Guitarists should improve their body movements with isolation [Things guitarists should know about their body]

Hello!
My name is Takuto Fujioka, an occupational therapist specializing in guitarists.
Thank you for always reading!

“Somehow I don’t look cool playing the guitar….“
Recently, the number of people who video themselves playing guitar is increasing. Do you have any problems with this?
I sometimes watch a video that I recorded of myself, but I feel that "the movement is stiff" and "the rhythm is not out of sync, or the performance and body movement do not match". Compared to a good guitarist, I look awkward and uncomfortable in the performance.

I am practicing while doing my own research daily, and I think this is one of the causes. I think it means "I'm not manipulating my body the way I want to."
So this time, I found a very good practice method to "manipulate my body as I want to", so I would like to share it through this column!

That is“isolation”!
Has anyone heard of it?
Isolation is a basic practice of dance. Let's use this practice method to improve "moving your body as you want to"! This is the story.

Let's dig a little deeper into isolation.
Isolation is a word that means "separation" or "independence". It is said that this name was given to this training method because each part of the body is moved independently and separately.
The parts to move are the neck, shoulders, chest, abdomen, hips, upper body, lower body, legs, knees, ankles, etc. It is said to be a basic technique of dance, and it is an indispensable technique for dancers.
Is it something like the pentatonic scale to a guitarist?

It is said that the dance with the highest isolation is called "pantomime", which is a movement that does not seem to be a human movement.
However, guitarists are not dancers, so they don't have to be isolated to the level of a pantomime. Even if your isolation is extremely high, the guitar will not necessarily be good.
It is just to learn the isolation of "moving each part of the body independently and separately" = "controlling the body".

What I am doing now is the "neck" and "scapula".
This is the part that most involved in playing the guitar, so I wanted to be able to control the movements of the neck and shoulder blades.
Many people are not aware of it, but there are many muscles around the neck and shoulders that work to maintain posture and smooth movement. However, in modern desk work and daily life with less exercise, the range and frequency of the movement of the neck and shoulders gets limited, so these muscles gradually become weak and rusted. If this happens, it will become difficult to move the neck and shoulder blades as you wish.
Isolation is also a relatively simple movement of the neck and shoulders, but when you actually try it, it is so difficult to bend the neck and move the shoulders according to the rhythm.

If you search on YouTube, you will find a lot of model videos, so I am doing this while watching them. By having an example, you can understand the criteria of "how to move" and "it should be possible to move up to this point", so it is recommended that you do it while watching the model in the video.
It is also recommended for those who have a hardened heart, as it can be a feast for the eyes watching cool older guys and girls who are good at dancing.
Search for isolation on YouTube

Actually, it would be good to isolate the trunk and lower limbs, but it would take about 20 to 30 minutes to go through it all, so I'm doing it partially as a starting point.
I've been playing the guitar for about two weeks, but I feel that I'm less tight when I'm playing the guitar now, or that it's easier for me to keep the rhythm with my body. I think it's a good practice for those who inevitably get stiff when playing the guitar (I am)!

What did you think of isolation!?
If you can "move your body as you want to", you can create good changes in your performance and your playing.

Isolation is not strenuous exercise, so you can challenge yourself without worrying about the time and place. I think it can be incorporated into your practice.
If you are interested, why not do isolation with me! Lol

See you soon!

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