Are you struggling to keep up with the physical demands of playing the accordion? You're not alone. The accordion is one of the most physically demanding instruments, requiring strength, coordination, and endurance. If you're not careful, it can lead to serious injuries. But don't worry, in this article, we'll dive into effective workouts and stretches designed to help you build strength, improve your posture, and avoid injury, all with just a simple resistance band.
Introduction: The Physicality of Playing the Accordion
Playing the accordion is no small feat. Unlike many other instruments, it demands the use of both your arms, hands, back, shoulders and even your core, while also requiring you to maintain a strong and flexible posture. The combination of pushing and pulling the bellows, holding the instrument steady, and using your fingers to operate the keys and buttons can quickly lead to strain if you're not mindful of your body mechanics.
Without proper care, accordionists can develop issues such as repetitive strain injuries (RSIs), shoulder pain, back problems, and tension in the wrists and forearms. To ensure long-lasting playing, it's essential to engage in a workout routine that strengthens the muscles used in playing the accordion and keeps your body flexible.
Luckily, you don’t need to hit the gym or buy expensive equipment to achieve this. All you need is a resistance band, and you can perform these exercises and stretches from the comfort of your home.
In this article, we’ll go over 10 accordionist workouts and stretches that will help you build strength, increase flexibility, and prevent injury.
Why Use a Resistance Band?
A resistance band is a versatile and affordable tool that you can incorporate into your workout routine to help strengthen the muscles you need for playing the accordion. Resistance bands provide a controlled, adjustable level of resistance, making them ideal for strengthening muscles without causing strain or injury.
Incorporating resistance band exercises into your routine helps:
Build strength in key muscle groups that are crucial for playing the accordion.
Improve flexibility and range of motion to prevent stiffness and injury.
Promote better posture and muscle balance.
Enable you to practice exercises safely at home without needing a gym.
With just a resistance band (available here), you can enhance your physical capabilities and stay in optimal shape for your accordion playing.
Stretching for Accordionists: Prepare Your Body
Before diving into the workouts or even playing for that matter, it’s important to perform a few stretches that will prepare your muscles and joints for the physical activity. Stretching will help reduce the risk of injury and improve your range of motion. Here are some key stretches to start with:
1. Rotational Praying Stretch
This stretch targets your forearms, fingers, and wrists, which are heavily engaged when playing the accordion.
How to do it: Hold your hands close to your chest, as if you are praying, applying pressure on the wrists. Slowly rotate your arms downwards, feeling a stretch in your forearms and fingers. Alternate between having your fingers pointed up and down to feel different stretches in your forearm muscles.
Duration: Hold each position for 10-15 seconds.
2. Doorway Field Goals & Horizontal/Underhanded
This stretch opens up your chest and stretches your back, an essential move for accordionists.
How to do it: Place your hands on the doorway frame and extend your arms at shoulder height, creating a “field goal” shape. Place one leg forward and lean into the stretch while keeping your core engaged. Avoid rounding your back.
Duration: Hold for 20 seconds and repeat on the other leg.
3. Loaded Nerve Glide
This stretch helps open up the chest, shoulders, and arms, improving flexibility in areas that are tight from playing.
How to do it: Find a waist-high surface (like a table). Place your palm flat on the surface with your fingers pointing down, and slowly rotate away from the surface. You should feel the stretch through your chest, biceps, and forearm. Rather than holding this stretch, you want to move through it, turning in and out slowly.
Duration: Perform 10 reps on each side
4. Extended Turn Down and Extended Turn Up
These stretches target the forearms and wrists, vital for maintaining dexterity and control while playing.
How to do it: Extend your arm straight in front of you and gently turn your hand down. Use your other hand to apply light pressure for a deeper stretch. Switch to turning your hand upward and apply pressure in the same manner.
Duration: Hold each stretch for 15-20 seconds.
5. Hinged Turn Down and Hinged Turn Up
Again, these stretches target the forearms and wrists, just from a different angle, vital for maintaining dexterity and control while playing.
How to do it: Hinge your arm at a 90 degree angle at your side and gently turn your hand down. Use your other hand to apply light pressure for a deeper stretch. Switch to turning your hand upward and apply pressure in the same manner.
Duration: Hold each stretch for 15-20 seconds.
5. Kneeling Overhead Stretch
This stretch works the upper back and shoulders, helping to release tension from extended playing sessions.
