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17.Powerfulfingers,gymnasticsandbruisingproblemsaw4piano.info

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BolesawWoytowicz
Polishpianist(18991980)

MieczysawKa

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Piano Technique - Practice

NEWVIDEO:CHOPINtudeop.10n110exercises

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17. Powerful fingers, gymnastics and bruising

problems

Agoodandstablepianotechniquerequires,aboveall,verystrongfingersandtheabilityto
properlymanagethe weight ofthe motorapparatus .Aspartofthischapterwewillseehowto
strengthenthefingersthroughgymnasticswithoutthepiano.
BelowIpresentmyvideoincludingsomeexerciseswithoutusingthekeyboard,selectedfrom
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thoseofferedby CzesawSieluycki inThePianistsHand.

Thevalueofexercisesinspiredbypianomovementsawayfromt
h e k e y b o a r d is often overlooked or underestimated by many
pianists. On the contrary, these exercises were popular and
recommended to students by Chopin and Mikuli (according to the oral
testimony of Raoul Koczalski, student of Ch. Mikuli), Liszt and
Prokofieff, A. Michaowski as well as Johnen, Ching, Gat [] This
concerns above all the fact that through special gymnastics, we can
achievethesameresultsobtainedafterseveralyearsofregularexercises
onthekeyboardandthatsomepianistsmaynoteverobtain.
CzesawSieluyckiThepianistshandp.322,PolishMusicEdition,Cracow,1982

Apianistoughttobeabletodothefollowinggymnasticexercise:place
histenfingersonthefloorandraisehisbodyvertically.
HeinrichNeuhausTheArtofPianoPlaying.,p.94,PraegerPublishers,Inc.,NewYork1973

Exercise1easy(videoontheright)
Preparation
Standfacingawall,fairlyclose,andplaceallyourfingersonit.
Test
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Withoutremovingyourfingersfromthewall,movebackwardsone
ortwostepsandobservethepressureonthefingersthefarther
awayyouarefromthewall,thegreaterthepressure.
Howtodoit
Do vertical pushups in this position, moving away from and
successivelyclosertothewall.

Exercise2easy(nottostrengthenthefingers,buttheshoulder
muscles)
ProfessorWoytowicz recommendedthisexercisetoimprovethe
shouldershaking technique:Aspartofthedailygymnastics,afterdoingconventionalpush
ups where the amplitude revolves around ten centimeters, keep the same position and
performaseriesofminipushupswithalowamplitude,butveryquick.

MENU

IMPORTANT ! The following exercises can be dangerous! The

the hands. One
improper realization of exercises 3 and 4 can damage
mustthusbegincarefullybytestswhichconsistofraisingoneselfupon
the fists, in order to become accustomed to feeling the balance of the
bodyandtransmittingitsweightprogressivelytothehands.
Exercise3fairlydifficult
Preparation
Crouchdownandleanonyourfiststoseeifyoucankeepyour
balance. The closer you keep the feet and hands, the lower the
pressureexertingonthehands,butthebalancewillbeharderto
maintain.
Test
Lean slightly forward order to move some of the weight of the
body from the feet to the hands clenched into fists (see photo
above).
Howtodoit
Support
yourself on your fingertips and lean carefully forward,
Thiswebsiteusescookiesinordertoprovideyouwiththe
then return to the starting
position. Repeat this exercise several
bestonlineexperience.
times,takingcarenottooverloadyourfingers.Bypressingyour
Byusingthiswebsite,youagreetotheuseofcookies.Learnmore
handsagainstascaleyoucandeterminetheforcebeingapplied.
IAGREEdonotdisplaythismessageagain
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Exercise4verydifficult
Preparation
Seethevideoopposite.
Test
Kneel
down,
support
yourself on your fists and
liftyourkneesslightlywhile
paying attention to the
pressure your feel on your
hands.
Howtodoit
Now support yourself on
your fingers and lift your
kneesagain.Amoreadvancedversionofthisexerciseistodopushupswhilebalancedon
thefingers(andnotontheentirehands,asisthecaseofnormalpushups).

BRUISINGanounceofpreventionisworthapoundofcure
Youwillfindseveralsimpletipsthatconcernusingthetendonsin Chapter7 (point7.4.3).

Itakethelibertyhereofwarningyou,forduringthetimeofmystudiesI
receivednone:

Spareyourhandsandyourspinalcolumn!
Theymustfaithfullyserveyouforatleastfiftyyears.

Concerning the spinal column, you will soon find advice in the chapter, currently being
written,dedicatedtothepositionatthepiano.Itis,aboveall,aquestionofkeepingyourfeet
close to the pedals and not to rock your body back and forth while playing, as this
excessively strains the lumbar region of the spine, the most exposed part. Easier said than
done.
Dontplaytooloudly!OntheXraybelow,youcanseethebasesofthethumbs.OntheRH,
attheextensionofthegreenarrow,isabigdarkline.Itisacartilagebetweenthebones.This
part,whichislackingatthebaseoftheleftthumb,istheresultofplayingoctavestooloudly(in
thedistantpast),whichisnowtheoriginseverepainincertainpositions.Incurable.

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Howtomoveapiano?Everypianistmaysometimesneedtomoveapiano.Pullingaheavy
instrument (and its the same for carrying heavy suitcases or screwing and unscrewing
resistantbolts)causesharmfulstretchingofthejoints,tendonsandligaments.
HereisaproposedbyProfessorWoytowiczsimplesolution:wepushourselvesupagainstthe
pianowithourhindquartersandwepushtheinstrumenteffortlesslyinreverse.

Justcarefullyfollowthesefewguidelinestoavoidalotofproblems.

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