Left Hand Finger Strengthening Exercises for Violinists
Struggling with left-hand finger strength and independence? In this post, discover a simple left-hand finger strengthening exercise for violinists.
No matter the age you are when you start the violin, the muscles in the left hand are not developed to play the violin and we need to develop them. They need to have muscle strengthening exercises as if your left hand is going to the gym every day.
I start this with my very young students and with adult students as well to help the left hand develop the muscles needed to play. Now, this exercise can be used for a pianist, not just a violinist and you can use it with your left and your right hand.
I call this exercise “jumping fingers.” All you need for these exercises is a flat surface, a book, desk, table etc.
You can basically do this anywhere even while you’re eating dinner at the dinner table. Set your hand, palm down with your fingertips on the flat surface.
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We will move each finger up and down individually.
Start with the index finger and use a rhythm of your choice. Mississippi stop stop is a great rhythm to start with. 10 times each rhythm for each finger.
If is your first time doing an exercise like this, I can almost guaranty that you’ll have a very difficult time with your ring finger. It is very normal for that finger to have a hard time. You might not be able to even lift him.
If this is the case, take your right hand, hold down your middle finger and your pinky and just try to move your ring finger.
If you still have a hard time, take your right hand and actually move your ring finger up and down. It’s like physical therapy to get him going.
It’s very important to do these exercises every day. I promise you will eventually be able to move the ring finger countless times.
I’ve had students come into lessons one week they could not move their ring finger but the next week they could.
So I promise it is possible and you will be able to do it.
Once you have gotten all your fingers moving, you want to listen to the fingers to see, to listen how hard they actually hit the book. You want to hear the rhythm via the tapping of your fingers.
Now it’s also very important when you do this, that you don’t tense up any other part of your body. You don’t want to tense your arm or try to use other muscles to move the fingers other than the finger muscles.
This is why it is important that the fingers are rounded and stay rounded and relaxed. You don’t want them to cave at the knuckles.
Start slowly, start softly and eventually you’ll be able to get them moving.
Strengthening your left fingers like this will help you with your violin playing.
If you have weak finger strength, you most likely have a tense left hand. Be sure to check out my post on how to get rid of left-hand tension.
Use the comment section below as accountability. Write in your starting point and where you are one week after doing these exercises daily.
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