Hey everybody!
I´m looking for some hints on how to be more relaxed. It sounds weird, I know. But everybody says that I´m stiff and this causes at school that I get less marks in sports or in music (I have to conduct for a test)... Yesterday was my test at conduction and I got 48/60 which isn´t bad at all. My teachers said that I was extremely donnish, also when I play guitar. I could have get more points when I was more relaxed. In sports where I had to do some acrobatics, I got 50/60 and the teachers told me that I was donnish, again. They also added that I´m very talented at this (lol ) and that I need to be more relaxed in order to get better results.

So, what can I do to cool down, to be more relaxed?

Rule 1) Stop listening to cannibal corpse:D

(srsly, I need it too... my psychology teacher told me, that I have severe tension inside me, which I need to relieve.. so we are pretty much on same boat:))

Don't smoke weed! It does not make you relax more!

Not that I want to open this topic on GMC ( I am open to talk about it everywhere tho), but this is strictly subjective opinion.. Formerly I wanted to tell him this, as an adivce, but since GMC has strict policy, regarding some things I decided to leave it unsaid.

Truth be told, It helped me I am not advertising, advicing, leading you to something. Just stating the fact, that its highly subjective. The same applies for alcohol, ciggarettes, coffee and anything else - I cant stand alcohol at all for example.. (If you by chance wish to continue this debate, PM's would be better place;) )

Ahahahah you guys are funny
Do it many times and you will not worry again, and don`t think about that you can fail or something actually i think this is a big topic, many of us suffer from this.

autogenous training is very useful. I do it every day - it helps you to stay relaxed and concentrated (even without weed)

Hehe. I even don´t know who they are!


Hey, I´m not a junkie! And I´m never going to start with this.


Nothing for me.


I´m not saying that I´m worried that I´ll fail or something. I only have a motoric problem. My movements and behaviour are pretty robotic. Even in general. :S


Details please.

It highly depends on type of person.... I tried sooo many things in my life. One which I can advice to you - and is perfectly legal:D:D - is jogging. Just take your iPod (or Zune or W/E) and go running somewhere.. preferably some non-crowded place.. and run, until you are a bit sweaty. Stretch properly after this!

Do it every morning and evening and you will be feeling not only very light (your leg muscles will grow and you will put out some fat - if you have some, ofc:) ) but also the tension and stress is released.

Doesnt work for all tho. Depends on who you are:)

IMPORTANT
Oh and that autogenous training.. isnt it something like self hypnosis or just alfa waves? that reminded me of something. Tolek, take some better quality headphones, visit this website http://kl3z.com/data/hey.html and play the Alfa waves song (ALFAW/FRACTALS). Put headphones on, try to caml your mind and watch the video. Really concentrate on what you see and what you hear. Soon you will find yourself in total tranquility... it also supports learning ability so students and aspiring guitar heroes, ENJOY

Do the"robotic movements" affect your guitar playing?

At first you should check out "Progressive
Muscle Relaxation" it will help you to control your muscles much better. I thing it is a good way to get rid of your problem
http://www.guidetopsychology.com/pmr.htm

If you have stress in general(school, parents, whatever) you can check out "Autogenic training"
It takes some time to notive the effects but once you are there, you will never miss it again
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autogenic_training

That´s a good suggestion. I´ll try to have a walk every morning and evenening.

I just watched the Brain Stimulation video and nearly fell asleep. I interrupted it at 16 mins because it became boring and I don´t think that such things work for me. I actually never feel relaxed. I can´t relax. Except when I have to sleep, but sometimes even then I´m very tight.


No, I don´t think that it affect my playing. And I don´t think that it´s a muscle problem. I just want to be correct and relaxed and those robotic movements are the results.


Thanks for your input.

I do a sort of self-created "meditation" whenever I get too stressed. I didn't learn this in some class or anything, it's just something I do when I need to relax. Usually involves a quiet room, and me sitting on the couch and letting my mind wander. I might also describe it as "turning my brain off".....I really don't know how to explain it, and I'm not really sure what to call it "meditation" seems to be the best word. Other times a beer or two gets me really relaxed

That´s what I´m doing in bed, often. However, I nearly always think about guitar and my heart is beating faster and faster. Then I have to stop, otherwise I can´t fall asleep or I have to take my guitar and play something.

