flamenco struming

[azeng808]

How do I do this without hurting my hand? Is it suposed to hurt at first?

[lemur821]

It shouldn't. Are you strumming with your nails? I assume you're referring to rasgueado strumming, right?

[labgnat]

honestly i don't really remember if it hurt when i started this flamenco strumming. it actually takes a very little amount of force. i find that it can be painful if i'm just pounding out downstrokes. for some reason going up and down both makes it less painful. i find it easier to strum with my middle than my index. but i can do both now and if one hurts i can use the other. so being able to do it with both should help a bit also. but mainly just dont' hit it too hard.

[christobass 416]

when i first started, it hurt like a bitch sometimes. i started to get little cuts on my hand right in front of my fingernails. not on the palm side of my hand...the other side. i think it was mostly bad technique, though. i could be wrong though, because i have slight calluses there now.
just keep practicing, and the pain will ago. at least it did for me. you should definitely stop, though, when your hand starts hurting.

[pklima]

Start really slowly and under control so you can get the technique right - playing with the tips of your fingers and nails, not smashing the flesh above the nails.

[theshadow2001]

Sounds like your hitting the strings too hard. Do as PKlima instructs