon after taking a break? Let me know in the comments below!