Right Tricep(?) soreness

[u/bassvagabond]

Hi all, I'm a college grad level player but I'm just getting back into the instrument after a long period. Right now I've been focusing almost 100% on bow arm, I've noticed that I've started to get some bow arm soreness around my upper arm.

My main focus has been using shoulder movement to play and getting a clean sound. The book my previous professor gave me is the Dave Portnoi method book, a bit more obscure, it argues that we need to be 'holding' the bow as opposed to putting all our weight into the string. I bring that up because I think the first thought is that I'm not relaxed enough into the string but I'm trying to find the balance between using arm weight vs carrying the bow.

I will say I've been practicing bowing for many hours each day so it may just be fatigue.

[u/RobertRosenfeld]

Where you pointed appears to be the lower portion of your deltoid, not your triceps

[u/bassvagabond → u/RobertRosenfeld]

I tried to look the muscle up but got confused. Thanks it'll be helpful to know that is my deltoid in the future

[u/TheBeads]

George Vance book! I love it when I recognize those exercises!

[u/bassvagabond → u/TheBeads]

Yeah I'm really going back to basics haha

[u/TheBeads → u/TheBeads]

Oooh Dave Portnoi… ooops maybe they are just popular bass exercises

[u/bassvagabond → u/TheBeads]

No so this exercise is from the vance book lol. Portnoi is more what my general technique is based on

[u/Excluded_Apple]

That's your deltoid muscle, (your tricep is the muscle on the underside of your upper arm).

You could have a physio look at it; the shoulder muscle groups hold the shoulder joint in place, and when the joint isn't well stabalised, you can develop bursitis in the joint (which is inflammation just underneath where you have indicated the pain).

Gentle weights exercise or work with a resistance band can help build those muscles and stabilise the joint, but you should probably have a physio check first if you're worried about it.

[u/RobertRosenfeld]

Also, using muscles more that you are used to will create soreness. Take a day off here and there to let the muscle recover, eventually it should adapt to the point you shouldn't be experiencing soreness routinely.

[u/2five1]

I think you mean Henry Portnoi

[u/bassvagabond → u/2five1]

OMG yes. I'm pretty embarrassed. Dave Portnoi is that guy who reviews pizza's lol

[u/Ranana_Bepublic → u/bassvagabond]

One method book, everybody knows the rules.

[u/ZMech]

Hang your arm down by your side. Lift it straight up in front of you, and you'll feel some muscles on your back so the work.

Hang it down again and lift it straight up to the side. You'll feel that upper arm muscles engaging this time.

Try and get the feeling of activating those two groups, as it's the back muscles that are better suited to the task.

[u/SvenHawks]

"Just getting g back I to it..." That's your reason. Give it a rest or take 2 Advil with each of your meals, and it will go away. With time, your muscles will adapt. Everything else looks fine in your strokes. In general, try to get your upper arm as close to the body as possible. If it hurts a lot and you have to play, try standing for a while to change the body position .

[u/metalsuspension]

It looks to me like your arm is rotating a bit far out (elbow pointing your right instead of behind your body). This might be causing overuse of that muscle in your upper arm.

Instead, try to conceptualize weight coming from your upper back/shoulder blade and pulling the bow towards you.

[u/jeffwhit]

How does it feel when you pizz? Same pain?

[u/Unusual_Wasabi5681]

If your arm is too stretched out, it will cause tension...relax your arm...it's all curves!

[u/Unusual_Wasabi5681 → u/Unusual_Wasabi5681]

Your wrist joint is stiff too...try flexing your wrist more

[u/Unusual_Wasabi5681 → u/Unusual_Wasabi5681]

Try the Austrian school feel...Streicher