are there any problems with weight lifting and violin playing? I`ve heard some stuff about that but i just wanted to make sure.
thanks

Gosh I have a whole section on weight lifting that I started in the Cello forum on this site. Sorry to be blunt, but the real problem is that what happens when you act like a jackass and hurt your wrist, elbow, ligament or something when working out and end up never being able to play the violin or whatever the same way again? Arnold Shwarzeneggar could learn how to play the violin if he wanted (Ha, I bet his violin would be big). Anyways everyone gets sore when learning how to play so that`s no big deal. Oh and ONE MORE THING! Do you know what becoming MUSCLE BOUND is, it`s when you either don`t go down all the way with the weight and/or when you never ever streach which causes your muscles to become stiff, as if you are flexing your muscless all the time-(ex.: when you bench press you go all the way up and down and touch your chest, NEVER GO DOWN HALF WAY AND THEN COME BACK UP, and never jerk up the weight). When you are muscle bound you are extremely unflexible not being able to bend your arms and legs all the way, which means it would almost be impossible to hold the violin in your hand, forget playing it. It also makes you slow. But anyway, that`s if you workout wrong.

Gosh I have a whole section on weight lifting that I started in the Cello forum on this site. Sorry to be blunt, but the real problem is that what happens when you act like a jackass and hurt your wrist, elbow, ligament or something when working out and end up never being able to play the violin or whatever the same way again? Arnold Shwarzeneggar could learn how to play the violin if he wanted (Ha, I bet his violin would be big). Anyways everyone gets sore when learning how to play so that`s no big deal. Oh and ONE MORE THING! Do you know what becoming MUSCLE BOUND is, it`s when you either don`t go down all the way with the weight and/or when you never ever streach which causes your muscles to become stiff, as if you are flexing your muscless all the time-(ex.: when you bench press you go all the way up and down and touch your chest, NEVER GO DOWN HALF WAY AND THEN COME BACK UP, and never jerk up the weight). When you are muscle bound you are extremely unflexible not being able to bend your arms and legs all the way, which means it would almost be impossible to hold the violin in your hand, forget playing it. It also makes you slow. But anyway, that`s if you workout wrong.

For sean,
Thanx a lot for the info, just to be a bit more specific, heres some more questions…
1. would lifting weights make your fingers stiffer?, because of grabbing and holding the barbells?
2. do you have any good stretches for fingers, wrist, elbow, etc?
3. so your saying it’s fine to lift as long as you do it for the full range of motion of the muscle and stretch?
Thanks again! 
john

I`d use martial arts over weight-lifting for exercise (if that`s your goal). BUT no "hard" styles. Also, no finger jabs, knife hands, et cetera. I really like Tai Chi Jian, but that`s me.

1. would lifting weights make your fingers stiffer, because of grabbing and holding the barbells?
-No but it will make your fingers stronger. The more you practice the faster your fingers will move and the more flextble they will become.

2. do you have any good stretches for fingers, wrist, elbow, etc?
-No, not really. Not for those three anyways.

3. so your saying it’s fine to lift as long as you do it for the full range of motion of the muscle and stretch?
-Not just that, but workout the correct way. Some people do strange stuff while working out and wonder why they are sore and hurting.

cool, so at least there is no problems associated with your fingers not being able to play notes due to weight lifting? how exactly does your fingers get more flexible as you play, also, are the muscles the move the fingers in the forearm or in the hand?
I know how to stretch my triceps, but what about biceps and forearm muscles?, i haven`t really come across anything on that, how do you stretch?
so do you do karate or weight lifting? have u had any problems?
do you follow any specific weight lifting program, if so what?
thanks again, your really helpful!
john