Before I began working in fitness, I had a past life as a classical musician. I spent over a decade  practicing, rehearsing and immersing myself in the world of orchestral brass playing.

Physical activity was an essential part of studio life in Michael Mulcahy’s trombone studio at Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music. Professor Mulcahy, an avid swimmer, would have everyone in studio class explain what exercise we planned to do each week. During my four years at Northwestern, at least five people in our studio (including myself) lost a substantial amount of weight and got in great shape. My classmates used to joke that we were on a mission to become the fittest trombone studio in the country.

Professor Mulcahy’s emphasis on physical fitness was a crucial part of his successful studio. But I want to take his message a step further and explain why musicians not only need exercise in general, they need strength training in particular.

What do I know about this subject? I noticed substantial improvements in my own playing when I lost weight and started lifting weights on a regular basis. I’ve also worked directly with many musicians. My very first training job was working with more than 20 of my Bienen School of Music classmates during my final year at Northwestern. I’ve also trained a number of musicians in person and online since I became a full-time trainer.

Isn’t Strength Training Bad for Musicians?

When I was immersed in the music world, I would sometimes hear that strength training was “bad” for musicians. I was skeptical of these notions back then and now, after working for almost 5 years in the fitness industry, I can explain why they are inaccurate. Here are a few myths and then the facts:

Strength training will diminish the fine motor control I need to play my instrument.

The image of the clumsy, bulky meathead is persistent in popular culture. In my experience, strength training often has the opposite effect. If you spend several months following a smart, structured, and safe training program, your body awareness will increase dramatically. You will have greater mastery over your nervous system and more control over the way you move. This will enhance, not take away from, your technical skills.

Strength training will make me big and bulky, which will negatively affect my performance.

Getting big or adding muscle doesn’t happen by accident. It requires many months (and years) of consistent hard work coupled with plenty of extra calories. Following a simple strength training program centered around basic compound movements will not add substantial size to your body if you aren’t eating enough calories to build lots of muscle.

An ideal training program is designed to improve your overall movement quality. This means including mobility work, choosing appropriate exercises for your body and your goals, and using loading schemes and modalities which feel good. If you do these things consistently, you will feel and move better, not worse.

Cardio is good enough.

Research shows that all people can from benefit from some kind of regular strength training routine. Lifting weights provides benefits you simply can’t get from other forms of exercise, including increased bone density, development of different energy systems, and increased physical strength. You may think you don’t need these things, but they go a long way toward making your everyday life – and your playing – more comfortable and less exhausting. Getting stronger makes everything else easier and this also applies to playing your instrument (as I will discuss more below).

Benefits of Strength Training for Musicians

Now that I’ve cleared up these common misconceptions and explained some of the positives of strength training for musicians, let’s take a look at some additional benefits.

Improved Posture

Posture is at the core of good technique for all musicians. If you can’t maintain good posture, your playing suffers. This is true for both wind instrumentalists, who depend on easy breathing, as well as string players and percussionists, whose performance is more physical.

Poor posture doesn’t just keep you from sounding your best, it can lead to nagging aches and pains. Before I lost weight, I used to experience excruciating lower back pain after sitting in long rehearsals. When I started getting stronger, my back pain all but disappeared. This was a huge game changer for me and made long rehearsals and performances much more enjoyable.

What musician wouldn’t want to comfortably play for longer periods of time? With a smart strength training regimen, you can build the physical foundation for more solid posture and see significant benefits in your own playing.

To improve your posture, include plenty of anti-movement core exercises in your workouts. You should also spend time specifically building a strong back. Pay particular attention to your upper back using exercises like face pulls.

Counteract Repetitive Motions

Repetitive movements are required to play most instruments. If you don’t do anything to counteract these movements on a regular basis, you can end up with a nasty case of tendonitis or other overuse issues.

Here are a few tips to help you stay strong and balanced:

• Always perform a dynamic warmup before exercising. If you feel particularly tight and stiff when you wake up, perform some of these drills before your morning practice session or rehearsal.
• Focus on compound movements that use lots of muscles and joints (squat, hip hinge, push, pull, loaded carry). You may want to avoid isolation exercises that only focus on one joint, especially in the upper body (curls, tricep exercises, shoulder raises, etc.).
• Musicians may want to prioritize core training and back training. These two areas have the biggest payoff to help you feel and play your best.
• If you have shoulder issues, be cautious about overdoing pressing exercises. Ask yourself whether or not you need to do overhead pressing movements. If you’re going to bench press, learn to pack your shoulders. On all other pressing movements, practice reaching and don’t allow yourself to shrug.
• Skip any exercise that hurts. Do not train through pain.
• Use a full range of motion whenever possible. If you’re struggling to own a particular range of motion, add in some CARs in between sets of strength exercises. Check out this great article from my friend Tommy to learn more about CARs.

Increased Focus, More Energy, Better Sleep

During my freshman year of college, before I started exercising on a regular basis, I had a serious energy management problem. I got plenty of sleep each night but I still felt exhausted during the day. I used to drink three cups of coffee in the dining hall at lunch just so I could stay awake during my afternoon seminar. I also frequently found myself dozing off during long rehearsals. As you might imagine, this was problematic to my musical development.

The first thing I noticed when I added regular exercise into my routine was a dramatic increase in my energy levels. I no longer needed my lunchtime coffee just to stay awake during the afternoon. I fell asleep easier and woke up feeling refreshed. All of this led to much more focused practice sessions throughout the day.

Regular cardio and strength training sessions will help you sleep better and have more energy and focus during the day. These benefits alone can make a dramatic positive impact on your playing.

Mental Parallels to Music

One of the more subtle benefits to strength training is the helpful analogue it provides to your musical journey. Just like improving your playing, getting stronger is a long game. To keep seeing improvements you have to be consistent, focused, patient, and curious about the way your body works. There are endless parallels between refining your physical skills in the weight room and refining your musical skills in the practice room.

It’s healthy to have hobbies outside of music, and it’s an added bonus when those hobbies help you grow as a performer. I found strength training to be a fun and fulfilling release. I loved pushing myself out of my comfort zone and seeing my physical and mental growth in the weight room. I loved then taking these wins with me to become a stronger, more relaxed, and more confident musician.

What to Do Next

I hope I’ve convinced you to give strength training a shot. Here are a few additional resources to help you get started:

Design a More Efficient Workout

I’m New to the Weight Room. Where Should I Start?

Just Getting Back in the Gym? Start Here.

If you want more specific guidance, please fill out an application for my online training program. Together, we will work to create a fitness program tailored to your individual experience, goals, and resources. I’ve worked with dozens of musicians and have a proven track record of helping performers of all kinds feel better so they can perform better.