Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]
Foam Rolling Class in Hermitage, TN!
I’m very excited to announce I’ll be leading my first foam rolling class at Next Level Strength and Conditioning in Hermitage, TN. It’ll be 30 minutes of self-massage and just like a good massage, you feel pain followed by relief, difference being YOU are in control of the pressure. You’ll leave the session feeling more relaxed (or possibly more energized), …
Gymboss Trainer
This little guy is a GREAT addition to your arsenal. If you are like me (like most of us, and definitely all of my clients) rest times between sets tend to go way longer than they should. This guy stops that by keeping you on track whether you are using it to time rest sets, sprint intervals, etc. What is …
PlateMate Weight Magnets
These have to be some of new favorite training tools. Most dumbbells and plates increase in increments of 5 lbs. For some movements, that can be just too much of a jump. You should be making progress every time you go in the gym, be it one more rep or one more pound, but you can’t jump up 5 lbs. …
Perform Better
Perform Better is where I get almost all of my training equipment; all kinds of bands, tubing, weights, you name it. What is great about this company is that no job or order is too big or small. You can order just a foam roller for yourself or you can contact them to help outfit your new gym or facility …
Music Strong is Moving to Nashville
Yes, you heard me correctly. The Lord has really opened up a lot of great opportunities for Music Strong in the Music City and come early to mid August I will be moving to Nashville. I will be teaching flute lessons in several area schools and have plans to really promote the mission of Music Strong – empowering musicians to …
Panama City Beach Boot Camp 81% OFF!
One of the products of Music Strong is the Panama City Beach Boot Camp. I decided that it was a shame to not have any boot camp classes in a non-gym-membership type setting available. I checked into it and sure enough while we do have the world’s most beautiful beaches, there were no boot camp classes being offered! And thus, …
Changes are A-Comin’!
I’m happy to announce that there are some great changes coming to Music Strong and Panama City Beach Boot Camp in the VERY near future. We are completely re-designing our training packages at Music Strong and I’m happy to share that for my online clients you are getting a brand-new feature. When you sign up with me, after your initial …
Travel Workouts with No Lower Body Work
I am here in the Smoky Mountains, enjoying a long overdue vacation at my parent’s cabin with my husband and his siblings. The scenery is gorgeous, and as you can see from the picture of the driveway if I want to get out of breath by walking, all I have to do is go up and down the driveway a …
Mini-Bands
I use these for glute activation exercises like lateral tube walking and for a client’s who’s knees cave in when they squat, the band around the knees serves as a tactile cue to keep the knees out. Can also be used on the upper body. Here’s a video demonstrating how I use it:https://youtu.be/PKAyNB4YD6Y
How to Make Your Own “Body Blade”
Did you see my other article on the Bodyblade? Well, if you don’t have one, you can make your own!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14xOtnmJ6OY If you need to make your own body blade all you’re going to need is a stick and some bands. Put the band into a door and shut it. Put the band around the stick then perform your exercises as …
The 3 Basics of Weightlifting Form – You Don’t Read THIS in Magazines!
There are really only three basics you need to know when it comes to form, but don’t mistake simplicity for easy. If you don’t get your form right, you can expect sub-par results at least and injury at the worst. Here’s your guide…
Taking the Pain out of the Piccolo
This article was originally published in 2014 and was based off the wildly popular presentation I did with GySgt.(Ret.) Cynthia K. Rugolo of “The President’s Own” Marine Band at the National Flute Association convention in Washington DC in 2015. Both piccoloists, both in military bands and both invested in musician’s health (I took over her position as chair of the …
Personal Training Partnership with Sound Health Cares for Nashville Musician Union Members
Music Strong is proud to partner with SoundHealthCares as a benefit to Nashville Union Members who enroll! Get a 25% training discount!
Creating Bullet Proof Wrists in Guitarists
How many times have you been on stage and felt that “ache” on your wrist that goes from occasional to frequent? Pretty soon you find yourself having to alter your playing style, your posture, your set list, or maybe even talking more between songs in search of rest. Hopefully this isn’t you, but don’t be surprised if you just felt …
Fixing Ulnar Nerve Entrapment With Strength Training
So lately I’ve been dealing with a lot or problems – it started a year and a half ago with some tingling in my fingers and then as I did more pushups (with no prep work), wore a 50-60lb backpack around the Atlanta airport for two days, crammed for a recital ON ALTO FLUTE things got REALLY ugly. I got …
How To Foam Roll
So you have a foam roller, but do you know what to do with it? I like to call a foam roller “the poor man’s massage therapist”. While in no way can a foam roller take the place of an LMT, it definitely can help keep your tissues supple and mobile. Guidelines: use this as a routine by itself or …
Your Hips Are A Hinge
This article was originally written as a recap after a presentation at the Florida Flute Association Convention. It is such a joy to me to get to be able to personally walk people through the mechanics of fitness and learning how to properly use their bodies to better play their first instrument, their bodies, before picking up the flute. Speaking …
Strength Is a Solution for Hypermobility
No warm up…I hadn’t done on in forever and I’m 37 in this video Hypermobility: something I’ve struggled with in one way or another over the years. (How many 37 yo you know can flip a back bend with no warmup?) What is it? An excessive range of motion in the joints. While most people trainers deal with have the …
Teaching Safe Strength In the Studio – Virtually!
View PostPersonal Training Partnership with Sound Health Cares for Nashville Musician Union Members
Music Strong is proud to partner with SoundHealthCares as a benefit to Nashville Union Members who enroll! Get a 25% training discount!
