Sometimes technical frustrations in violin playing don’t come from the arms themselves, but from how the entire body is (or isn’t) working together. This is where the idea of the kinetic chain becomes essential.

The kinetic chain is the idea that our body functions as one linked system. Tension, stiffness, or misalignment in one joint will over time affect everything above and below it. Even though violinists focus primarily on upper body movements when practicing, that chain still runs all the way from the feet, knees, and pelvis, up through the spine and shoulder blades, all the way to the fingers and the crown of the head. When one part locks up or becomes misaligned, the rest compensates — often by overworking.

Even with our best intentions, no one is immune to this, as the violin is a very “asymmetrical” instrument. That is – the very nature of holding the violin goes against keeping the body in balance. In fact, perfect balance does not exist. It’s a myth. But we can all do our part to regularly realign ourselves, whether it’s mid-performance, during practice breaks, or at the beginning and end of each day. This will give us all a better shot at staying healthy and injury free.

Here are some common examples of kinetic chain as it shows up in our daily practice, and how to start allowing it to work for us.

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