Posture & Body Awareness
Hi everyone, Pete Tambroni here from MostlyBass.com with a few words on posture and body awareness.
Our posture affects us both physically and mentally. We tend to slouch when feeling down or depressed and we stand straighter when proud or in a good mood. We can also ‘fool’ our minds into feeling better by straightening our posture. So if things aren’t going right, try sitting up and smiling – I guarantee your playing will instantly improve.
Standing properly allows us to breathe easier by expanding our chest cavity. We can take deeper breaths. Correct posture also promotes body alignment which reduces tension and the risk of injury. Pressure on spinal discs is eliminated. Tone also improves as relaxed weight promotes a large and free vibration of the string.
Here are some links for further exploration:
Alexander Technique
www.alexandertech.org
www.alexandercenter.com
www.alexandertechnique.com
Feldenkrais Method
www.feldenkrais.com
www.feldenkrais-method.org
www.feldenkrais-resources.com
Thanks and happy holidays!
27 December 2008, 9:00 pm
With all due respect, all of your posts are fairly silly and don’t really offer any actual information besides the blatantly obvious.
27 December 2008, 9:04 pm
I found that just a few lessons in the Alexander Technique did wonders for my posture, breathing and playing. They have a great site at http://alexandertechnique.com
27 December 2008, 10:39 pm
Hey now. There is quite a spectrum of bassists who read this blog. For a young bassist some of this info and other posts that Peter have offered could be helpful. They might not be the posts I read the blog for, but everyone comes here for different reasons.
12 February 2009, 1:28 am
Hi all,
Thanks to Sue for mentioning the Alexander Technique. Alexandertechnique.com certainly IS a great site, maintained by my friend Robert Rickover.
I am an Alexander Technique teacher in New York. Please check out my site also. I am a jazz vibes player, and I’ve helped many bass players with postural issues, as well as hand and shoulder issues. It is truly an amazing technique.
Best,
Mark
MarkJosefsberg.com