2021 Personal Training Special
New Year’s Special Just For My Nashville Locals! Haven’t we been through enough Nashville fam? That’s why this deal is just for you. (Ignore the January 15 deadline, both deals are good through the end of the month!) Valid at my Nashville location at Next Level Fitness 1917 Church St. only. 5 minutes from Music Row in Midtown, you can …
Being A Military Musician Interview with Flute 360 Podcast
Recently I had the honor of being interviewed by Dr. Heidi Kay Begay about my experiences as a military musician. You can listen to it here: In today’s episode, Heidi talks with Sergeant Angela McCuiston about her time being a Military Flutist in the U.S. Army Reserve Band. She goes into detail about the audition process, her experience with basic …
Teaching Safe Strength In the Studio – Virtually!
View PostPodcast Interview with Corpsonore
If you are not following these ladies you’re doing yourself a great disservice. They have a fantastic podcast and website on musician’s wellness from all aspects. I’ll include the podcast audio here, but do yourself a favor and check out the page for more goodies! Link to my episode on their page: Corposonore Podcast Interview with Notes and Recommended Reading …
Workshop At Belmont University School of Music
Recently, we were delighted to be asked to present at the Belmont University School of Music on our workshop of injury prevention for musicians. We have workshops in 1-2-3 hour increments. This was the two hour workshop and the students came excited and eager, enthusiastic and engaged and not only did we have a lot of fun, we learned a lot. Currently …
Podcast Interview with The Conditioned Musician
I found David on Instagram and knew instantly he would be an amazing resource. He’s a musician, ACSM certified personal trainer AND getting his doctorate in physical therapy because he wants to be a personal trainer for musicians. I’m happy to have him as a brand ambassador for Music Strong and really wish he lived closer so we could cross …
Podcast Interview with The Rock Doctor
View PostInterview on News Channel 5 Nashville
If you didn’t happen to be watching the news in Nashville yesterday at 6 AM, you missed a story done on us that the news anchor called “the most “Nashville story she’s ever heard” 🙂 Never fear, here’s the video so you can say you didn’t miss it and I explain How Music Strong came to be What is “Fitness …
Online Injury Prevention for Musicians Course
View PostThe 3 Basics of Weightlifting Form – You Don’t Read THIS in Magazines!
There are really only three basics you need to know when it comes to form, but don’t mistake simplicity for easy. If you don’t get your form right, you can expect sub-par results at least and injury at the worst. Here’s your guide…
Taking the Pain out of the Piccolo
This article was originally published in 2014 and was based off the wildly popular presentation I did with GySgt.(Ret.) Cynthia K. Rugolo of “The President’s Own” Marine Band at the National Flute Association convention in Washington DC in 2015. Both piccoloists, both in military bands and both invested in musician’s health (I took over her position as chair of the …
Top 10 Ways to Become Who You Want to Be in 2022!
2021 might not have been what we expected, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make 2022 what we want! Here’s a proven method to get to who you wan to be this year!
Personal Training Partnership with Sound Health Cares for Nashville Musician Union Members
Music Strong is proud to partner with SoundHealthCares as a benefit to Nashville Union Members who enroll! Get a 25% training discount!
Creating Bullet Proof Wrists in Guitarists
How many times have you been on stage and felt that “ache” on your wrist that goes from occasional to frequent? Pretty soon you find yourself having to alter your playing style, your posture, your set list, or maybe even talking more between songs in search of rest. Hopefully this isn’t you, but don’t be surprised if you just felt …
Fixing Ulnar Nerve Entrapment With Strength Training
So lately I’ve been dealing with a lot or problems – it started a year and a half ago with some tingling in my fingers and then as I did more pushups (with no prep work), wore a 50-60lb backpack around the Atlanta airport for two days, crammed for a recital ON ALTO FLUTE things got REALLY ugly. I got …
What About Workout Clothes?
So I’ve been wearing the same workout clothes forever, I used to get them at the Champion Outlet which has now gone defunct and that means I’m on the lookout for some new gear! So imagine how excited I was to be contacted by Kevin over at Elite Sports / Born Tough … they make some fit, flattering, fierce and …
Tuned and Strong Podcast: Ep. 11 Healthy Habits Part 1: Nutrition
https://youtu.be/hHyi-xGPtHg Healthy habits can be a touchy subject. (If you’re finding this post and you HAVEN’T seen the podcast yet, why, sit right here and take a listen then click the YouTube link and hit that SUBSCRIBE button!) This episode was a really interesting one and we wanted to be able to give you more resources than YouTube will allow us to …
How To Foam Roll
So you have a foam roller, but do you know what to do with it? I like to call a foam roller “the poor man’s massage therapist”. While in no way can a foam roller take the place of an LMT, it definitely can help keep your tissues supple and mobile. Guidelines: use this as a routine by itself or …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel: a Top 10 List to Change
Previous Next Hard to believe it’s been that long, but back in 2013 I wrote a ten week article series on how to change your habits and get what you really want. The initial goal was focused on fat loss, as a personal trainer, that’s something that comes up frequently: how do I lose weight? (I prefer to say fat, …
Taking the Pain out of the Piccolo
This article was originally published in 2014 and was based off the wildly popular presentation I did with GySgt.(Ret.) Cynthia K. Rugolo of “The President’s Own” Marine Band at the National Flute Association convention in Washington DC in 2015. Both piccoloists, both in military bands and both invested in musician’s health (I took over her position as chair of the …
Your Hips Are A Hinge
This article was originally written as a recap after a presentation at the Florida Flute Association Convention. It is such a joy to me to get to be able to personally walk people through the mechanics of fitness and learning how to properly use their bodies to better play their first instrument, their bodies, before picking up the flute. Speaking …
Being A Military Musician Interview with Flute 360 Podcast
Recently I had the honor of being interviewed by Dr. Heidi Kay Begay about my experiences as a military musician. You can listen to it here: In today’s episode, Heidi talks with Sergeant Angela McCuiston about her time being a Military Flutist in the U.S. Army Reserve Band. She goes into detail about the audition process, her experience with basic …
Lighten Up! A Study Of Lightweight Professional Model Flutes For Injury Prevention
Notes on Hand Size and Injury Angela: “During the play-testing of these flutes, I was suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which caused numbness, tingling, muscle spasms and shooting electrical pains down my right arm. For this reason, I was in the unique position of finding myself NEEDING a lightweight flute. I have large hands and ergonomically found several flutes challenging …
Exercises for Flutists
Recently I was asked to write an article for Flutist Quarterly, the quarterly publication of the National Flute Association. There are a LOT of beneficial exercises for flutists, but I picked 2 stretches and 2 strengthening exercises I felt were the most beneficial, with no equipment, for the general population of flute players. These may be more difficult for some, …
Beneficial Exercises For Flutists
View PostPlaying Flute with Scoliosis?
