How Can I Strengthen My Arm Muscles Outside Of Puppet Practice?
As a director, one of the complaints I hear most often during puppet practice is, "My arm is tired.
" I remember making that same complaint when I began my puppet experience.
Our main practice time was on Sunday afternoon when we had just finished two programs and were preparing for another one that night.
The director didn't show much compassion and insisted that we keep our arms up.
I wasn't wild about it at the time, but during performances, arm fatigue wasn't a problem.
That brings up the question, "How can I strengthen my arm muscles so they don't get tired so quickly? The first and best answer is to maintain weekly puppet practices and during those practices refuse to slack off.
In the gym while working out, you often hear the phrase, no pain, no gain.
It works the same in puppet practice.
In fact, when I hear a puppeteer complaining about tired arms, I know that strengthening is taking place.
I'm not a physical fitness expert, so I can only share what I've done.
While weekly practices are important, there are other things I've done the rest of the week to strengthen my arm muscles.
Here are 5 that I've used.
1.
Work a puppet outside of practice.
I keep a puppet in my office with a goal of using it for at least 10 minutes a day, 5 with my right arm and 5 with my left.
2.
Play the piano.
Sound strange? When playing the piano (properly, not the one finger method) the hands stretch out and back as they move across the keyboard.
Many of those motions are the same ones used in puppetry.
We've discovered that most people who consistently play the piano pick up puppet skills quickly.
3.
Play with a stress ball.
A stress ball is a liquid or sand filled small ball that you squeeze and work with your hand.
Since you are squeezing your thumb and fingers together, it works in a similar manner to using a puppet.
While working with it, hold your arm up in the air to further mimic using a puppet.
4.
A rubber band.
For this practice, I hold my hand out as though working a puppet, wrap a rubber band around my thumb and fingers, and then open and close my hand as if using a puppet.
NOTE: If you do this, make sure to use a sturdy rubber band and keep your hand away from your face just in case it breaks.
5.
A hand exerciser purchased at a local sporting goods store.
The kind I've used in the past is shaped like a capital A and you squeeze the extended parts together.
Again, this mimics the motions of working a puppet and helps strengthen your hand.
The key for all these is to use your arm muscles during the week in a similar manner as when working a puppet.
With some added exercise during the week, it's easier to work your puppet for longer periods of time and you can better focus on other important fundamentals.
" I remember making that same complaint when I began my puppet experience.
Our main practice time was on Sunday afternoon when we had just finished two programs and were preparing for another one that night.
The director didn't show much compassion and insisted that we keep our arms up.
I wasn't wild about it at the time, but during performances, arm fatigue wasn't a problem.
That brings up the question, "How can I strengthen my arm muscles so they don't get tired so quickly? The first and best answer is to maintain weekly puppet practices and during those practices refuse to slack off.
In the gym while working out, you often hear the phrase, no pain, no gain.
It works the same in puppet practice.
In fact, when I hear a puppeteer complaining about tired arms, I know that strengthening is taking place.
I'm not a physical fitness expert, so I can only share what I've done.
While weekly practices are important, there are other things I've done the rest of the week to strengthen my arm muscles.
Here are 5 that I've used.
1.
Work a puppet outside of practice.
I keep a puppet in my office with a goal of using it for at least 10 minutes a day, 5 with my right arm and 5 with my left.
2.
Play the piano.
Sound strange? When playing the piano (properly, not the one finger method) the hands stretch out and back as they move across the keyboard.
Many of those motions are the same ones used in puppetry.
We've discovered that most people who consistently play the piano pick up puppet skills quickly.
3.
Play with a stress ball.
A stress ball is a liquid or sand filled small ball that you squeeze and work with your hand.
Since you are squeezing your thumb and fingers together, it works in a similar manner to using a puppet.
While working with it, hold your arm up in the air to further mimic using a puppet.
4.
A rubber band.
For this practice, I hold my hand out as though working a puppet, wrap a rubber band around my thumb and fingers, and then open and close my hand as if using a puppet.
NOTE: If you do this, make sure to use a sturdy rubber band and keep your hand away from your face just in case it breaks.
5.
A hand exerciser purchased at a local sporting goods store.
The kind I've used in the past is shaped like a capital A and you squeeze the extended parts together.
Again, this mimics the motions of working a puppet and helps strengthen your hand.
The key for all these is to use your arm muscles during the week in a similar manner as when working a puppet.
With some added exercise during the week, it's easier to work your puppet for longer periods of time and you can better focus on other important fundamentals.
