Daisy Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 Do you wear a wristwatch when you practice? I've always worn mine, but lately I've heard teachers saying that you should never wear one because no matter how loose it is, it puts pressure on one's tendons and cuts off circulation and so on.... A lot of my friends NEVER wear them, because they got used to not wearing one when they practice and it bugs them all the time. (They drive me crazy because they never know what time it is!) I know I could just get a pocket watch but I do rather like my wristwatch. Can any doctors in the group tell me whether it's really as bad as they say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viola-mom Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 My daughter ALWAYS wears a watch, every day of her life. She is left-handed, so she wears her watch on her right hand, and she has never indicated a problem. I started observing orchestral and chamber music players and noticed that many of them also wear a watch on the right hand, and according to my daughter, they are not necessarily left-handed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ViolaBoy Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 Oh, so someone else actually thinks about this! I'm the kind of person who always wears a watch (on my left wrist) EXCEPT when I play. I agree that it restrains my movement a little, or at least it feels like it does... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPIFFY_WIFFY Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I always take my watch off my left wrist when playing. It does constrict. For the first few years we were married, my husband and I wore our wedding rings on our right hands, we couldn't stand playing with them on our left. After we career changed out of music, and were playing less, we switched to our left hands. I still had to take off my rings when playing, though now that I only have my wedding band left :-( I can play with it on my left hand no problem. I wonder how many other vln/vla players wear their watches on their right wrist? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fritzdaviolinist Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I have to wear watch all the time otherwise i feel so naked and weird. HOWEVER this is not true when i practice. SInce i wear the watch on my left wrist, it hits on the bout of the violin when i go to high positions. Also i don't want any extra weight holding back my arm muscles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sevcik Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I started wearing my watch on my right wrist (I am right handed) when I noticed it banging against my viola in upper positions. I never heard the theory of a watch putting pressure on the tendons... if it's loose enough, will it really make a difference? And if it possibly can make a difference, is it possible that wearing a watch on the right wrist could cause problems for that hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Viola Girl Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I found that my watch was damaging the varnish on my instrument -- esp. when I was shifting into higher positions. Plus, I tend to feel (as many seem to do) that it was restricting my flexibility. Viola Girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobcat Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 Great! I've always worn a watch on my left wrist and never noticed that it bothered me. Now that you've brought it up it will probably drive me to distraction! (I admit its a short trip!) Bobcat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight_sweetie Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I have alays been told to NEVER wear a watch while playing it can cut off circulation, damage your instrument and quite frankly I dont like the way it feels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlin Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I wear both my watch & wedding ring on my left hand, and neither interfere with my playing. I couldn't do without a watch, especially when I'm playing! How else could I see how much time there is till the end of the gig? Hehehehe! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2Violet Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I never noticed any constricting effect while playing when there was a watch on my wrist. However, I do usually take off my watch when practicing..mainly because I'm used to wearing it on my left wrist, and I noticed it rubbing/scraping against the varnish the first couple of times I played the viola. I'd rather have my wrist feel naked without the watch for a couple of hours than put some easily preventable scratches on my instrument. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenaissanceWoman Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I can't stand wearing a watch, period. but I don't think it's such a great idea when playing. However, I did have a friend who had one of those watches that gathers its energy from motion, and he'd play Vivaldi with it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Journey Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 quote: Originally posted by fiddlin: I wear both my watch & wedding ring on my left hand, and neither interfere with my playing. You wear a ring while you play! I can't stand wearing a ring when I play. I have a favorite ring that I always wear on my pinky, but when I play it has to come off because I can't stand it! I can't even wear a ring on my right hand when I'm bowing. It just doesn't feel right. You're fortunate that it doesn't bother you. Journ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiddlin Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 quote: Originally posted by Journey: You wear a ring while you play! I can't stand wearing a ring when I play. I have a favorite ring that I always wear on my pinky, but when I play it has to come off because I can't stand it! I can't even wear a ring on my right hand when I'm bowing. It just doesn't feel right. You're fortunate that it doesn't bother you. Journ Yep! Actually, my ring does turn around on my finger from time to time. It's not a plain wedding band. It has some diamonds across part of it, and sometimes during a tune I notice the ring turning so that the diamonds aren't on top anymore. Sometimes it makes a perfect 360-degree turn throughout a song! But it doesn't interfere with my playing. I've gotten used to adjusting my ring after each song (even though it'll turn again during the next one!