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tpter1 · 07-07-2006, 08:09 AM

Rich Illman gave a workshop at ITG called...you guessed it, "Yoga for Trumpet Players".

He and his Yoga instructor demonstrated some excrcises that can be done as a warm-up before playing, before performance, and after performance. I've been trying it, and find it helps me be a bit more relaxed, helps my posture, and helps breathing.

Some of the excrcises include (you really need to see these done...it's way more clear):
1. Finding posture: sitting, toes forward, feet parallel, legs slightly apart but not completely. Hands on knees, palms up. Listen to breathing. Be aware of sitz bones...those bones in your bottom that you feel against the chair. Roll back on them until you are perpendicularly aligned. You should feel as if you are being lifted slightly upwards.
2. Head rolls. Maintain the centered posture, and as you exhale, bring your chin down to your chest as far as you can comfortably...that is, with no pain. As you inhale, bring your head back up, past centered, and bend it back, again as far as comfortable. Always stop before pain. You can do this one side to side, as well. This helps get things relaxed and eliminates tension in the neck.
3. With arms folded, as you exhale, roll upper torso over, so the folded arms come past the knees, head down. Again, do this as far as is comfortable. Come up to center on the inhale. This helps alleviate back strain and tension associated with sitting and holding the horn for long periods of time.

Those 3 are but some of the excercises, but those are the ones I've been doing nearly every day before I warm up. I'll dig out my pamphlet and share some others. It should be stressed that these excercises be done to the point before there is discomfort or pain. If you feel pain or discomfort, you've gone too far. Back up a notch. I ususally do of each thing 3-4 times.

07-07-2006, 08:09 AM	#4 (permalink)
tpter1 Forte User Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Northern New York Posts: 2,309	Rich Illman gave a workshop at ITG called...you guessed it, "Yoga for Trumpet Players". He and his Yoga instructor demonstrated some excrcises that can be done as a warm-up before playing, before performance, and after performance. I've been trying it, and find it helps me be a bit more relaxed, helps my posture, and helps breathing. Some of the excrcises include (you really need to see these done...it's way more clear): 1. Finding posture: sitting, toes forward, feet parallel, legs slightly apart but not completely. Hands on knees, palms up. Listen to breathing. Be aware of sitz bones...those bones in your bottom that you feel against the chair. Roll back on them until you are perpendicularly aligned. You should feel as if you are being lifted slightly upwards. 2. Head rolls. Maintain the centered posture, and as you exhale, bring your chin down to your chest as far as you can comfortably...that is, with no pain. As you inhale, bring your head back up, past centered, and bend it back, again as far as comfortable. Always stop before pain. You can do this one side to side, as well. This helps get things relaxed and eliminates tension in the neck. 3. With arms folded, as you exhale, roll upper torso over, so the folded arms come past the knees, head down. Again, do this as far as is comfortable. Come up to center on the inhale. This helps alleviate back strain and tension associated with sitting and holding the horn for long periods of time. Those 3 are but some of the excercises, but those are the ones I've been doing nearly every day before I warm up. I'll dig out my pamphlet and share some others. It should be stressed that these excercises be done to the point before there is discomfort or pain. If you feel pain or discomfort, you've gone too far. Back up a notch. I ususally do of each thing 3-4 times. __________________ -Glenn "Roses have thorns; shining waters mud. Clouds and eclipses stain the moon and the sun; and history reeks of the wrongs we have done. After today, after today, consider me gone."- Sting