A little while back, I received this email from a teacher concerned for her student with scoliosis: “I have a student that has scoliosis. She has been told by her doctor that she is going to have to stop playing flute due to the severity. I know that if she is sitting correctly, and using complete correct posture this really shouldn’t be …
The Maturing Flutist
Yesterday Dr. Steve Mitchell and I co-presented at the National Flute Association Convention in Orlando, FL. Our talk was titled “The Maturing Flutist” and it covered a lot of the issues that concern aging musicians and the elderly populations. You don’t need to be a flutist to benefit from this, as lots of the things we covered relate to the …
3 Marching Band Fitness Hacks for Flutists
Ah band camp….long, hot days with your instrument and at the end you’re rewarded with an aching back and feet, right? Well, you might not be able to get out of marching band, and you might not be able to change your band director’s mind about what’s good for you to do vs. what looks good, but here are 3 …
Activating a Weak Rotator Cuff Using the Body Blade
Have you heard of the BodyBlade? It looks deceptively easy, but if you have any muscle weakness you’ll be shocked how difficult it is to control. This is an excellent tool for activating the weak muscles of the rotate cuff which can be especially painful in musicians such as flutists, guitarists, string players and pianists. Start out with 5 sets …
Your “X” might be causing your back pain
Back pain can encompass everything from a deep low ache at the bottom of the spine to a sharp pain between the shoulder blades and everything in between. Today we’re going to focus in on low back pain among guitarists: main causes and what YOU can do when it strikes. Culprit 1: Weak Core If you look at yourself sideways …
Musician’s Injury Awareness Week
Stigma stops when we start talking about musicians injuries, and my friends across the pond are championing that this week!
Tuned and Strong Podcast: Ep. 11 Healthy Habits Part 1: Nutrition
https://youtu.be/hHyi-xGPtHg Healthy habits can be a touchy subject. (If you’re finding this post and you HAVEN’T seen the podcast yet, why, sit right here and take a listen then click the YouTube link and hit that SUBSCRIBE button!) This episode was a really interesting one and we wanted to be able to give you more resources than YouTube will allow us to …
Fitness for the Non-Athletic Musician
Do you have to be an “athlete” to benefit from fitness training as a musician? After we got the comment “I love this new community of musicians who are talking about the physical aspects of playing, but I admit I get discouraged because so many stories are of people who already enjoyed a level of physical activity and just needed to learn how to channel it into staying conditioned for their instrument…I struggle just to want to move my body at all.”
Are You Ready to Push the Reset Button?
Yesterday on our podcast, Jen and I talked about some exciting things we have coming up! My exciting thing is the Covid Comeback Challenge! You can secure your spot here, or hit that “Contact” button and tell me what instrument you play. Let’s do this! https://youtu.be/8Nix_pAznz4
Being A Military Musician Interview with Flute 360 Podcast
Recently I had the honor of being interviewed by Dr. Heidi Kay Begay about my experiences as a military musician. You can listen to it here: In today’s episode, Heidi talks with Sergeant Angela McCuiston about her time being a Military Flutist in the U.S. Army Reserve Band. She goes into detail about the audition process, her experience with basic …
Navigating the Pandemic as a Musician 1
Part 1: Feb-April 2020 February 2020 – I heard rumor of some virus originating in China and I thought “big deal, it’s just like every other virus we’ve heard of in the past. What makes this any different than SARS, H1N1, etc? Not concerned”. I didn’t want to hear about it. Played at Mardi Gras with the Army band – …
Top 10 Ways to Become Who You Want to Be in 2022!
2021 might not have been what we expected, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make 2022 what we want! Here’s a proven method to get to who you wan to be this year!
Get Off the Hamster Wheel: a Top 10 List to Change
Previous Next Hard to believe it’s been that long, but back in 2013 I wrote a ten week article series on how to change your habits and get what you really want. The initial goal was focused on fat loss, as a personal trainer, that’s something that comes up frequently: how do I lose weight? (I prefer to say fat, …
Top 10 Ways to Become Who You Want to Be in 2021!
