Do you think about your shoulders often? Musicians probably think about them more than the average person, but I would guess that we all think about them more than people did even two decades ago before the prevalence of personal computers and smart phones.

No matter whether you like to play outside or not, the reality is that we want to sound our very best no matter the circumstances. With the outdoor odds stacked against us, playing our best just requires a little more preparation and planning.

What do our breathing patterns, posture, low back, and leg muscles have in common? A relationship with our hips. Whether we can feel the connection or not, our hips are a major determining factor in our ability to breathe efficiently and to navigate low back pain or discomfort.

Developing movement practices that genuinely help overhaul our mental clarity doesn’t require an elaborate routine, and often is more sustainable in small doses easily applied throughout each day. Through the implementation of small, helpful habits and observation we can connect the body and mind and create the calm and clarity we desire in our lives both on stage and off.

If pain blocks awareness, then maybe the reverse is true - building awareness builds proprioception, which in turn builds the effectiveness and ease of the skills we work so hard to develop and maintain.

By becoming more acquainted with ourselves we become more efficient observers and more accurate and efficient managers of our construction.

Building a base level awareness of what’s happening in our bodies is the first step toward finding neutral and creating efficiency. 

Mindfulness and mindfulness meditation are huge, broad topics. So how can we take these far-reaching concepts and pare them down to fit our specific needs as musicians, while still respecting these disciplines and what they have to teach us?

What does the breath have to do with finding a flow state?

A warm up is the signal to your body and mind that it’s time to wake up and do what you have trained to do.