Dude you're so cool.

Thank you for this Mike, I haven't had a single cramp or pain since I've been doing these warmups; I've been learning a 9-minute guitar solo for a school presentation and it was killing me before. I started these exercises a little over a week ago and now I can almost breeze through it and actually enjoy the song instead of powering through on gritted teeth.

+1 on the not over stretching and stopping when it hurts. I am a bassist by trade (wanting to improve my guitar playing). When I first started playing, I would do a few spider crawls and a couple of scales (1-2 minutes total) and then really go for it. Instead of starting on AC/DC and Judas Priest like most, I started out learning Queensryche tunes. When I started getting pain, I went through the old "No Pain, Nop Gain" routine and pushed through. I also over stretched (instead of using open strings or simpler patterns) because I thought that's what the professioinals did. End of the game: Five years later, I started losing feeling in my fretting hand, and started getting sharp pain on the back of my hand... Once again, I pushed through. Eventually, when I started losing function, the doctor told me to stop playing. Six months later, after surgery and rehab, I was allowed to start playing again, as long as I did very specific exercises for a minimum of five minutes and changed the way I played... Thankfully, I have had a long and satsfying career... but almoist lost it because I didn't warm up properly and played through the pain

It's not weird. Some of my best years playing professionally I did yoga everyday. Made me wayyyy better VERY quickly. Gentle safe yoga kinda helps every part of your life. Wish I stayed disciplined with it

Thank you for posting this. At the tender age of 63, and a guitar beginner, I'm having some issues gettin' my old joints to work together in complete harmony. This has helped quite a lot. I've been doing guitar centric stretching and this is one of the best videos. Thanks.

Thanks Mike. We had a conversation about this a few weeks ago if you remember. I didn't know that you had started this whole thing to help your nephew. That's wonderful. It gives me a happy feeling that you did for him. Enjoy the day man :D

On your first Yoga Pose (Upward Dog) instead of being on your toes, lay the top of your feet down flat to protect your back. Really happy that I found you on KZfaq. Looking forward to your Podcasts.

Years later, I still come back to this for refresher on stretches, really helps.

Thank you so much, I've been having trouble with wrist pain for a long time, I've used different stretching techniques but this has been by far the most helpful

I do many of these already. Learned some new ones as well. Thank you.

Used these exercises for the first time today and noticed that I was much more relaxed when I started practicing. Definitely adding to my daily practice, thank you!

This has already helped in less than one week. Thank you.

Thank you so much for this!!! This has really helped me. Been having some wrist issues and it's been frustrating. Really appreciate you posting this!

i used to watch you a long time ago... and im still watching to this day, i think your channel got even better

Thanks man, I've been dealing with some pretty bad wrist and elbow issues on my left arm due to work and these exercises along with some stretches my doctor showed me have really helped with getting me back to playing. Wish I had found this video sooner!

Thank you! I recently picked up mandolin and just am getting to a level where it is super fun to play. I overdid it playing for way too long last weekend and have been sore since, and I can already feel a difference doing these exercises!

this was really helpful. Thank you, I'll be implementing this in my daily routine moving forward. Really appreciate you sharing. Saw a few exercises I've never seen before

Thanks for your time and effort with these videos. Great info and a calm approach. Very cool you started this for your nephew. 👍🏼

This was awesome and the yoga is not weird at all!!!! Yoga is seriously amazing. It has solved my back problems. I specifically looked up yoga for guitarists and this was fantastic. When you said you have never had issues with you hands, wrists, etc even though you use them in so many things, it made me smile because it had surprised me how pain free I am with all the activities I do, and it’s because of yoga.

Guitar Yoga ROCKS!!!!! I just started this practice last night. I don't have numbness in my left hand after wailing for a half hour!!!!! From the bottom of my heart, thank you Mike!!!

I've been playing bass for about two months now for probably 2 hours a day on average, and started getting some wrist and hand pain on my fretting hand. Just did this exercise and already feel so much better, I will definitely be sure to do this before every practice session now. (along with getting better left hand technique) Thanks a ton for putting this out for free!

Thanks Mike! I'm a 5 string banjo player and these warmups/yoga are fantastic.

Great stuff. What isn’t cool is injury, or backache as I’ve been suffering from, having returned to the guitar. Stretching right back into the routine and some pointers here were helpful ☺️👊

Thanks so much for this Mike! I've suffered from RSI from computer keyboarding for about 20 years. Serious bummer. These look (and feel) so valuable, I can't wait to see how they help my symptoms.

