Warming Up Hands Before Playing

[Stampy]

Wondering how my fellow bassists here warm up before playing. I try to loosen up my hands first especially my fretting hand be shaking them out and stretching. Any better way?

[onlyclave]

As far as stretching goes, I don't believe that you should grab your fingers and bend them back and an extreme angle and call it stretching.

Try this:

Extend your left hand straight out from your body, flat and palm down. Now without moving your shoulder forward, reeeeeeaaach like you're trying to make your fingers extend like a telescope. Rest for a few seconds and then repeat. Do this on both sides.

I also tilt my head and do neck rolls too.

As far as warm up, I play scales very slowly and as accurately as possible.

8 minutes of all of this and you're done.

[Stampy]

Thanks!

[Jim Nazium]

I stretch my hands gently before playing. I interlock my fingers as 'deep' as possible, extend my fingers straight, and then squeeze them together gently. Then I switch from the 'deep' position to having the fingers together just above the knuckle and squeeze, then have them together at the first joint and squeeze. Then switch from left-on-right to right-on-left and repeat. I'll also make a fist and squeeze so that I can feel the back of my hands stretch. Then I'll warm up with some scales or the 'spider' exercise.

I really want to emphasize doing all this gently. The muscles, joints and bones in your hands are very small and you don't want to damage anything.

[Rattman]

"Gently" will much better serve you than "aggressively" IMHO. Rubbing the hands briskly together for a few seconds.. then do a few Vulcan "Live long and Prosper" gestures. then alternately holding the two inner fingers together instead. See how far you can GENTLY extend your fretting fingers backwards towards the back of your wrist, then closing your hand... back and forth... then the other hand.. The neck rolls were mentioned.. they are also quite useful as well.