To warm up or not to warm up?

I often come across students who either don't warm up at all, or don't know how to do it properly. They don't know what to look for, which exercises to do, and end up falling into the routine of always doing the same thing, or working on techniques without a clear purpose. And that's when the question arises: what is a warm-up, and what is it actually for?

The truth is that the answer to that question is simple, though the explanation isn't quite as simple — at least from my point of view.

For me, a warm-up is effective when it prepares me to play my instrument in the best possible way and under optimal conditions, in the shortest time possible. That's what I'd call a productive warm-up.

So far, so simple. But how do we actually make that happen?

Throughout my, so far, short career, I've experimented with different approaches to warming up. I've gone through periods when I needed a lot of time, others when I needed specific exercises, and even others when nothing really seemed to help.

But over the years, the accumulation of experience and analysis, both of myself and of other musicians, has led me to become aware of what I really need to focus on during a warm-up. And it comes down to just three basic principles:

1. Physical and general conditioning.
2. Checking the technical fundamentals.
3. Mental preparation.

1. Physical and general conditioning

I always start from the premise of listening to and feeling my body, and conditioning it if it's not in the best shape.

I often find small issues such as a tight rib cage or lack of flexibility; muscle tension or contractures, especially in the back, neck or arms; and swollen lips, which make it harder to generate vibration.

Breathing exercises quickly solve the first problem. Stretching usually helps with the second, and for the third, we can use a little ice — never applied directly — or, less aggressively, simple lip-buzzing exercises without using the mouthpiece.

This is just a check-up. I'm usually fine, so I don't need to spend much time on this stage.

2. Checking the technical fundamentals

The next thing I do, now with the instrument, is go over the basic technical fundamentals: flexibility, attacks, articulation and synchronisation.

Remember, this is a check-up, so there's no need to spend a lot of time on anything specific. We're not practising here.

In fact, I strongly recommend doing exercises that bring all the fundamentals together. Scales, for example.

Only if something isn't working, or feels harder than usual, should we — and must we — stop and work on it.

3. Mental preparation

Finally, mental preparation matters too. Knowing what you're about to face, having things clear in your mind, staying relaxed instead of overwhelmed, speaking kindly to yourself... There are many mental techniques that could easily fill a chapter of their own.

We don't always have to play the same kind of repertoire, and so we shouldn't prepare our minds the same way every time either.

In short, a productive warm-up, to me, is one that prepares me — in every aspect related to playing my instrument — to perform at my best and under optimal conditions, in the shortest time possible. Because we won't always have as much time as we'd like.