It may sound stupid, but try to breathe through the stomache before events like these "tests" you mentioned.
If you do it for some minutes, it is really relaxing, give it a try

Good suggestion. I already tried this in order to disable my toddling. It worked a bit.

This is a very popular technique used when treating anxiety disorders. When you get nervous and begin to panic, you can go into an instinctive behaviour which involves breathing more rapidly and using a smaller portion of your lungs. This is programmed into our brains to deal with the "flight or fight" situations. We need more oxygen running through out bodies to help prevent muscle fatigue. Unfortunately exams, work, social stress, drugs etc can also bring about this instinctive behaviour when we DON'T need the extra oxygen. This can lead to that panic sensation and a number of other physical symptoms including the speed up of your metabolism, feeling feint, cold sweats, nasuea etc.

It's very interesting I think

But the technique basically involves as you breath in, try to push your stomach out. Allowing your lungs to open up fully. Do this slowly, to combat the faster breathing.

In regards to drugs, I know how strict the GMC policies are and rightly so. A word of warning however, I have had an axniety disorder that has severly disrupted my life for many years due to previously mentioned drugs. I am only just beginning to recover and advice you to take note that although it doesn't have serious negative effects on everyone, it CAN do.

As with every decision in life, understand what you're doing and the risks involved, before you do it.

Interesting things here. I see that breathing is extremely important. I´ll try to use that, but I think that doesn´t have to do with my movements. I just act like an roboter: first this and than this and my moves aren´t fluid, they seem very planned and strict. I have to be more airy, easygoing.

There is couple of things I can recommend.

1) Find a girlfriend

2) Go out with your friends enjoy life, make jokes laugh - it will free your mind and body for sure.

3) Get a hobby that puts you in relaxing mood. Maybe thats watching movies or going swimming I don't know - but try it out you cant go wrong.


Just don't take any drugs, I would never advise you that even if it was last resort !

That was really nice a piece of advice Pedja

Although the girlfriend thing could have some side effets and stress you out even more! :-)

Something that might work as it did for me:
close your eyes, use a desk lamp to lighten your face. That is if you live somewhere with not enough sun. It helps!

Good suggestion, but be sure to use a lamp with a spectrum close to daylight.

Domo arigato!

/Mr. Roboto.

1) What do you think I´m trying? I don´t think that a relationship would solve my motoric problem.
2) I go out from time to time, but in general I don´t need it as much as others. I´m enjoying life when playing guitar or watching your lessons. No, of course, I´d be sick if only that existed. That´s why I meet friend, joke, etc.
3) Good idea. Some time ago, I wanted to start swimming regularly.

I never touched drugs and will never do it. Neither cigarettes.


In Luxembourg is pretty much sun depending on the weather. Usually, winters are cold and dark and summers are warm and sunny. I´ll try that sun lamp anyway.


Again please.

I do many different things to help stay more relaxed. Try these it helps me,
1: Stretch first (fingers, shoulders, wrists, etc.)
2: If your experiencing tension doing one thing, try something REALLY HARD in comparision to that for a little bit. Then go back to what your were doing before. Helps me....
3: Don't stick to practicing one thing for 30 mins non-stop. I will practicing sweeping for a while, ill start to get tense a little sloppy. Then Ill switch to 8 finger tapping and pratice that. Then go back surprisingly, it helps me be more relaxed.
4: Play something simple, at one speed fast slow whichever, and keep playing it and take deep breaths, and just slowly relax like after a hard days work when you just fall onto your couch and watch a movie, or whatever.
5: And last but not least. Which gets me all tensed up is just worrying about what's going around me. Don't do that, just close your eyes feel the music, and go with the flow and not worry so much.....

This stuff may not work for some, but it helps me to play being relaxed....

I´ll try it, thanks. Actually, this problem doesn´t only count for playing. I´m pretty focused when playing and I don´t have any problems with playing... Only my movements are robotic.

Try doing some exercises man, running, swimming or go and have a sauna or something. It can definitely help in relaxing!

Aye, sir!



I decided to start swimming and going out for a walk/run every day. I hope this helps. If not, I´ll return to this topic. Thank a lot guys!

Hope it turns out well mate, good luck! This will definitely be something positive and healthy to do regardless of this topic!