How to do it: Kneel and place your arms in an extended overhead position on a couch or chair, keeping your thumbs pointing up. Avoid arching or rounding your back, and keep your core engaged as you stretch.
Duration: Hold for 20 seconds and repeat.
6. Sleeper Stretch
This stretch helps improve shoulder flexibility, particularly important for those who experience tightness in the shoulders or biceps from playing the accordion.
How to do it: Lie on your back with one arm extended at a 90° angle. Use the opposite hand to gently press the extended arm toward the floor.
Duration: Hold for 20-30 seconds.
Accordionist Workouts: Strengthen Key Muscle Groups
After stretching, it’s time to engage in some resistance band workouts that target the muscles most used when playing the accordion. These exercises will help you build strength and stability in your arms, shoulders, back and core, all of which are essential for maintaining good posture and avoiding fatigue during long playing sessions.
1. Overhanded Banded Pull-Apart
This exercise strengthens the upper back and shoulders, improving posture.
How to do it: Hold the resistance band in front of you with both hands. Pull the band across your chest, making the shape of a “T.” Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
2. Underhanded Banded Pull-Apart
This variation of the pull-apart targets different muscles in the upper back, emphasizing the rhomboids and lower traps.
How to do it: Hold the resistance band with your palms facing upwards and pull it apart, keeping your elbows relatively stationary. Focus on engaging your shoulder blades.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
3. Discos
This exercise targets the back and posterior chain, strenthening all across your shoulders and back diagonally.
How to do it: Hold the resistance band by your pocket with one hand and using the other, pull the band across and up diagonally, making a disco pose.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
4. Standing Row
This exercise targets the lats and rhomboids, helping to improve the strength of your back, shoulders and even the arms.
How to do it: Attach the resistance band to a mid-level height. Stand with your feet wide apart and pull the band towards your midsection. Focus on squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
5. Face Pulls
Face pulls work the upper back and shoulders, improving posture and preventing rounded shoulders, which can often develop from playing the accordion.
How to do it: Mount the resistance band at eye level. Grab the band with both hands and pull it toward your face, leading with your elbows. Focus on pulling the band apart and bringing your shoulder blades together.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
6. Internal Rotation
This exercise is a great prehab exercise to perform to promote rotator cuff health. Performing exercises such as banded internal rotations can help prevent injury from the accordion.
How to do it: Mount the band from a point near your midsection. In this instance we lifted the pin from a door hinge and used that. Holding the band at a 90 degree angle with your arm hinged in front of you, pull across your midsection to the other side. Change arms and repeat on other side.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
7. External Rotation
This exercise is another great prehab exercise to perform to promote rotator cuff health. Performing exercises such as banded external rotations can help prevent injury from the accordion. Change arms and repeat on other side.
How to do it: Mount the band from a point near your midsection. In this instance we lifted the pin from a door hinge and used that. Holding the band across your mid section hinged at a 90 degree angle in front of you, pull across to the other side.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
8. Overhead Band Pull-Apart
This exercise targets the shoulders and upper back, helping to prevent slouching.
How to do it: Raise your arms above your head and hold the resistance band taut. Slowly pull the band apart behind your head, focusing on engaging your shoulder muscles.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
9. Bent Over Reverse Fly
This exercise focuses on improving posture by strengthening the rear deltoids and upper back.
How to do it: Stand with a slight bend in your knees and hinge forward at the hips. Hold the resistance band diagonally under your feet with both hands and pull the band out to the sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
10. Lateral Raises
This exercise helps to strengthen the shoulder muscles upper back and core.
How to do it: Place the resistance band under your feet, holding it in both hands diagonally. Slowly raise your arms out to the sides, engaging your core and shoulders.
Reps: 10-12 reps, 2-3 sets.
Conclusion: Maintaining a Healthy Body for Accordionists
By incorporating these workouts and stretches into your routine, you’ll be able to prevent injuries, improve your posture, and strengthen the muscles that support your accordion playing. Whether you're playing for short sessions or preparing for long performances, taking care of your body is just as important as practicing your music.
Remember, consistency is key—perform these stretches and exercises regularly to see the best results. And don’t forget to listen to your body. If something feels wrong, stop and consult a professional.
By investing in your physical health, you'll not only become a better accordionist but also ensure that you can continue playing pain-free for years to come.
If you found this article helpful, don’t forget to share it with fellow accordionists and subscribe for more tips and exercises! Stay tuned for more content to help you play at your best.
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