So….2020 carried some good and some bad. I think it’s safe to say that it was not the year any of us planned for. After the home projects were over, the to-do list finished, with trips cancelled there was so much sitting on the couch, binge-watching EVERYTHING and while “quarantine snacks” sound cute, come the fall we found very quickly …
Are You Ready to Push the Reset Button?
Yesterday on our podcast, Jen and I talked about some exciting things we have coming up! My exciting thing is the Covid Comeback Challenge! You can secure your spot here, or hit that “Contact” button and tell me what instrument you play. Let’s do this! https://youtu.be/8Nix_pAznz4
Podcast Interview with Corpsonore
If you are not following these ladies you’re doing yourself a great disservice. They have a fantastic podcast and website on musician’s wellness from all aspects. I’ll include the podcast audio here, but do yourself a favor and check out the page for more goodies! Link to my episode on their page: Corposonore Podcast Interview with Notes and Recommended Reading …
Podcast Interview with The Conditioned Musician
I found David on Instagram and knew instantly he would be an amazing resource. He’s a musician, ACSM certified personal trainer AND getting his doctorate in physical therapy because he wants to be a personal trainer for musicians. I’m happy to have him as a brand ambassador for Music Strong and really wish he lived closer so we could cross …
Interview on News Channel 5 Nashville
If you didn’t happen to be watching the news in Nashville yesterday at 6 AM, you missed a story done on us that the news anchor called “the most “Nashville story she’s ever heard” 🙂 Never fear, here’s the video so you can say you didn’t miss it and I explain How Music Strong came to be What is “Fitness …
Indie Mix and Mingle 8
Had an amazing time at Indie Mix and Mingle 8 in downtown Nashville last week! Got a chance to meet some really amazing people in the business and I’m excited to see the interest in Music Strong and how we can help people! If you don’t know what IMM is, you can check them out on their Facebook page here: …
Physical Fitness for Vocalists and Athletes Post-Surgery
Just because vocalists don’t hold an instrument doesn’t mean they don’t have specific muscle imbalances that can hinder their musical careers. Meet Liz, a vocal coach and voice trainer here in Nashville who utilized our services to improve her posture, body awareness and freedom of movement to release tension in her neck, upper back and hips and can sing better …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel: a Top 10 List to Change
Previous Next Hard to believe it’s been that long, but back in 2013 I wrote a ten week article series on how to change your habits and get what you really want. The initial goal was focused on fat loss, as a personal trainer, that’s something that comes up frequently: how do I lose weight? (I prefer to say fat, …
Eating for Fat Loss
How to figure out your macros. So, we know we need more calories out than in to achieve fat loss, correct? But how many is that? It’s really not a secret and not exactly a magic formula, but here is how you figure out what you need. (I hate math and I can do this, so bear with me, it’s a …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]
Lyle McDonald’s Books and Body Recomposition
I am constantly referring people to Lyle’s books. From Rapid Fat Loss, to Flexible Dieting to getting in contest ready shape, he is an absolute authority on the science of fat loss, muscle gain, etc. I’ve put all of his books together in one easy to find place right here. He also has a free forum you can join to …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel! Tip #9 to Change your Body and Your Life
How successful were you at writing things down last week? Did you do it every day? Most days? What were your results, reactions? Were you surprised by how much, how little or the reality of what you were eating? If you remember, the goal of last week was not to JUDGE what you ate, simply to make note of it. …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel! Guide To Change Your Habits Tip #8
If you haven’t read last week’s post, you can do so here: Get Off the Hamster Wheel Tip #7 We are down to the last few tips, and you know, I really struggled with this week’s and next week’s tips, trying to figure out which should happen first. It came down to this: Which small action do I have the …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel, Guide to Changing Your Habits Tip #7
Getting right to the point this week, this of course builds on last week: Tip #7 If you think you want to eat, ask yourself these questions: Am I really hungry? What do I want to eat? If it is a sweet ask yourself this: Could I be satisfied with a healthier option, protein or a meal instead? If the …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel! Guide to Changing Your Habits Tip # 6
So what’s the story on the last week? Did you eat yourself into oblivion with cookie dough/doughnuts/chips and cheese, etc.? Do you look like the Pilsbury Dough Boy? Are you sick of eating your “vice” or “nemesis food”? Did you find that this was easy to do or difficult? My guess is difficult. When I finally started allowing myself to …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel! Tip #5
So how did last week go? Did you have an easy or a hard time incorporating more whole foods into your diet? I know that for me, when I’m on the run, it can be more difficult. So I ALWAYS make leftovers and then night before the next day I pack my lunch, I include my piece of fruit, my …
Get Off the Hamster Wheel Tip #3 and #4
Yeah, the title is different, it was just too long to type out and this one is catchier, no? So, how did the week go? If you haven’t read last week, go read the last two weeks first, then come back here. Tip #1: Stop Being In A Hurry, Drink WaterTip #2: Turn Off the TV, Put the Book Down …
Taking the Pain out of the Piccolo
This article was originally published in 2014 and was based off the wildly popular presentation I did with GySgt.(Ret.) Cynthia K. Rugolo of “The President’s Own” Marine Band at the National Flute Association convention in Washington DC in 2015. Both piccoloists, both in military bands and both invested in musician’s health (I took over her position as chair of the …
Teaching Safe Strength In the Studio – Virtually!
