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Sore back
I get sore between my shoulder blades when I play guitar and it starts within a couple of minutes starting to play. I’m sitting on my couch just like Tony does when he plays. Has anybody else experienced this?
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6 Replies
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A few Things:
1. The couch may not be the best place for you, that depends on your couch and whatever is going on physically in your shoulders and spine area. You might want to invest in a proper chair for playing or try another place where you can sit with optimum posture for guitar playing. I bought a new office chair to play in. The arms can be raised so there is no obstruction. I do play on my couch also while I’m watching TV, but usually only for a few minutes at a time, then I’ll set it down. Also, my couch is firm and quite high off the ground, so it gives me plenty of support. You wouldn’t want to play in a couch that you sink into.
2. I would check out the warm up exercises (Daily Stretch for Guitar) here: https://tonypolecastro.com/skills/
3. Did you have pain in this area before playing guitar or is the playing that has triggered this issue? You may want to get yourself checked out.
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Tension between the shoulder blades could be a result of a few things. Holding the guitar too high, causing pinching in the shoulder blade area could be something caused by sitting on a couch and playing. I know it does for me. If I’m on the couch, I need to be sitting right on the edge of the couch, and not leaning back into the couch. Same reason I always use a strap. If I feel slack in the strap, it tells me I’m leaning too far forward. This puts stress on my back when I lean or bend too far. Also, doing the warm ups that Tony teaches may help relax the back as well, eliminating some tension. I personally think posture is extremely important for playing. Holding the guitar in a comfortable relaxed posture removes tension from your body and your mind.
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Thank you. I never thought of trying a strap. I’ll give it a try and report back.
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If you are hunched forward so you can see the fret board while you play this and the tension of trying to be a “perfect” guitar player always tightens my back up. My best guitar picking is late at night when I am relaxed and just “picking and noodling.
Visit the skills section for the posture exercises and start your guitar practice with these to help you release any anxious tension. Guitar playing is supposed to be fun but most of us want to play “perfectly” so we practice with tension that can be centered between our shoulder blades. A good comfortable chair like Pete mentioned will help you develop good guitar playing posture. I use an office chair also and have removed the arm rests so I can hold my guitar properly to practice. I’m so used to it that i take it with me when I play with friends. Yes they chuckle at me but it is my Lionel comfort blanket, that’s a Charlie Brown reference.
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@blitzbud I forgot to mention that I do a stretching routine every morning. I subscribed to this App called “Bend” and it’s really great. It reminds me to stretch daily and it times the stretches for me. My flexibility has increased a lot in the 5 months I’ve been doing it, and almost no more pains in my joints. I’m 66 years old.
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Pete which of the apps do yo use the most?
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