I took some time over the last few days to work on simple writing exercises to improve my penmanship and am slowly unlearning using the fingers to write. Now the cramping is mostly in the forearm and bicep. Based upon what i have read I don't think I am using the correct muscle groups yet. Any good suggestions on how to hurt where it should hurt?
sore muscles
- Thread starter Mr5x5
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I don't know, but I'm right there with you. The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of non-stop practice and my hand and forearm muscles have been hurting. Are you right or left handed?
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- #3
right.
The illustrations I have seen show more shoulder muscle action. It could be my desk as well. I may try working at my stand up workstation and see how that feels.
my table and desk are both too high, but if I kneel on the floor, my coffee table is PERFCET. I've been eyeing a drafting table, but my wife is already getting angry about how much time I'm spending practicing my writing. Let me get comfortable and she'll really get hacked off, lol. If it's just muscle soreness, maybe you're just using muscles that aren't normally used in that way. I'm sure with practice they will get get accustomed to the work. At least I hope that's the case ;-)
elevate arm, loosen grip. search kate gladstone. get myrubberarm for the muscles
this goes back to my childhood learning from a 50's Speedball book of lettering (then my dad got a newer one from the 60s)....it is all shoulder movement.....pretend your arm is bent at a 90 degree angle and and everything is encased in a cast right down to your fingertips. Hang loose....loose grip....and open up those circles....!!!!
I learned these when I was in grade school and used them to make posters in High school....I was pretty proficent back then...not so much any more,...
http://www.google.com/search?q=spee...AG19YG4AQ&sqi=2&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=899
I learned these when I was in grade school and used them to make posters in High school....I was pretty proficent back then...not so much any more,...
http://www.google.com/search?q=spee...AG19YG4AQ&sqi=2&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1280&bih=899
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Anytime you subject your muscles to a range of motion they're not used to, they're going to be a little sore afterwards.
Is "too weak to use a pen" taken as a custom title? 
But to get the shoulder movement, I feel I need to keep my elbow almost off the table, then that starts getting tiring. But I'm only a few days into the practice, will see if it gets better.
Is "too weak to use a pen" taken as a custom title?
Well, the pen is mightier than the sword.
Gripping too tight, tensing up. Proper use of the pen, especially a fountain pen, should alleviate muscle soreness. We are used to resting our arm on the table and using our fingers and wrists to make the letters. Once we get the whole arm into the game the soreness should end, but it will take a little conditioning. They are much bigger muscles, so with practice the pain should subside.
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- #11
Thanks for the feedback all. I first picked up a FP because of carpal tunnel issues so it is good to know that perhaps things will improve.
Odd, I seem to have picked up some artwork in my post?
Odd, I seem to have picked up some artwork in my post?
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Especially my patented gun pen.
I'm not a fan of Kate Gladstone. To improve handwriting I like the Palmer Method or if you really want to get fancy, Spencerian penmanship.
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