has anyone found varigrip or similar excercise tools useful?

[FSM]

pretty much the question above. I'm getting older and want to maintain finger strength and independence and saw the varigrip so clicked on that, then I see varigrip "sport" version - click. Then I see "fiddilink" lol.

Can someone please tell me if these products are useful before I click again? thanks!

Yes, the VariGrip is a great tool!

Four months ago, I had an accident in which I partially amputated my middle finger. It was still connected to the tendon and nerve, but everything else was severed. The finger was surgically reattached and immobilized with a K-wire for several weeks. Afterward, I had to relearn everything from scratch. Although the muscle memory (I play since 45 years guitar) was there, the finger just couldn't do what it was supposed to. Firstly, it was quite stiff and couldn't bend in either the first or second joint. Secondly, due to the heavy bleeding (I was on blood thinners), the tendon had become severely adhered everywhere. Thirdly, after these few weeks, I simply had no strength left in my fingers (nothing moved with the Varigrip). Then the therapy began...

Here are some thoughts/ideas/suggestions:

1. Brain Signals: The process of movement begins in your brain. When you decide to move your fingers, your brain sends signals to the specific muscles responsible for that movement. These signals travel through your nervous system. Repetition is key to building muscle memory and improving your fretting technique. Regular practice will help you become more accurate and efficient in producing tones on the guitar.
2. Muscles, Tendons & Nerves: The movement of your fingers is controlled by the complex interplay of muscles, tendons, and nerves in your hand and forearm. The tendons in your hand connect the muscles to the bones, allowing your fingers to move. The muscles in your hand and forearm play a crucial role in controlling finger movement. It's essential to strengthen and stretch both the muscles and tendons.
3. Warm water: hand and finger stretches/massage/warm-up
4. Guitar exercises: There are various finger exercises and drills you can do to develop strength and independence in your fingers. Some popular exercises include chromatic runs, spider exercises, exercises with all the different finger combinations, finger independence drills, legato, chords, chord progressions. These exercises help strengthen the muscles and improve finger control. Use for example the John Petrucci stretching lesson at 7:30 on the video (thanks @TwinbornAxis).
5. Fretting technique: Fretting a string is not that easy. Use the tips of your fingers to press down on the string. Ensure your finger is directly behind the fretwire. The tone is produced because the string rests on the right and left frets. Therefore, you don't need to press the string onto the fretboard.You should apply just enough pressure to make the string touch the fret. This will help prevent buzzing and produce a clean and nice tone.
6. Finger Tapping: Tap your fingers individually or in combination on a hard surface or tabletop.
7. Finger Bends & Extension: Practice Finger bending exercises like “joint bends” or “finger crawls”. Practice finger extension exercises like “finger fan”.
8. Finger Yoga: This involves moving your fingers in various directions to enhance flexibility and dexterity. You can find finger yoga exercises online or in books dedicated to hand exercises.
9. Tools: Use tools like Chinese therapy balls (improve dexterity and finger coordination), The Varigrip - or other medical hand & finger exerciser (for finger strength), stress ball, rubber ball, hand grip strengthener, finger resistance bands or finger extenders, rubber band, clothespin, etc.
10. Balanced Diet and Hydration: Good nutrition and proper hydration can contribute to overall hand health and muscle strength.

There are numerous ways to train and maintain or enhance the function of your fingers. One of the best tools, however, is undoubtedly playing the guitar regularly.

Cheers Frank

 

[FSM]

I had 2 avulsion fractures in my fretting hand that thankfully did not require surgery. The hand surgeon I saw (and the physical therapist working in her office) gave this advice about rehabing my fretting hand.

Stay away from any resistance training, grip strength training, etc. I was told these could do more damage than good. My PT focused 1st on flexibility.

Stretching exercises:

1. Put other hand index finger on backside of fret hand at base of finger knuckle, put other hand thumb at fingertip of fret hand finger you are stretching. Bend each finger back gently by pushing thumb and index finger in opposite directions (so finger being stretched forms an arc with back of hand). Hold for 3 to 5 secs and then move on to next finger.

2. Spread fretting hand fingers with a gentle assist from other hand by putting 4 fingers of other hand in between a pair of fingers on fretting hand and then spread fingers of other hand to cause gentle stretch between fingers of fretting hand. Hold for 3 to 5 secs then move on to next fretting hand finger pair.

Very important: As always with stretching go only to the point of minor discomfort but never to point of pain.

For strength in terms of guitar playing I was told there really are no exercises for strength better than the activity itself. This is because playing any instrument uses very specific muscle groups (hand, arm and shoulder) in coordinated movements. Once I was cleared to play again my PT suggested I drop down to ridiculously light gauge strings (.008s) and play my electric guitar with those until I could bend, vibrato, etc. Then step up to .009s and repeat. Finally I got back to .010s which is what I usually play for standard tuning.

I still felt weak on my acoustic guitar - especially on bends. So I did the same thing and strung up my acoustic with lighter gauge strings, moved to medium gauge strings, and this afternoon will step up back to my normal gauge acoustic strings.

There's a whole bunch of electric guitar players that rarely (or never?) pick up an acoustic. Or if they do it is just strumming chords. You should practice everything you do on an electric on an acoustic too. Why? If you can shred on acoustic imagine how much easier it gets when you pick up an electric.

This goes for every technique - hammer-ons & pull-offs (with legato), bends, vibrato, even tapping. Having your way with acoustic guitar strings is equivalent to weight training for guitar players.

Great that you are doing better. I have done similar exercises. Very good. However, also some that causes pain like muscles or stuck tendon.
No pain, no gain...lol
Cheers Frank

 

[Rex Rox]

Great that you are doing better. I have done similar exercises. Very good. However, also some that causes pain like muscles or stuck tendon.
No pain, no gain...lol
Cheers Frank

Frank I am so glad that you also are on the mend. Thanks for your insights and kind thoughts!

 

[bleujazz3]

Some years back I inherited a foam stress-relief ball from my Dad that you can use whenever you feel muscle tension. Some stress-relief balls are more viscous and provide more "give" when used. Some have miniature solid beads inside that provide some viscosity but less give.

My Dad used one when he was assigned the chore of milking the family cow on his Granddad's farm. Said it strengthened his hands, but gave him rough hands and callouses. The treatment for that was the traditional farmer's remedy ointment, "Bag Balm."

Unfortunately, Dad also regularly commented that I needed to eat my bread crusts if I wanted hair on my chest, which was promptly met with "Aw, Dad," and the like...