View PostLighten Up! A Study Of Lightweight Professional Model Flutes For Injury Prevention
Notes on Hand Size and Injury Angela: “During the play-testing of these flutes, I was suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which caused numbness, tingling, muscle spasms and shooting electrical pains down my right arm. For this reason, I was in the unique position of finding myself NEEDING a lightweight flute. I have large hands and ergonomically found several flutes challenging …
Playing Flute with Scoliosis?
A little while back, I received this email from a teacher concerned for her student with scoliosis: “I have a student that has scoliosis. She has been told by her doctor that she is going to have to stop playing flute due to the severity. I know that if she is sitting correctly, and using complete correct posture this really shouldn’t be …
Workshop At Belmont University School of Music
Recently, we were delighted to be asked to present at the Belmont University School of Music on our workshop of injury prevention for musicians. We have workshops in 1-2-3 hour increments. This was the two hour workshop and the students came excited and eager, enthusiastic and engaged and not only did we have a lot of fun, we learned a lot. Currently …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]
Tips on Teaching by Skype « Music Teacher’s Helper Blog
Tips on Teaching by Skype « Music Teacher’s Helper Blog. I have been giving flute lessons via Skype for going on 3 years now. I have found it an incredible asset and a great tool for teaching. I can say now, that with this many years behind me, what I have learned, both good and bad, and I”m glad to …
Upcoming Middle Tennessee Flute Days
There are two excellent opportunities for growth, learning and fun for Middle Tennessee Flutists coming up VERY soon! January 26, 2013 Middle Tennessee State University Flute Festival Website: http://mtsuflute.weebly.com/2013-mtsu-flute-festival2.html Guest Artist: Kate Lukas Guest Artist Biography: KateLukas is Professor of Flute at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She is a former faculty member of the Guildhall School of …
Tonal Imagination – Overcoming Focal Dystonia with Dr. Roger Martin
This article comes from my former flute professor, Dr. Roger Martin, the Professor of Flute at Tennessee Techonological Unviersity in Cookeville, Tennessee, where I got my Bachelor’s in Flute Performance. During my last few years there, we knew he had started to develop a strange problem – his fingers wouldn’t do what he “told” them to do. We knew he …
Flute Day 2012
Flute Day 2012 was a HUGE success! Thank you so much to everyone who helped me make this happen. Special thanks to Liz Pritchett Vergili and Altus Flutes for giving us the space to use. Thanks to Dr. Jessica Dunnavant for helping me to organize and know how to pull this off. Thanks to Dr. Roger Martin from TTU and …
Navigating the Pandemic as a Musician 1
Part 1: Feb-April 2020 February 2020 – I heard rumor of some virus originating in China and I thought “big deal, it’s just like every other virus we’ve heard of in the past. What makes this any different than SARS, H1N1, etc? Not concerned”. I didn’t want to hear about it. Played at Mardi Gras with the Army band – …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]
Seasons of Life
I find myself in a bit of a strange and unknown time of life for me. My personal life is in total upheaval, and it being the beginning of a new year (and a personal trainer to boot) I am surrounded by expectations to make resolutions, encourage others to lose weight, “tone up”, set those goals, etc. etc. ad nauseum. …
The 3 Basics of Weightlifting Form – You Don’t Read THIS in Magazines!
There are really only three basics you need to know when it comes to form, but don’t mistake simplicity for easy. If you don’t get your form right, you can expect sub-par results at least and injury at the worst. Here’s your guide…
Creating Bullet Proof Wrists in Guitarists
How many times have you been on stage and felt that “ache” on your wrist that goes from occasional to frequent? Pretty soon you find yourself having to alter your playing style, your posture, your set list, or maybe even talking more between songs in search of rest. Hopefully this isn’t you, but don’t be surprised if you just felt …
Fitness for the Non-Athletic Musician
Do you have to be an “athlete” to benefit from fitness training as a musician? After we got the comment “I love this new community of musicians who are talking about the physical aspects of playing, but I admit I get discouraged because so many stories are of people who already enjoyed a level of physical activity and just needed to learn how to channel it into staying conditioned for their instrument…I struggle just to want to move my body at all.”
2021 Personal Training Special
New Year’s Special Just For My Nashville Locals! Haven’t we been through enough Nashville fam? That’s why this deal is just for you. (Ignore the January 15 deadline, both deals are good through the end of the month!) Valid at my Nashville location at Next Level Fitness 1917 Church St. only. 5 minutes from Music Row in Midtown, you can …
Keep It Simple!
