Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Piano and weight training

Hey!

It is probably a question that have been asked before on this forum and piano players (Most instrumentalists in general) have different views on the topic. This might be the reason it is so hard to get constructive information on the subject regarding weight training. Lifting weights will definitely cause tensions in your muscles that can effect ones ability to play the piano, but at the same time also give better stamina and the ability to practice for longer periods of time.

I would like to ask if anyone of you have had some personal experiences with lifting weights, and have some ideas on how to avoid it getting a bad influence on your playing, maybe by doing stretching or taking yoga classes?

Don't let your weight training time get in the way of your piano-practice time. Don't injure yourself. Get good nutrition.

That's about it.

I took up weight/resistance training about 15 years ago, to improve my strength even while I was doing endurance sports (marathon running etc).

It had absolutely no effect on my piano playing. I've never had an injury from it (I don't count DOMS as 'injury') and I never stretch. Not even - especially not - for my running. I'm too inflexible to do yoga (I can't reach beyond my mid-shins with straight legs).

Trees aren't in danger of getting pushed over when I'm around.........

It all depends on what kind of weight training you will do, the intensity, etc... But note that "tension" is different from "forcing something". That isn't very clear in english, but the idea is that the stimulus on the muscle from strength training and from practicing at the piano is very different.
However, you can injure yourself. I'd recommend getting help from a professional, and saying that you are a musician, hopefully if they're good they'll know what to do.
Also, emphasize your back! People tend to not work that so much, since it's not that aesthetically obvious, but pianists can benefit a lot from sort of "opening up" the upper body. We already stay a lot of time "closed in", sitting on the piano.

Good luck! And as phantomFive said, nutrition is as important, if not more, than lifting weights if you want muscle mass gain.

I have done extensive weight training for years. It builds stamina in the performer, and with my schedule, I need it...

It is useful to be strong enough to lift the lid.

Go to the ABF and page Mr. Super-Hunky. He's a weight trainer and pianist.

It would vary with the requirements of the different instruments. I know a violinist in his 70's who bench presses 750 pounds. But they have to hold both arms up full time. We can rest the weight of our arms on the keyboard part of the time.

I lift weights regularly. I have several responses to your question:

1) Lifting weights doesn't cause tension in your muscles in the way you're thinking. The concept of a "musclebound" person being less flexible is mostly wrong - if you don't really do any exercise, you're more likely to have lower flexibility than someone who lifts weights. Lifting weights does increase your muscle tone, which technically is the amount of neutral tension in your muscles, but that doesn't reduce your flexibility.

2) Lifting weights does, in me at least, use up some of the same mental and physical stamina that piano playing takes. On a regular day, I lift and play the piano both, but if I lift especially hard one day, I'm likely not to play very long later that evening, and if I want a really hard, deep practice session, I'll skip lifting.

3) By the same token, making progress in piano and weight lifting is very similar. They both require regularity, dedication, and a lot of mental focus to see the rewards of putting time in. As someone who's good at those things already in piano, you'll have an edge on someone who doesn't have that background if you take up weight lifting. Really focus on efficiency in your body movements, stop immediately if you feel any pain, don't let yourself space out - these all apply to both activities. Injuries happen in both piano and weight lifting (and anything else physical) when you try to push through pain without listening to your body.

4) Do intense stretching exercises or yoga if you like, but again, this seems to be a concern of yours based on the erroneous belief that having muscles makes you inflexible. Not true. However, studies have shown that stretching some along with lifting weights gives you more muscular growth, so by all means, stretch as part of your weightlifting exercises.

Now there's a delightful bit of ambiguity!