I can't believe the difference to my hands and wrist by following your stretches! I do the rubbing my hands under very warm water before I go back on stage for next gig set - that is a treat. Big thanks buddy. 👍

Stretching is really very important. I had some troubles with my left hand few years ago so I found some stretching techniques for carpal area. I stretch every day before playing and when I feel bored. Not only I feel better but my speed increased, my finger reach etc. Its important! Thank you for more techniques, nice video.

4:05 The Offspring - Come out and Play (Keep 'Em Separated)

I love your lessons

You’re legend. I’ve learnt to play guitar just because I watched your intro of playing guitar Salut❤️

Thank you, brother! This is a tremendous help. I purchased a handgrip tool for hand exercising and that's how I ended up here today. I don't gig like I used to, but I still do recording sessions on occasion, so I need to be in decent shape to play. At 58 years old, I should still be able to play with no pain, but sadly, that is not the case for me. But, after watching this, I am going to dedicate some serious time to warm-ups before I play, especially before recording, and daily exercises for overall strength and conditioning. Thanks again, my friend!

Very nice video, my wrists feel so relaxed doing that

Thank you for your time and dedication to this :)

Thank you for leaving leaving this outside the paywall, class act.👼

Thank you for posting the video, it helped me out a lot!

This was super cool. It was so different and sincere. Very helpful. Thanks!

Thank you so much for sharing 😀🎸 Keep up the good work.

Thank you so much for this, this is exactly what i need!

Fantastic! I'm going to use this myself, and I'm sending out a mass email right now to all my students. Thanks Mike!

Hi Mr. Art-of-Guitar! This is great. So much so that you inadvertently inspired my body-mind to invent a new cool-down posture. So, you're sitting on an average-height stool to practice. Guitar at an out-of-danger distance, you put one knee on each side of stool, left and right, bend knees, raise feet, and grap onto upper side of feet with hands. Pull (in a way, it's a sort of sitting Bow Pose), and the elbows will relax out really nicely. Variations -- wrap the fingers around the toes, etc. .......... Thanks again for the tips, I really like those wrist rolls.

This is helpful, thank you for your compassionate guidance!!

saving my guitar experience from day 1. Thank you!

That last hand stretch really made a lot pop in my hands I have never felt, in a good way of course. But wow it does feel like soft butter playing after these stretches, thank you!

Good insight, I learned a lot here :D

What a wonderful video. Thank you dearly!!

Thank you for putting this up. I've tried a couple of different warm ups, one of which ended up hurting my hand (maybe I pushed it too much) but I've finally landed on this one as it seems the most well thought out in terms of incremental warm up and the exercises themselves. Love your other vids too! :-)

Thank you for this video, this helped me with Barre chord wrist pain.

Very cool! Thank you!

Mike I want to thank you for all you do. I been practicing about 5-8 hrs a day and needed this.

Thanks Mike!

Ur a thoughtful dude thanks for this

Love the video! Here to support!

so happy I found this video! I've been playing guitar for close to 40 years, plus BJJ and a computer gig. Hands are pretty compromised. Thanks for this!

Thank you I appreciate it so much.

Brilliant! Thank you

I've had a lingering soreness in my shoulder and wrists due to excessive playing. This helps quite a bit. Subbed just for this advice alone.

🙏🙏✌🏼 Thanks for the warm up tips✌🏼

Thank you to “Mr nephew” for these videos then, thank you too for making these for all debutants, it’s reassuring knowing they’re here even tho one don’t use them it’s like a reference up above

Thx a lot, this is exactly what i was looking for, i had pain and i didn' know if i had to do the streching before playing, or after a while after my vingers where warmed up.. This is going to help me a lot.. Iam an older(50 jrs) guitar beginner.. So this was essential to avoid more pain or enjury, '... Just awesome.. God bless you👌🙏🙏💫🌹

Rick Beato mentioned he was going to have surgery until a friend mentioned doing exercises to work the opposing muscle groups that you use in your fretting hand. So I started using my wife's hair band elastic over my fingers and opening them to work out the muscles. It makes sense since with weightlifting one works out the biceps along with the triceps. With guitar we are using the closing muscles a lot but never the opening ones.

Thank you soooooo much for this. My wrists always hurt so much after playing one 50 minute set on bass.