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violon Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 I don't like to have a watch on when I play but my wedding ring doesn't seem to bother me. The watch does seem to restrict movement somewhat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emma Lily Posted January 6, 2001 Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 Wristwatch protocol: When practicing at home:Remove wristwatch and hang it on one of the flat metal prongs that form the back of your Hamilton 400N music stand. After practicing, take watch and put on wrist. When at rehearsal or performance:If male: put wristwatch in pocket. If female: put wristwatch in violin case next to your lipstick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daisy Posted January 6, 2001 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2001 Very interesting- maybe I should mention that I use one of those Velcro watchbands that are really soft. I also wear it pretty loosely. For awhile, teachers were making everyone take off their watches during rehearsal and I just about went nuts because I like to know EXACTLY how much time is left at a rehearsal! I kept my watch beside me on the floor but just about stepped on it several times. I should mention that I almost always remove my watch and ring (RH) when I practice piano- seems like they bug me more during piano than violin. Do a lot of you married people wear your wedding rings on your right hand? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HuangKaiVun Posted January 7, 2001 Report Share Posted January 7, 2001 When I used to wear watches with elastic, sometimes the sweat would mess up the watch and my playing. But ever since my grandmother got me a metal Seiko that I wear loosely, I haven't had any problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MicaelaB Posted January 7, 2001 Report Share Posted January 7, 2001 I wear my watch on my right wrist because I'm left handed. So it never gets in the way. And I never wear any rings on my right hand. I saw a prominent violinist in recital once who was clearly wearing his wedding ring on his right hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
illuminatus Posted January 7, 2001 Report Share Posted January 7, 2001 I don't really think my watch is affecting my performance. But if there is evidence, I will be wearning a pocket watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nashville violins Posted January 7, 2001 Report Share Posted January 7, 2001 My wrists swell when I play. I never really noticed this until I switched watches (and bands). I don't like the band so it stays in my pocket most of the time. My old wedding ring used to bother me, but my new one is one of the "comfort fit" rounded off ones...it stays on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jus d'orange Posted January 7, 2001 Report Share Posted January 7, 2001 I've always worn my watch on my left wrist because it was easier to look at while writing something, me being right handed. I'm never uncomfortable playing with or without it, and I haven't worn any rings, bracelets, or anything like that for years (I'm a 15 year old female) because they always bothered me while playing piano (the other instrument I play) and doing stuff like washing my hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CML101 Posted January 7, 2001 Report Share Posted January 7, 2001 I ALWAYS wear my watch. I am lost (and I get grumpy when lost) without it. I do not find that it distracts my playing, however I wear a very loose watch. I have a velcro band that allows me to wrap it around my wrist as loosly as I need it to be. (They work great, and the entire watch and band only costs about $12 at a Wal-Mart.) As far as rings go....I wear my engagement ring all the time too. I NEVER take it off, unless I am having it cleaned. I am too fearful of loosing it. If I ever notice it affecting my practice, however, it will have to go to the right hand during practice sessions. Christy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckrupsha Posted January 8, 2001 Report Share Posted January 8, 2001 I have found that my watch and any rings end up being more of a physical distraction than a genuine hindrance (I wear my watch on the right though). But in my case I only wear rings or watch itinerately (wedding band excepted), and since they aren't a "part of me", I think I take more notice of them. And sometimes I become conscious of my wedding band and have to remove that too. [This message has been edited by ckrupsha (edited 01-08-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greta Schmidt Posted January 8, 2001 Report Share Posted January 8, 2001 I wear a watch, 2 thin silver bracelets and a wide wedding band, all on the left wrist/finger. Until reading this post, I hadn't really thought about constrictions. I've been "wearing" this setup for so long (years and years), that I don't even notice their presence. The bracelets are narrow (not the hinge and chain kind) and stay above my watch, although my watch does slip sometimes nearer to my wrist. My wedding band has caused me no troubles or pains, but I don't know if it has been restricting my reach to any degree. For the past two days I've been playing without the watch and ring. Yesterday, I did feel like I played a bit longer than usual, but I'll keep trying this naked playing and see. Maybe it's a placebo thing! I haven't performed in public, so what my arms may look like isn't an issue. Interesting topic! - Greta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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