Thursday, July 10, 2014

Finger strength training for guqin playing

As a guqin player, I finally decided that it was irresponsible, and frankly downright contradictory for my so-called 'self-development' if I continue to neglect my health by eating trashy fast food like ice-cream, fried chicken, beef steaks, hamburgers, lardy sausages, soft drinks, mayonnaise laden foods, and freedom-fries. I was just sick and tired to carrying the obese fatty dead weight around day after day, night after night on my short body frame (1.65m). Apart from stopping my wanton consumption of unhealthy foods, I started drinking oatmeals and eating a lot of vegetables, and also stopped eating foods with refined carbohydrates, such as white rice and noodles. haha

So, I wondered, what kind of exercise could benefit both my body and my guqin playing? Why, something that strengthens my fingers, of course! Pull-ups. But there was a problem. I was already 41 years old. Two months ago, I could not do a single pull-up. I also had a fractured finger on my right hand, a souvenir from my national service in the Singapore Army more than 20 years ago. hahaha... But no matter. I bought a portable pull-up bar and started struggling on the pull-up bar every single day. I am happy to report that 2 months later, I can currently eke out 7 pull-ups. I have also realized that my fingers could play the guqin with much less effort, and I could control the strength of my hands to play certain notes softer or louder, as well as manipulate the speed and rhythm of my fingers on both metal-nylon strings and silk guqin strings much better now. Yes, like it or not, guqin playing is a strength-related activity. The stronger you muscles are, the more flexible you become. The ancients probably only ate meat once a year during Chinese New Year (if they were lucky). Now we can eat KFC everyday. No wonder many people in modern society are obese. hahaha

Obesity is just yucks. I hated the obese me. Dear friends, if you consider yourself to be a serious guqin player, please stop eating trashy foods and start exercising! If you consider yourself to be just a so-called 'casual' guqin player (also what people on the Interwebs refer to as a 'poser'), then you may continue doing what you want and continue to stuff your face and gorge yourself silly. Who cares about you? hahaha (This may sound harsh, but I hope the reverse psychology is working! hahaha)

Oh yeah, the stupid fool in the Youtube video was silly old me. haha



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