Sports and piano playing

[Alice Beard]

Whoever said that sports and piano playing are incompatible must assume
that pai o players are--and always have been-wimps! i.e. non-athletic.
Lots of us are offended by that assumption!

Hasn"t that person ever heard of cross-training?

I propose that piano playing improves one's form and rhythm in sports
and gymnastics and hence one's efficient use of muscle effort. For
example, piano players learn to relax some parts of the body, such as
the arm, wrist, shoulders and upper back, while concentrating muscular
effort in other parts, ie the fingers. This kind of focus is partly
what coaches are looking to teach their football players when they are
sent to dance classes.

As the arms and wrist become stronger, thicker through weight-training,
one would only have to remain focused on how to use the available
strentgh and keep the flexibility learned in piano playing.

At the same time, sports improve the stamina required for piano-plyaing
(what a novel idea to "real" sportspersons: piano-playing requires
strength and stamina!) Gymnastics, including weight lifting can
strengthen--not only the back--but also the abdomen. Sometimes a "bad
back" can be treated by strengthening the other side of the body--the
abdomen. Thus we can sit at the piano longer.

And of course, a good aerobic workout can not only clear the head, but
increase the vitality of the music. So I say, go for it!