Shortscale hand cramping getting better!

aen · Post by **aen** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 5:16 pm

So, some of you might remember that I have freakishly short tendons in my hands, which makes stretching and scrunching my hands difficult and painfull. This is one of the reasons I opted to sell my Jag.

WELL! Since I've been building pedals, and pretty much constantly scrunching and cramping

the problem seems to have been getting better. (not ont he workbench, on the fetboard) When I was out in Cali, I effortlessly rocked several short scale guitars wihtout incident! Proabbly a combination of rocking more bass, and the afformentioned resistor gripping and other maddening and painful activities have loosened up the claws. Perhaps there is hope, at least I can get some more elasticity in the tendons.

I think this might mean I'm kind of on the market for another shortscale guitar! WOOT. So you know, alert me with any phat deals. i'm probably willing to trade out my Jazzmaster, just for the sake of celebrtion.

PS, this is not an elaborate lead up to an April fools hoax. I actually have no idea what to do to you bastards for the specialest day of the year. Yet.

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:37 pm

You gotta do the PRE-RIFF STRETCHES.
I always play better when I stretch before hand, unfortunately, I usually forget to!

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 6:50 pm

remember back in 4th grade the first time in gym class you had to run around the track 4 times for the Presidental Fitness Test?

and then when you finished you puked?

5th grade you didn't puke

6th grade the gym teacher said in highschool you should try out for track?

its kinda just like my childhood, except its about your little pussy hand muscles. lulz

you gotta use it or loose it

aen · Post by **aen** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:18 pm

robroe wrote:

its kinda just like my childhood, except its about your little pussy hand muscles. lulz

you gotta use it or loose it

NOt muscles, you dildo, malformed tendons.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:22 pm

Sloan wrote:PRE-RIFF STRETCHES.

Innit.
I find that if i play something involving a lot of stretching (like add9 chord riffs by The Police) everything afterwards becomes effortless. That way you can melt peoples faces with licks they never knew possible.
On the other hand if i have had a heavy day on the building site i find short scale guitars uncomfortable, like there is no room on the neck.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Tue Feb 17, 2009 8:29 pm

I've been getting this recently, too. Except it's my picking hand that gets all fucked halfway trough practise.
Like, the meaty part of my hand gets all cramped up and I can't pound out the riffz. I tried kneading the fuck out of it but that only works momentaraly.
I get back in there and it just cramps right up, again. This is completely new to me and has me wondering how it can be addressed. Am I just getting older and I need to stretch my thumb before playing now? Am I lacking something in my diet? I duno but it freaks me out, a little.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:17 am

tendons are muscles

aen · Post by **aen** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:30 am

They are attatched to muscles, but they are not muscles. Shit, didnt you have biology in grade 10?

Mo Law-ka · Post by **Mo Law-ka** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:41 am

man up aen. i get the same cramping when i do 8 fret stretches.

just kidding.

im not sure, but it might be a matter of stretching before you play.

aen · Post by **aen** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 1:43 am

You guys this wasn't a question. I have FREAKISHLY SHORT TENDONS. As in, I can't lay my hands flat, or make the number three sign like you guys can. I'm just telling you that apparently with rigorous torture they can stretch a little to allow me to do normal stuff sometimes.

chisa · Post by **chisa** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 3:42 am

tendons stretch pretty easily. just do some daily stretching exercises and you will be ok

Sloan · Post by **Sloan** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:08 am

Make sure you stretch and get plenty of skrimpz in your body before attempting them riffz. You should be ok, but if anything happens get an doctars.

http://www.stetina.com/lessons/warmup.html

aen · Post by **aen** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:47 am

I dunno, I think a Mustang, jag-stang, or bronco is really the best option here.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:42 am

how the fuck are you expected to give sluts teh pleasure with freaky shit like that?

aen · Post by **aen** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:50 am

mmmmmmmmm, wouldnt you like to know?

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 7:28 am

Mo Rocca wrote:man up aen. i get the same cramping when i do 8 fret stretches.

msteuk · Post by **msteuk** » Wed Feb 18, 2009 5:00 pm

I find a few widdles up and down the major scale on a three-notes-per-string basis is good for warming the hands up.