Happy New Year! Welcome to the time where people make resolutions on all kinds of things; from losing weight to saving money. If you’ve made any kind of health related resolution this year, I commend you! There’s no time like the present to make your dreams become reality. By the time you read this, you may have already long given …
Ep. 72: The Courage to Change
EPISODE 72The Courage to Change(52:45)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 IT’S THE END OF AN ERA!! On the FINAL EPISODE of the Tuned and Strong Podcast, we discuss the courage it takes to make the changes we need in life, and follow the paths that make us truly happy rather than giving …
Ep. 71: Stories from the Road with Bob Bender
EPISODE 71Stories from the Road with Bob Bender(1:24:30)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 “Music used to have heart and soul, now it’s all technical.” What is the difference between a craftsman and an artist? Have the performing arts become sterile? Are we too removed from our audiences and each other? These questions …
Ep. 70: We Don’t Play for Free
EPISODE 70We Don’t Play for Free(42:47)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 Are you tired of hearing that musicians are broke? I think we all are and it’s not an easy solution but one of the things that perpetuates the problem is people expecting musicians to play for free and musicians accepting that. …
Ep. 69: Play Strong, Play Long with Dr Katie Mess
EPISODE 69Play Strong, Play Long with Dr Katie Mess(1:26:57)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 An athlete is someone who has a physical skill and performs it at an elite level. Doesn’t that describe us? In today’s episode “Play Strong, Play Long” with flutist and soon to be certified strength and conditioning specialist, …
Ep. 68: Balance and Burnout Prevention with Kyla Cofer
EPISODE 68Balance and Burnout Prevention with Kyla Cofer(57:20)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 “Is it normal to feel like you’re fighting against the thing you love??” Burnout. It’s become a popular buzzword, but what is it really, and how do you know if you’re experiencing it or if you’re just “done” with …
Ep. 67: A Musician’s Path Through Focal Dystonia
A Musician’s Path Through Focal DystoniaEPISODE 67A Musician’s Path Through Focal Dystonia(59:49)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 What happens when a “natural” task suddenly feels “foreign”?? For many musicians struggling with injury, the feeling of “not knowing your own body” is very common. But this feeling is usually even more prominent in …
Ep. 66: Nutrition for Musicians with Duncan Rock Part-2
Nutrition for Musicians with Duncan Rock Part-1EPISODE 64Nutrition for Musicians with Duncan Rock Part-2(51:24)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 “And I’m supposed to eat well during performance season too??” We’ve all been there – long hours, late nights, and excess stress during a run of performances can make it seem like “survival” …
Ep. 65: Nutrition for Musicians with Duncan Rock Part-1
Nutrition for Musicians with Duncan Rock Part-1EPISODE 64Nutrition for Musicians with Duncan Rock Part-1(59:57)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 “And I’m supposed to eat well during performance season too??” We’ve all been there – long hours, late nights, and excess stress during a run of performances can make it seem like “survival” …
Ep. 64: Nutrition 101
Nutrition 101EPISODE 64Nutrition 101(56:08)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 Keto! Vegan! Macros! Paleo! What does it all mean?! Have you ever wondered what people are talking about when they mention their latest diet? Or what all these terms are when people are discussing nutrition? Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Join us …
Ep. 63: Music is Movement
Music is MovementEPISODE 63Music is Movement(1:18:43)WIPEpisode Reference: You can find more about McKenzie at: Instagram – @thefitflutist and @mckenzie_417 Do you move when you play? Are you SURE? Oftentimes during musical performance, we are so engaged in our sound that we become unaware of our physical movements or orientation in space. Even if we did try to measure and notate …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]
What Did You Bring For Lunch? Meatza?
I am extremely excited to announce the launch of a brand new product I highly believe in. There has been a need for this product for so long, I’m surprised no one thought of it sooner! The vast amount of people in this country who do not cook for themselves because they are Intimidated Don’t know how Lazy is astounding. …
How to Make Your Own Greek Yogurt
If you are like me, you’ve discovered the deliciousness that is Greek yogurt. You’ve also discovered the sticker shock that comes with it. $4 for a PINT??? It’s about the same as a pint of raspberries. Neither of which price I understand. Until I can grow my own berry bushes, I will settle for making my own yogurt. It is …
High Protein Recipe – Quiche!
A couple of months ago I drove back to Tennessee for a drill weekend with the National Guard. After my 8 hour drive I arrived at my parent’s house and smelled something absolutely marvelous cooking. Asking “what’s for dinner”? just like I was a kid back at home again, mom answered “quiche”. A quick primer on my family: mom is …
Top 10 Ways to Become Who You Want to Be in 2022!
2021 might not have been what we expected, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make 2022 what we want! Here’s a proven method to get to who you wan to be this year!
Personal Training Partnership with Sound Health Cares for Nashville Musician Union Members
Music Strong is proud to partner with SoundHealthCares as a benefit to Nashville Union Members who enroll! Get a 25% training discount!
Musician’s Injury Awareness Week
Stigma stops when we start talking about musicians injuries, and my friends across the pond are championing that this week!
Strength Is a Solution for Hypermobility
No warm up…I hadn’t done on in forever and I’m 37 in this video Hypermobility: something I’ve struggled with in one way or another over the years. (How many 37 yo you know can flip a back bend with no warmup?) What is it? An excessive range of motion in the joints. While most people trainers deal with have the …
Are You Ready to Push the Reset Button?
