Does exercising and working out help a person be more relaxed?

Blazemourne · #1 09-03-2007, 05:45 PM

Would working out and exercising help a person be more relaxed and less nervous when playing even in stressful situations such as auditions?

bopeuph · #2 09-03-2007, 05:53 PM

I guess it can, as long as you are relaxing while working out.

Taking wing chun really helped me out with music and other things. It relaxed me quite a bit. Plus, it taught me how to take general knowledge from music and bring it into wing chun and vice-versa. Then, when I met Vic, he and I rapped for hours about the connections. That conversation skyrocketed my learning curve in music and wing chun, along with other applications in the world.

Nick

**Chris Fitzgerald** · #3 09-03-2007, 06:00 PM

I think it does. Back when I did Aikido, I felt much more centered in every way after each session. For a few years after that, I lifted weights 4 days a week to get that same feeling. Now in "early midlife" and with a much busier schedule, I run on an elliptical trainer for 30 minutes a day before I ever leave the house, and by the time I'm done not much phases me. I think the common thread between all of these activities and performing is that each one has a mental and physical "zone" that you get into when you're really doing them right. By doing some sort of disciplined exercise, you're building several good habits at once: doing something strenuous that is healthy for your body and spirit in both the short and long term, and practicing getting into the zone on a regular basis. For me, these things fit right in with the experience of practicing and playing music.

Steve Killingsworth · #4 09-03-2007, 06:58 PM

Plus there is the added benefit of just feeling better. Five years ago I weighed about 270 lbs and had HIGH cholesterol (well over 300). I had no energy and just getting up out of the floor after playing my kids was a chore. I never went on a diet--just changed my eating habits and began walking (fast walking not strolling). Over 6 months I lost almost 50 lbs and have been able to keep it off ever since. I cannot tell you how much better I feel and I am convinced that carries over to every aspect of my life.

I usually walk in the early morning. That gives me time to think about and plan for the upcoming day--whether work or personal or music related. It just helps me prepare for the day and the more prepared I am, the less anxiety I feel.

jallenbass · #5 09-03-2007, 07:43 PM

I used to run a mile or 2 the morning of auditions and recitals. Helped me tremendously.

mishy1031 · #6 09-03-2007, 07:59 PM

Exercising helps me relax in general. For playing, breathing when I'm practicing or performing has really helped. Sometimes, I just think, "breathe," and take a deep breath, then my shoulders relax and I start playing better. Also, just finding oppportunites to get out playing in front of people will help with nervousness, or "desensitize" you a bit anyway. You can play for a few friends or some family, the band I'm in rehearses at a coffee shop when we have extended time between gigs so we stay used to being infront of an audience.

Dave Martin · #7 09-03-2007, 08:41 PM

Yeah, it does help me be more relaxed when I'm working if I've exercised in some way - walking (what I'm mostly doing right now), swimming, the YMCA or even just doing physical labor - yard work, construction, cleaning. I'm a firm believer in getting up and moving. I just need to move about 50 pounds off...

bassist1962 · #8 09-04-2007, 03:31 AM

Yes. I started studying yoga, again, along with a bit of tai chi and pilates. It has helped tremendously in the short time that I have been doing them.

Marc Piane · #9 09-04-2007, 06:30 AM

(As others have hinted at) I think exercise, if done correctly, is about body awareness. Exercising makes you listen to your body more. Sometimes it can be a painful process like helping a friend move and feeling muscles you never thought you had. Bottom line though, in order to effectively exercise you have to learn to breathe, use good body movement as not to hurt yourself, use proper hydration, diet, etc.

Stay away from excessive weight lifting unless you want to get huge. I do about 15 min of light dumbbell work daily and also use some of those stretchy exercise bands. Also, sit on an exercise ball when you are doing your arms. This greatly improves balance and you are also exercising your core muscles so you kill two birds with one stone. The core muscles are very important to bass playing. An in shape core will help your back not get sore from sttanding for hours and hours.

Spend most of your time on Aerobic stuff. Get you heart pumping. Big arms won't be worth anything if you have a weak ticker. I've always been a big cyclist and swimmer. Running is good though not my first choice. If you choose to walk, walk briskly. You don't have to do the crazy power-walking stuff, just don't make it a nice evening stroll. The other thing I like about some of those activities is it forces you to spend some time alone with your thoughts.

Then comes diet and hydration. We'll leave that for another post.

I feel strongly that a healthy body will make everything you do in life easier. Playing the DB is an intense mental and physical workout. The better in shape you mind and body are the better you'll play.

Marcus Johnson · #10 09-04-2007, 09:51 AM

Biking... love it. Been doing it since I was a kid, I like the zone.

TroyK · #11 09-04-2007, 11:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blazemourne

Would working out and exercising help a person be more relaxed and less nervous when playing even in stressful situations such as auditions?

Exercising is good for you and we can all talk about why we do it and what we like to do, but can you clarify your original question?

I can't honestly say that exercise will make you less nervous at auditions. It is a good way to deal with general stress. So is meditation, sleep, going to a rock concert, valium...

Are you intersted in exercise or taming audition jitters? Not that they are mutually exclusive, but we haven't heard from you since you posted your question and I'm wondering if you're getting what you were after with the responses?

Me? Yes, exercise helps me deal with stress, sleep better and I think it's important, because what we do as bassists is very repetitive and asemetrical to balance out our physiology with something else. I'm into swimming for that purpose at the moment, amongst other things, but I don't know if that will make me less nervous at an audition on it's own. It probably depends on why you are getting nervous.

Anonymous75966 · #12 09-04-2007, 12:47 PM

Maybe, maybe not.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b4uahL_tQWc

Marcus Johnson · #13 09-04-2007, 02:22 PM

Henry's a special guy.

He held off the throwing first punch longer than I would have.

Blazemourne · #14 09-05-2007, 06:50 PM

Well I have just recently started exercising and working out and for some reason started to get more relaxed when practicing or performing. I was curious if the exercise was responsible for it. I also have a serious nervousness problem and would appreciate any more tips on conquering it. The main reason why I am nervous is because I am very scared of messing up, especially on auditions.

Blazemourne · #15 09-05-2007, 06:50 PM

Jallenbass, how long was the time between your jogging and your recitals and auditions?

TroyK · #16 09-05-2007, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blazemourne

Well I have just recently started exercising and working out and for some reason started to get more relaxed when practicing or performing.

Well, then the answer is definitely "yes" in your case. I believe that things like that help me. You might also check into something metitative; yoga, tai chi, qi gung. Being able to get in touch with what's going on with you when and how to both accept it and deal with it is very useful once you step away and into your normal life.