Integrating conscious activities
Here we present tried and tested ways of integrating conscious activities into your practice. There are ways to get by without any helpers at all. However, the approaches that rely on helpers are more effective.
Practising in a relaxed manner
The foot rollers can be used to realise countless possibilities for integrating conscious activities
Full physical effort
With an aid, it is even possible to use the whole body. With the back roller.
Setting impulses
Walking can provide various stimuli. The elaboration is currently in progress. We are happy to inform you with our emaNews!
The most important
Practicing with foot rollers
Basic idea: A massage Roller is placed underneath each foot, which then massage the soles of the feet by moving them back and forth. Various different exercises are performed during this "foot massage". You can use them for the following aspects:
- Sense of rhythm stability
- Internalizing musically phrasings
- Coordination
- Memorising
Practising with foot rollers
How to get started
The familiarisation phase, during which you learn how to use the rollers, can be structured as follows. Place your chair in the desired position and slide a roller underneath your foot. Start with slow back and forth movements in a constant metre (e.g. eighth notes). As soon as your foot has got used to the roller, take the instrument and play/pluck it with the same pulse as the roller moves. Change foot.
Place a roller underneath both feet, initially without an instrument. Move both rollers parallel and in opposite directions in the same way as you have already practised with one roller. Switch spontaneously between parallel and opposite directions. Add the instrument and pluck/play with the metre of the feet. Stay in metre and consciously switch between the two types. Now the fun of experimenting can begin: Move your feet in different directions, in your own rhythms or link the direction of your feet to the directions of movement when playing etc.
Using foot rollers while practicing violin
In addition to increasing control over the speed of the guided rollers, experienced can also transfer this technique to phrasing and flow.
Basic rolling methods
Ideally, the foot roller should be used over the entire foot, from the tips of the toes to the heel. The rollers can be used in a seated or standing position, although the variety of uses is much greater in a seated position. The two basic types are ‘parallel’ and ‘in opposite directions’. There is no differentiation when standing. In the beginning, guiding the rollers is usually an ‘impulse’. Triggering this at the right time is an important foundation. A worthwhile goal with the rollers is to ‘catch’ this impulse and transform it into a speed that remains as constant as possible over the entire route. The decisive factor is: the journey is the destination!
Most important
Full physical effort with the back roller
There is one tool that allows you to use your whole body sensibly when practising: a back roller (also known as a black roll or fascia roller). The basic idea is that with the help of the back roller, the whole body can be moved while practicing in such a way that the basic posture or instrumental posture is affected little or not at all. This sounds strange at first glance and admittedly it was at first, but the variety of advantages is impressive:
- The up and down movements can be customised depending on the exercise goal.
- The whole body is in increasingly controlled movement, while
- playing becomes increasingly independent of body movement and therefore more relaxed.
- You also train your muscles.
- You get a ‘back massage’.
Practicing with the back roller
Dealing with the roller
It is important to hold the roller with your body weight. Only with your body weight can you hold the instrument without tensing up. It is best to practise this without an instrument at first.
The feet need a good stance and should not slip on the floor. Depending on the floor, material and ability to balance yourself well with your toes, this is possible with socks. Alternatives are sports shoes, non-slip socks or standing on a studded mat.
The fitness level for this type of exercise is very limited at the beginning. We therefore recommend only aiming for short sessions at the beginning and not pushing yourself to the limit. For motivation, it can be important to only set yourself a small goal that you can actually achieve. Sometimes less is more!
The type of roller should suit you. You can usually try them out beforehand in sports shops.
Doors, house walls, glass doors etc. are also particularly suitable as wall replacements. Do not use a wall with your favourite wallpaper, as the surface of the roller can also leave marks.
Using the back roller while practicing
Here is an example of the combination of the basic arm movement and the use of the back roll for arm vibrato.