Yesterday on our podcast, Jen and I talked about some exciting things we have coming up! My exciting thing is the Covid Comeback Challenge! You can secure your spot here, or hit that “Contact” button and tell me what instrument you play. Let’s do this! https://youtu.be/8Nix_pAznz4
Lighten Up! A Study Of Lightweight Professional Model Flutes For Injury Prevention
Notes on Hand Size and Injury Angela: “During the play-testing of these flutes, I was suffering from Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which caused numbness, tingling, muscle spasms and shooting electrical pains down my right arm. For this reason, I was in the unique position of finding myself NEEDING a lightweight flute. I have large hands and ergonomically found several flutes challenging …
Addressing Mental Health for Musicians Through Exercise
I was recently asked to be a contributor in the area of fitness to something called The Musician’s Wellness Starter Pack, which is a comprehensive approach to addressing all areas of musician’s health, but focusing mainly on mental health. As something that doesn’t get talked about enough, I couldn’t say yes fast enough. I took a different approach to an …
Podcast Interview with Corpsonore
If you are not following these ladies you’re doing yourself a great disservice. They have a fantastic podcast and website on musician’s wellness from all aspects. I’ll include the podcast audio here, but do yourself a favor and check out the page for more goodies! Link to my episode on their page: Corposonore Podcast Interview with Notes and Recommended Reading …
The Musician’s Essential Exercises
View PostPodcast Interview with The Rock Doctor
View PostExercises for Flutists
Recently I was asked to write an article for Flutist Quarterly, the quarterly publication of the National Flute Association. There are a LOT of beneficial exercises for flutists, but I picked 2 stretches and 2 strengthening exercises I felt were the most beneficial, with no equipment, for the general population of flute players. These may be more difficult for some, …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]
Music Strong at University of Chattanooga
Yesterday I had the wonderful privilege of getting to present a 2-hour workshop to the students and faculty at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. Special thanks to Dr. Heather Small for organizing this event. We had a great turnout and lots of class participation. It was amazing to see how almost everyone had an ache, a pain, an injury …
Gordeli Flute Concerto and Panama City Pops
This past May 5th I had the privelege of stepping out from among the orchestra to be accompanied by them. At the National Flute Association Convention in Charlotte this past year, I heard Christina Jennings play this at the gala concert and said “I have to play that”. Alas, I also REALLY wanted to play the Larry Singer piccolo concerto …
Music Strong is Moving to Nashville
Yes, you heard me correctly. The Lord has really opened up a lot of great opportunities for Music Strong in the Music City and come early to mid August I will be moving to Nashville. I will be teaching flute lessons in several area schools and have plans to really promote the mission of Music Strong – empowering musicians to …
Panama City Beach Boot Camp 81% OFF!
One of the products of Music Strong is the Panama City Beach Boot Camp. I decided that it was a shame to not have any boot camp classes in a non-gym-membership type setting available. I checked into it and sure enough while we do have the world’s most beautiful beaches, there were no boot camp classes being offered! And thus, …
Thanks to AllyNation for help with website.
Thanks to my friend Jonathan Nation for being the best and helping me out with this new website for Music Strong! You can see some of his work at Ally Nation & Starting Cube. Thanks again, Â ~ Angela
Thanks for the Pix PanamaCity.com
A special thanks to PanamaCity.com for all they have done, including taking pictures of a Panama City Beach Boot Camp, allowing us to use them & more. Here are some of the images:
Your Hips Are A Hinge
This article was originally written as a recap after a presentation at the Florida Flute Association Convention. It is such a joy to me to get to be able to personally walk people through the mechanics of fitness and learning how to properly use their bodies to better play their first instrument, their bodies, before picking up the flute. Speaking …
Teaching Safe Strength In the Studio – Virtually!
View PostWorkshop At Belmont University School of Music
Recently, we were delighted to be asked to present at the Belmont University School of Music on our workshop of injury prevention for musicians. We have workshops in 1-2-3 hour increments. This was the two hour workshop and the students came excited and eager, enthusiastic and engaged and not only did we have a lot of fun, we learned a lot. Currently …
The Maturing Flutist
Yesterday Dr. Steve Mitchell and I co-presented at the National Flute Association Convention in Orlando, FL. Our talk was titled “The Maturing Flutist” and it covered a lot of the issues that concern aging musicians and the elderly populations. You don’t need to be a flutist to benefit from this, as lots of the things we covered relate to the …
Upcoming performances and events
Things are really coming along on the website, and we’ve got a few glitches to workout, but until they get fixed, I don’t want you to miss out on where you can find me and what I’m doing! 6/28/2018 Class 9-10 AM “Morning Mobility” Music City Flute Studio Flute Camp, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Donelson, TN. Class geared towards flute …
An Entrepreneur’s “Busy Season”
If you’re an entrepreneur/freelancer, you’re a unique breed. This is where you insert one of those “what people think I do” memes here (please feel free to share your own in the comments) Truth is, unless you’re one of us, you just don’t understand. And that’s ok. The world takes all types, but what I want to put out there …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]
Are you Music Strong?
Whew! I have been traveling so much, there has been no time for updating, sorry! This last week I was blessed to have been invited to present at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacadoches, TX. I gave a flute masterclass, a recital, two Music Strong workshops and a presentation on being a musician in the military. It was a wonderful …
Music Strong at University of Chattanooga
Yesterday I had the wonderful privilege of getting to present a 2-hour workshop to the students and faculty at the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga. Special thanks to Dr. Heather Small for organizing this event. We had a great turnout and lots of class participation. It was amazing to see how almost everyone had an ache, a pain, an injury …
Upcoming Middle Tennessee Flute Days
