Whether you are just starting to play, returning to the violin after years away, or a working professional playing eight hours a day, there is always room for improvement. We can enhance our playing by ensuring our hands are in excellent performance shape.

Just like a professional athlete, we need to strengthen our playing muscles to play any music at any time. Unfortunately, if we skip practice, our playing skills can deteriorate just as quickly as any other muscles in our body. What are the best ways to get and maintain our hands in top-performing shape?

If you are starting your journey with the violin, it's important to begin slowly and gradually build your endurance. Just as you wouldn't decide on a whim to run a marathon without proper training and preparation, you should do the same for your hands when playing. Start at a comfortable pace and focus on increasing your strength and endurance over time.

The amount of time you spend practicing will significantly impact your ability to play. Even if you are not the most naturally talented player, you can outperform your competition through hard work and dedication. At a minimum, students should practice for at least one hour daily, with the long-term goal of practicing four to eight hours daily.

While the amount of time spent practicing is essential, consistency matters even more. Practicing the same amount daily will help strengthen your hand more quickly and keep you in great playing shape. This means that even when traveling, you should bring your instrument and practice whenever possible.

The focus of your practice is just as important as the duration and frequency of your sessions. Scales are one of the first things to incorporate into every practice session. Scales are the building blocks of music, and there is a lot you can work on with them, including intonation, speed, agility, shifting, bowing, tone, and more.

Next, it's essential to add some effective technique exercises. Depending on your level, these could include Wohlfahrt, Kreutzer, or even Paganini. This practice can rapidly build your playing strength.

Choose a more challenging solo than your current skill level to motivate yourself to improve. I like to think of this as pushing yourself to the edge of your playing abilities—challenging enough to be stimulating but not so difficult that you feel overwhelmed. Remember, if you struggle with the solo, you can always drop down to an easier one and then work your way back up to the harder solo. This approach is a great way to challenge you to play better because they are well-prepared.

In conclusion, the best way to think about being a great violinist is to consider yourself a professional athlete, training your body for the Olympics keep the same focus and intensity for the best results.