Dealing with wrist pain hoping this will help. Mike you do great work. Appreciate you.

Thank You. Excellent!!! 😀

Excellent stuff!!

So simple yet so effective Thanks :)

Thank you so much!

jeez man, my hand and fingers just feel so good now. thanks!

Great tips, thanks

Thank you for your effort. 🙏

Thank you for this, I’m gonna try these techniques. Been playing for three years every day, but recently this winter my wrists have had tiny small aches. I’m definitely gonna warm up much longer now rather than for only one or two minutes.

Thanks broski. Need to do this more

I was searching for something to do after I finish my practicing bc my wrists hurt and after trying these yoga poses, man they really help! 🔥

Coool thanks! I already feel it helping my wrists already!

Great Video!How you practice depends on your lifestyle and responsibilities. The key for me is understanding how you learn new things. Either in short stints or practising 8 hours a day. For me I learn better in short stints. Practising guitar for 8 hours a day even if I could would not work for me as it would be information overload. For some they can do that, and it works. Its like doing an exam, some people can cram in 8 hours of study and it works out. Rest is such an understated tool. When learning anything new you need to allow your brain to rest and absorb what you have learned. Again, this is different for each individual but for me its key and it allows your brain to develop muscle memory for chords, scales, licks etc. For me with work and responsibilities I can only practice 1-2 hours on the weekdays and 2-3 hours Saturday and Sunday. My routine includes the below… Hand/finger/wrist exercises (Every other day) Hand/finger/wrist yoga and massage (Daily)Guitar practise: Spider exercises (various types), Barre chords (All every other day) Guitar song playing (Every other day) Guitar songs visualisation techniques (Daily)

I had hand pains before I picked up guitar and I highly suggest after doing all of the stretches is to shake out your hands and arms. It just feels good after all of the stretching you're doing and it can relieve some of the pain or soreness you get when you are just starting out.

Appreciate the video man. Thank you

Good stuff, thanks

DANKE - these are very good exercises indeed! I learned 'em years ago … they do work! And btw, none of that is weird in any way, shape or form!

Thank you!

Thank you

Thank You!

THANK YOU! Super useful!

Very helpful! Thank you!

Man just came across this, thank you 😊

5:33 *cries in lefties* Hand stretches helped immediately, thank you :)

Thank you.

Thanks for these, wish I knew these years ago. I have lots of hand issues from playing.

Love your Kiss poster in the background, my all time fave band and ace all time fave guitar player.

you the man keep it up

Thank you!!!

Solid tips! The last position with fingers pointing backwards (maybe angled a bit sideways, you can experiment) is a nice variation that really stretches and opens up the flexor side of the arms and shoulders.

Super cool, with the second pose you can also push your whole body upwards to get some extra shoulder stretching

Excellent video,spot on! I’ve got the thumb pain 👍, not fun. Playing the guitar is the main culprit, but I now realize that maneuvering my iPhone with left hand is also contributing to the problem. Also, grabbing the guitar with left hand is another factor. Oh well, life drama goes on.

Thanks!

thanks a million

There is something about doing yoga poses with the Kiss poster in the background that makes this especially enjoyable 👍

Very helpful, thanks

Thank you so much. I've been playing for 14 years, and I think it is catching up with me. My fretting wrist has been immobilized for a couple days. I have been icing and whatnot. But this is exactly what I needed. Thank you again

Since I've boarded the Arc of Guitar I've been hitting orthopedic walls rather quickly (the baseball bat neck on the Explorer is also a factor). Usually (when singing, playing, or whistling) I do "Endurance Practicing" in which I go until I literally fall down, pick myself up and catch my breath then go again. Like boxing, at the third fall it's complete and I can lay there. I haven't been hitting the floor because my hands have been cramping up with all the new techniques you've been sharing, so this really hits the spot. Also, having taught blacksmithing to children, your teaching is so palettable, unassuming, and warm I could see a non-player bumping into your work by accident go buy a guitar inspired by how simply you present lessons. Hmmmm, maybe there should be an Art of the Anvil"? STRIKE TRUE MY BROTHER

I stumbled upon this video randomly (after having struggled with De Quervain's Syndrome for the past year and a half.) Strangely enough, I work in IT as a day job, and did BJJ for 7 years. Between that stuff and music, my hands have taken a beating.

I got tendonitis on my thumb from down picking exercises. Took 14 weeks to heal and been looking for stretches to prevent injuries. Thanks!