Playing an instrument is a very physical activity. Despite the fact that, as musicians, we’re often seated or standing in one stationary position when we perform or practice, playing an instrument can take a physical toll on your body. Muscular tension, in particular, can cause problems that can not only cause injuries but also impact your performance, dexterity, and ability to play fluidly on your instrument. Fortunately, issues caused by muscular tension can be avoided through mindful practice and focus to keep your body relaxed while playing.

In this online guitar lesson, Grammy Award-winning guitarist, co-founder of Punch Brothers, and ArtistWorks bluegrass guitar instructor, Chris Eldridge, addresses many of the problems that can arise as a result of prolonged muscular tension when practicing and performing. Chris details the ways in which tension impacts your ability to play at your highest potential, and provides techniques on mindful practicing that can help eliminate tension from your playing.

“It’s really important when we’re playing to stay physically relaxed,” Chris explains. “If we have unwanted or unconscious tension, then we quite literally have muscles that are inhibiting our motion and ability to play.”

It’s critical for players of all levels to be mindful of muscular tension when they’re performing and practicing. For beginner and first-time acoustic guitar players—this is the stage during which you will be engraining habits that will carry on through years of playing. It will benefit you greatly to implant relaxed playing techniques into your muscle memory early on at this stage. For more advanced players, focusing on keeping your body loose and relaxed will only increase your ability to execute performance techniques more comfortably and play at a higher level.

“The simplest and most effective way to avoid muscle tension is to just get into the habit of noticing it,” explains Chris. “The idea of it being a habit is really important because you want to be checking in with yourself regularly. Taking a second to notice your body will change the way you play.”

To learn more about how to minimize muscle tension and maximize your playing potential, dive into this online guitar lesson from Chris Eldridge:

Noticing Tension with Chris Eldridge: