A Fitness Guide for Guitar Players

You might or might not know this, but playing the guitar – especially for extended periods of time – puts an immense amount of strain and pressure on certain parts of your body. You might not feel anything and there might not even be any danger signs for months, or years, but continued and sustained pressure on joints, nerves, muscles and bones usually manifests itself in the form of injuries after the passage of a few years.

Which is why working on your fitness, being healthy, and keeping yourself in good shape as a guitar player is so important. It allows you to play better, play in a healthy manner, and have a long and healthy life as well as a career in music.

1. Warm-ups

Warm-ups should be an essential part of your pre-game ritual. It is important because warming-up helps loosen up the bones and joints in the body, prepares them for the rigors associated with playing the guitar and prevents your arms and hands from any short-term or long-term injuries. A good warm-up regime would consist of stretching the muscles and joints in your arms and legs, and perhaps even a light cardio would be good. Doing so releases the tension in your muscles, improves blood circulation and get the blood flowing, and makes the overall experience of playing less-stressful.

2. Body Workouts

Working out has tons of benefits and is great for the body, regardless of whether you play the guitar or not (but especially if you do play). It gives you more energy and a clearer mindset. If you workout on a daily basis, you will automatically notice a significant improvement in your guitar-playing (such as with your practice sessions), as well as in your overall lifestyle. A good workout refreshes your brain and may even be the source of inspiration. Join the gym, go for yoga, go for a bike ride, go for a morning jog, and the positive effects will certainly manifest themselves whenever you sit down to play.  

3. Eating Healthy

Like working out, this affects your overall well-being in general, and eating healthy would mean that your body remains healthy and physically and mentally-fit, translating to you becoming a better guitar player in the long run. Eating healthy (and drinking healthy, for that matter), is essential for energy – as it keeps laziness, obesity, etc. at bay – and prevents the body from breaking down. A good intake of water every day is as important as eating healthy, as it flushes out toxins, protecting your organs and joints – all whilst providing you with the energy and focus that you need during the day.

4. Hearing

As a guitar player, one of the most important thing – aside from your fingers of course – will be your ears. While the human ears are built to last, they should still be protected. For starters, avoid prolonged exposure to loud music as it can seriously harm your hearing ability, especially in the long run. Wear earplugs when performing on the stage, for instance, or whenever you’re exposed to loud music. As a matter of fact, I recommend using one of those in-ear monitor (IEM) devices that professional musicians use.

5. Ergonomics

Ergonomics refers to interacting with certain things in a manner that is safe and healthy for the human body. For a guitar player, it refers to your posture (when sitting down), and how you hold and play the guitar (interact with it) for the time that you have it. Playing a guitar should never hurt – in both the short as well as the long run, and making sure that it doesn’t happen can only be accomplished through good ergonomics. For guitar players, the different between good or bad ergonomics could be in the way you hold the guitar, the way you sit or stand with the instrument, and how relaxed or tense your body is while playing (which is why warming up is essential!). You can read more about this, plus how certain features of the guitar affect you on this link.