A warm up is not only a great way get ready to play, but also gadge the condition of your hands at that moment.
OK so many people just pick up and play, and that is cool....until there is an issue, then it can be something much more serious that has been developing over time.
I go for a medical every year...i do not wait until i am ill to get one....hell i even brush my teeth twice a day even though there is not real need to at the time.
So here is the thing in my situation and why i have a warm up..actually the same one for the last 35+ years as it goes.
I am a pro player, so i play everyday, and in that day i will warm up and down, as well a stretch, before most main playing session i do, whether it be teaching, recording , gigging etc.
The reason my warm up has not changed is as a warm up i know it inside out, i know how my hands a body should feel when i do it, so if i warm up and everything is as it always has been then i am good to go.
But if i strugggle with it, then something is wrong, so for me to play on could result in an injury.
So i put the bass down, do some more stretches to target the area i feel is the issue, have some more water, eat some more carbs, or an energy bar, give it ten mins and try again.
Now if the issue has corrected itself, all is fine, and i carry on as normal.
If it has not, then i note it in my diary, and note exactly what i am feeling.
If it has got better, i note how it got better.
If there is no improvement i restrict my use to being simplified playing if it is a live situation, try not to play if it is a teaching situation.
If recording i will reduce the amounts of takes, if i can, or simply take more breaks inbetween takes.
So because i make a living with my hands, if i cannot restrict my use, i reschedule, or if the job needs done...pass it on to another player.
If the issue continues over the days, or does not get better or if it worsens i see a doctor...it is that simple.
So for me warm up is also a daily check up, and as i said, why wait till issues present themselves?
So here is my warm up
Here are some stretches to target player hands
Some stretches for the body
