guitar

Maintaining healthy posture during the activities you are passionate about is SO important. Good form will allow your body to partake in your favorite activities pain-free now and into the future. It often gives the additional benefit of performing better (because of a steadier hand, improved blood flow,...or just increased comfort and relaxation). We've seen a lot of musicians have to stop playing their instrument due to pain, and able to return to playing after learning the Gokhale Method.

A few months ago, I noticed that Nolan was playing guitar with a tucked pelvis and neck forward and I snapped this photo:

Forward head position puts strain on the neck muscles and threatens the cervical discs, ligaments, and nerves.

He asked how to play with good posture, so I put him in a stacksitting position and had him hold the guitar so it was slightly tilted towards him. He was able to keep his J-spine and have his neck in a much better alignment:

Sitting well and keeping the neck in good alignment makes playing for long periods of time more comfortable.

Esther’s note:

I like how Nolan and Monisha recognize the value of posture improvements without getting overly preoccupied with perfection. Incremental improvements is the best way to make bigger improvements anyway — insisting on perfection overnight comes with its own set of problems. Go, younger generation!!

There’s been a lot of nice music around our home lately. Here is a bonus photo of Nolan singing along to guitar played by a Foundations Course alumnus at our recent South Bay alumni potluck!

Here’s one more, in which Nolan is sporting a nice J-spine by using a pillow as a sitting wedge:

Nolan’s brothers Bryce and Conner have come to join my household for the summer, while also interning with our company. The Walsh brothers love to play music together as can be seen in the short clips below. We in the family and in the company are excited about the musical evenings and events ahead of us this summer! We’ll also be working on each other’s posture.

Do you play music? Have you found comfortable and healthy ways to play your instrument?

     From the Argentine romantic composing a tango to the K-pop star strumming for an audience of thousands, guitars are a favorite instrument around the world. In fact, the guitar is the second most played instrument after the piano. (source). Amateur and professional players use a variety of playing positions - some are significantly more ergonomic than others. 

    In the classical position, the guitar is sharply angled up so that the wide end of the instrument’s body sits against one leg and the neck is held aloft with the opposite hand. This position allows the musician’s shoulders to be square and resting more posteriorly in line with the back instead of rolled forward as  in the modern style of playing with a horizontally aligned guitar.

Andre Segovia playing classical guitar with excellent form

The picture of Andres Segovia above shows the classical guitar-playing style. We can see that his shoulders remain home - they are open and back even while his arms reach forward to hold the frets and pluck the strings. In addition, his shoulders are relaxed and slope downward. His eyes look down at the instrument but his neck remains vertically aligned with his torso. While not overtly visible, his pelvis seems to be slightly rotated (anteverted), which  allows his back to stack upright. His positioning allows him to play for long periods with ease in spite of his advanced age. Segovia uses a footstool to help keep his guitar at a 45 degree angle. 

A "spacer" helping facilitate good playing form

In the image above, we see a rest placed between the instrument and the thigh to support the guitar. The support allows the player to keep her right shoulder farther back while playing.  

Generally, when standing, a strap is used to keep the guitar elevated. Regardless of the support used, the goal is the same - to maintain healthy posture while playing one’s instrument.

In the image below, we see the opposite - the guitar is played in a way that compromises the player’s posture. This very common playing position used is likely to cause her pain and injury despite her young age. Her right shoulder is rounded forward as she reaches for the strings and her head and neck are jutting forward for a better view of her playing. In addition, her pelvis is tucked, which causes her spine to round forward instead of stacking.  

Unfortunately it is not uncommon for musicians to develop sciatica, tendonitis, nerve damage, and arthritis, and careers can be cut short because of bad playing habits. It is critical to the health of the life-long guitarist that the instrument be held to accommodate healthy posture instead of distorting the posture to accommodate a poorly held guitar. This distinction is important. In the modern era we are quick to change positions to accommodate cellphones, computers, desks, and heavy bags. However, we need our bodies to last us nearly a century, so it is imperative that we endeavor to live our lives in ways that maintain our postural integrity. 

Join us in an upcoming Free Workshop (online or in person).  

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