Achieving Balance: Physical Fitness for Musicians
I thought I would post today about how a regular fitness regime has helped me in my daily life and in particular as a professional musician. This has become more important as I have gotten older and find I can’t bash my way through practicing and through life without serious repercussions the next day!
(My post covers “general” fitness vs. getting back into shape post-injury or if you’re dealing with chronic pain or an overuse issue [music related or otherwise]. For these types of events, following the guidance of a physician and/or physical therapist is paramount. In addition, as a commonsense piece of advice, consult with your doctor before beginning any new exercise regime, and if something causes you pain, don’t do it.)
As a college student and as a young professional, studying Alexander Technique and getting some physical therapy at the right time for little things that bothered me (jaw pain, back pain) gave me great tools to stave off any chronic playing-induced pain issues, for which I am thankful. I also found out how imbalanced my body is as a result of playing the flute: for example, the right side of my body is noticeably stronger than the left side, and my right hip is quite a bit higher than the left. My left bicep, as a result of the “pulling” motion that muscle does when bringing the flute into playing position, is consistently larger than the right, despite the fact that I’m right-handed.
Throughout my life I have been moderately active. I’ve had periods of high activity (running 30 miles a week, yoga, Pilates) and low activity (i.e., nothing). My diet throughout my adulthood could also be described as “moderate” with the accompanying periods of good/bad diet.
As we all know, when life gets busy, it is a challenge to stay physically active. As my career developed, I started traveling more, practicing/rehearsing/performing more, eating out more. A few years ago, it all came to a head: my husband and I got married, embarked on a nine-month house remodel, used going out to restaurants and comfort food (and wine) instead of exercise to relieve stress during the remodel, plus I had a busy travel schedule. I ended up a hot mess, unable to run, walk, do yoga or even bend over without back pain. I tried some online exercises that I thought might be good to start getting back into shape but ended up sore and out of commission for a week. Clearly I needed to do something different, but I didn’t know where to start on my own.
I figured that just like people who ask me for lessons when they want to improve their flute playing, it only made sense that I should find a professional to improve my physical fitness. I started working with an excellent fitness trainer, Mickayla Stoner, who has degrees in exercise science and nutrition, and she has worked with all sorts of humans in varying degrees of physical fitness, from professional athletes to people less fit than I was when we first met. (https://www.mickaylastoner.com) She pushes me while being very supportive, and she takes into account my career, travel schedule and physical “quirks” – for example, taking special care that my wrists/hands aren’t doing anything that might exacerbate the demands I place on them as a professional musician. She is a stickler for form and for doing things the correct way (like all good teachers!). She gives me a new workout every week, which is terrific for me because it varies things up and keeps me from getting bored, and it constantly challenges my body in new ways so that I always feel like I am improving in strength, balance and coordination. In addition to the new workout, every week I do two additional strength training days, plus cardio workouts (e.g. intervals on an Arc Trainer, outside runs) and yoga. And I rest one day a week.
Making the time and monetary commitment to work with a professional has been the thing that has helped me most in sticking with a good fitness regime instead of yo-yo-ing back and forth between good/bad habits. It keeps me “on task” (probably just like my students feel when they know they have a lesson coming up!). I find that when I am exercising regularly, my diet improves as well, along with my sleep and my outlook on life. I feel balanced.
I want to make sure that I am doing everything I can to stay active and healthy as I age, keeping muscle mass and staying flexible. Getting hands-on help one on one instead of just duplicating exercises you see online is important. There is, as we know, a wealth of fitness information online, but that doesn’t mean it is all good, or right for you.
Being physically fit most assuredly helps keep you safer from daily life-related and performance-related injuries. You become more aware of how you use your body, and the added strength, balance and flexibility makes injuries less likely to happen.
The balance and variety in physical exercises inspires my music practice. Instead of going on auto pilot and doing the same technical exercises/scales/etudes when I practice, I find myself seeking out new twists. It keep me from getting bored, and it works my technique in creative and more challenging ways.
Going for a run is one of the things that I love to do to scrub my mind and get into a lovely state where my mind can just wander around on its own and be creative. I‘ve gotten so many good musical ideas this way, away from the practice room.
I use yoga for the flexibility and strength benefits it provides, and an intense yoga class can give me the same wrung-out and relaxed feeling I get after a good cardio workout. I took yoga classes for many years but currently practice on my own with some great apps/videos. I love DoYogaWithMe. (https://www.doyogawithme.com)
One of the interesting discoveries I have made while challenging myself physically is how much this has influenced my psychological “toughness” as a performer. Knowing that I can push my body and achieve things I never thought I could do physically has supplemented my confidence in the artistic realm. As someone who has spent her professional career thinking and talking about what people can do to alleviate performance anxiety and gain confidence on stage, this aspect has been a delightful surprise.
In the past three years that I’ve been working with Mickayla and made the commitment to a regular exercise regime, I am the strongest I’ve ever been in my entire life. I feel very physically “balanced” and free instead of feeling like I am laboring in my own body. Musically, I feel that I can practice and perform with a deeper awareness of what is going on physically and psychologically. It has been a wonderful process, and it is something that I wholeheartedly recommend.