There are two excellent opportunities for growth, learning and fun for Middle Tennessee Flutists coming up VERY soon! January 26, 2013 Middle Tennessee State University Flute Festival Website: http://mtsuflute.weebly.com/2013-mtsu-flute-festival2.html Guest Artist: Kate Lukas Guest Artist Biography: KateLukas is Professor of Flute at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. She is a former faculty member of the Guildhall School of …
The Clarineat Podcast
Just recently, i was given a chance to be a guest on Sean Perrin’s Podcast called Clarineat – Fitness for Musicians with Angela McCuiston. Sean is a multi-instrumentalist from Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Not to mention, he works full time as an Online Sales and Marketing Coordinator for Backun Musical Services, he also teach clarinet privately and at the Mount Royal …
How Offloaded Strength Training Improves Your Flute Performance
You can scan this QR Code to get a copy of the NFA handout that was used in this lecture. Balance Training for an Unbalanced Instrument: How Offloaded Strength Training Improves Your Flute Performance In this recent 50th Annual NFA Convention at Chicago, me and Dr. Katie Mess had a presentation on how offloaded, lopsided and uneven strength training can …
Top 5 Exercises for Building Shoulder Strength in Musicians
Shoulders are incredibly important to all musicians, no matter what instrument you play. There are a few instances where the shoulder musculature can get out of balance where we’re pulled too far forward (front delts get tight, rear delts and upper back get weak), especially for people like singers, audio engineers, pianists, organists and trumpet players to name a few. …
Life in the Pit
https://youtu.be/Gz24uHKSCN8 If you’re a pit musician, this podcast is for you! I was recently honored to have been a guest on this podcast. His podcast is devoted to the lives and experiences of instrumental musicians who play for musical theatre. Listeners can hear the stories of what goes on in “the pit” and aspiring musicians can learn what it takes …
Stop Giving This Advice to Musicians
You know what really grinds my gears?Musicians telling each other to just “rest and stretch“ You’re well meaning, but stretch what? What if what hurts hurts because it’s OVER stretched? (more common than you might think. Rest? Sometimes yes, but if the issue is chronic, rest won’t help and can also make problem worse. PLEASE stop giving this advice because …
Top 10 FitnessGifts for musicians in 2022
Merry Christmas! Hard to believe it’s here, isn’t it? While you’re out doing your Christmas shopping, admit it, occasionally you buy your gifts with an ulterior motive. Sometimes you buy your husband a gift certificate to Netflix, a restaurant or the movies…because you know you will benefit from it, too. Well, fitness gifts can have that reputation, too. In fact, …
Stay Well Play Well: Music Strong on the PorterFlute Podcast with Amy Porter
I recently had an interview with Amy Porter in her podcast “PorterFlute Pod”. We talked about how to prevent repetitive overuse and and how to avoid it at an early age. Hear the stories of overuse from Alan J. Tomassett, professional flutists Angela Massey and Melissa Mashner Donker. Check out the whole interview below:
Dry Needling for Musicians
What is DRy Needling? In this blog, we discussed “DRY NEEDLING” with Peak Tempo PT Dr. Abby Daunis. She is a physical therapist here in Nashville, Tennessee specializing in athletes especially triathletes and runners. Abby is a physical therapist who specializes in orthopedics. She earned her doctorate from Texas Woman’s University, School of Physical Therapy in 2013. She has worked as an …
Keeping Music(ians) Strong
Guys, check this out! I had an interview with Nico de Villiers in my journey on how Music Strong started.
Playing the Flute With Braces
“I have to get braces! Will I be able to play the flute?!” This is an incredibly common question, and one I asked myself when I got braces in the 10th grade. With every student I’ve taught and in my own experience, it’s usually not an issue (though it sure seems scary at the forefront!). In my own experience, I …
Personal Training Partnership with Sound Health Cares for Nashville Musician Union Members
Music Strong is proud to partner with SoundHealthCares as a benefit to Nashville Union Members who enroll! Get a 25% training discount!
Your Hips Are A Hinge
This article was originally written as a recap after a presentation at the Florida Flute Association Convention. It is such a joy to me to get to be able to personally walk people through the mechanics of fitness and learning how to properly use their bodies to better play their first instrument, their bodies, before picking up the flute. Speaking …
Are You Ready to Push the Reset Button?
Yesterday on our podcast, Jen and I talked about some exciting things we have coming up! My exciting thing is the Covid Comeback Challenge! You can secure your spot here, or hit that “Contact” button and tell me what instrument you play. Let’s do this! https://youtu.be/8Nix_pAznz4
Teaching Safe Strength In the Studio – Virtually!
View PostWorkshop At Belmont University School of Music
Recently, we were delighted to be asked to present at the Belmont University School of Music on our workshop of injury prevention for musicians. We have workshops in 1-2-3 hour increments. This was the two hour workshop and the students came excited and eager, enthusiastic and engaged and not only did we have a lot of fun, we learned a lot. Currently …
Upcoming performances and events
Things are really coming along on the website, and we’ve got a few glitches to workout, but until they get fixed, I don’t want you to miss out on where you can find me and what I’m doing! 6/28/2018 Class 9-10 AM “Morning Mobility” Music City Flute Studio Flute Camp, St. John’s Lutheran Church, Donelson, TN. Class geared towards flute …
Artist Fitness Workshops
We have two coming up!! First is at Tennessee Songwriter’s Association International on March 18th and the next is at Belmont University. The Belmont workshop is during their convocation and for Belmont students only, but you can still get registered for the workshop on the 18th You can register on the product page here: https://13f.0c6.myftpupload.com/shop/artist-fitness-workshop/ Can’t wait to see you …
Fitness for Instrumentalists and Vocalists in Nashville Feb. 6
I’m super excited to announce that Nashville vocal coach Robin Earl and I have teamed up to bring you what will be the first in a monthly series of fitness for musician workshops. We don’t want anyone to feel excluded – this casual, interactive workshop is for everyone: vocalists, sound techs, musicians, song writers, load crew, managers, etc. Musicians have …
Free Workshops for Musicians tomorrow at Climb Nashville!
Tomorrow is the day! Come join us at Climb Nashville’s brand new West location, located just minutes away from Music Row for our first workshop tomorrow, June 10, 2014 from 1-4 PM. The next workshop will be the following Tuesday the 17th, same time same place!The initial workshops are free but we do ask you to register since space is …
Do You Follow Me On Pinterest?
Music Strong is on Pinterest! Come see what we’re pinning for musicians, for health, for fitness and for fun. [SlideDeck2 id=6105]