How I Warm Up at the Piano

Well I finally got through moving and am happy to be back, this time sharing my pre-practice warm-up! This routine has never been more vital to me than now, for I couldn't practice throughout the moving process and so my technique has suffered quite a bit. With careful daily practice and warming up, I'll get it back!🎹❤️😀

Chapters:
0:00 Welcome & Opening Remarks
6:21 Floor Exercises (Arching/Curling Back)
7:36 Floor Exercises (Squats)
8:42 Floor Exercises (Upper Body Stretches)
12:33 Floor Exercises (Wrist Maintenance)
13:37 Floor Exercises (Shoulders & Neck)
14:00 Floor Exercises (Lower Body Stretches)
17:22 At the Piano (Wrist Exercises)
23:47 At the Piano (Dohnányi Exercises)
29:39 At the Piano (Scales in Double 3rds)
31:45 At the Piano (A Word on Staccatos, the Hand Toss & Use of the Body)
37:04 Wrap-Up

Resources Mentioned:

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[DeadBird-wpof]

Good to see professional musicians are hard working to stay on their level - keep it up Penny. I do practice a lot of chords and finger isolation at the piano (as a bass player), of course I do balance on a Slack-Rack for the inner core muscles and do Forrest Yoga hand stretching (opening with the other hand the finger movement radius in the negative range - soft and with a 5 sec. pause for the muscle relaxation). My best wishes from Berlin, Germany.

[roseanneeklund]

good to see you back!! You sound happy and settled. Looks like the piano is in a very nice location in your new home!! Could you give us a tour of your new digs some time soon? Loved this video and seeing your warm up process!

[Shyguy]

Exercises are so important. I remember when practising guitar if I didn't do hand stretches and drills, I'd have a stiff painful hand afterwards

[mebach]

I love the finger exercises - so robust and invigorating - would love to hear your whole practice session of the Dohnányi ❤

[elsondeo]

So glad you have landed and returned to videography! I too think double thirds are an indispensable exercise; they wake up my whole hand and my brain, and they were the most efficient route to getting past my perennial old problem of chord tones not sounding together.

[mrsmokpiano]

Can't wait for the 2nd part. You are a very nice person, Penny!

[wihi]

So happy that you found a new place, all the best from Dresden, Germany!

[mebach]

Good morning, Penny! Great to see you! Loved the arched room entry! Love listening to you! Waterfall away! 💦

[mariedowling]

I'm so glad you're back, Penny! Your new home looks beautiful and so glad you are getting back in form -very wise insights into the physical challenges of playing piano 🥰 (I am just a former child player and sometime 'piano Mom', but I really admire your talent, knowledge and interpretations.)

[giosdotaexperience]

Welcome back! Settle in nicely and keep posting 😃

[RMPdude]

Congrats on your move to a new home. Thanks for the good videos!

[Lavovoyaye]

So happy you are back, really valuable lessons❤

[cronano]

welcome back! glad you’re settled in the new place. thanks for the valuable info on your routine :)

[jasonflores]

YEAAA PENNY IS BACKKK & thanks for uploading a video on warm ups. I also struggle with it. It’s been worse because I cut my finger recently on my left hand and not practicing makes me sad :/

[maryfauque]

Muy interesantes todos esos ejercicios Penny realmente tocar el piano requiere de técnica y trabajo constante y se obtienen buenos resultados y se nota en seguida aunque solo hagas unas simples escalas.Me alegro de que ya estés ubicada en tu nuevo hogar.Si, yo solia practicar Hanonn y actualmente lo hacem mis alumnos, creo que es muy interesante junto con las escalas y arpegios típicos, movimientos contrarios, arpegios quebrados etc.

[pablobear]

You can use that fingering for all major scales, even F major or f# major?

[lawrencetaylor]

Merci, eh.
I’ve done yoga daily for over 50 years, and start with the Sun Salutation.
You might be interested in my video of exercises to stabilise and strengthen the low back. Because of my own shoulder problems, there are also techniques for shoulders and hands.

Oh My Aching Bach