The Warm-Up Menu for Musicians: Strategies and a toolbox for achieving a healthy body-mind state for practicing and performing.

Cristina Quesada Henares

Warm-up routines are essential for preventing injuries and enhancing performance, not only for athletes but also for musicians. While technical exercises like scales are common, physical and mental preparation is often overlooked. Research shows that musicians experience a high incidence of injuries, yet many neglect a comprehensive warm-up that includes both physical and mental aspects. This study explores the importance of incorporating a warm-up routine that goes beyond the instrument itself. It introduces a "warm-up menu" that allows musicians to select exercises based on available time, integrating disciplines and techniques such as Yoga, Body Mapping, Flow, and Imagery, while also highlighting the significance of Core engagement for musicians. These practices enhance body awareness, reduce tension, and promote overall well-being, ultimately helping to prevent injuries. The research combines a literature review, expert interviews, and a case study in which three musicians experimented with different warm-up routines over a week, reflecting on their experiences and the impact on their performance and physical condition. Findings suggest that incorporating non-instrumental warm-ups, especially those influenced by Yoga, can reduce tension, improve posture, and enhance performance while lowering injury risks. Experts, including musicians, psychologists, and physiotherapists, confirmed these benefits but emphasized that warm-ups should be part of a broader injury prevention approach. This study provides initial insights into the benefits of holistic warm-ups and encourages further research. By understanding and implementing better warm-up strategies, musicians can cultivate a more sustainable and healthy career.

And also, seated

Specific exercises are those designed according to the instrument being played. This concept is also drawn from physiotherapists Mara Tar and Ana Belén Árbol (2024), who emphasize the importance of imagining the movements involved in playing the instrument and exaggerating them to effectively warm up the muscles that will be engaged during performance.

Ana Belén Árbol further highlights the need for targeted exercises for wind musicians and singers, focusing on the muscles around the mouth and face, which play a crucial role in embouchure and vocal production.

Another technique recommended by Árbol is Jacobson’s Relaxation Technique, which consists of gradually tensing and then releasing specific muscle groups in a structured sequence to promote relaxation and body awareness.

Check them out and pick the ones that suit you best!

Make sure you do the exercises on both sides

Combine them as you like an do as many repetitions as you feel comfortable with.

Try to incorporate them into your warm-up for at least 5-10 minutes.

Specific Exercises

To the Yoga Based Warm-Up

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Funny Faces and Eye Movements Warm-Up

Jacobson's Relaxation Technique Exercises

Jaw Warm-Up

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