| Treadmill. Rowing-machine. Thigh-Master. Violin? | | | | lead to certain injury or death, housecleaning |
| So many of us hope to keep in shape with home | | | | included. |
| exercise equipment, but quickly lose interest and | | | | Sure a good fiddle will set you back over $1200, |
| focus. I have best intentions in maintaining my | | | | but unlike the Solarplex machine, it will appreciate |
| daily dose of sit-ups with my goofy exercise | | | | in value and is a much more attractive addition to |
| gadget, but, alas, the "tummy trimmer" sits | | | | your home. Of coarse the exact number of |
| gathering dust in my closet. | | | | calories burned depends on the shape of the |
| Enter the violin. Recognized by its ornately | | | | player and how much she's getting into the music! |
| feminine shape and sweet tone, the violin is the | | | | You could say a scale would burn far less calories |
| world's most perfect instrument. Fiddling has been | | | | than "Devil's Dream" or a Bach Partita at 160 BPM. |
| a favourite past-time and passion for thousands | | | | Unlike exercises where the participant is merely |
| of musicians for over 300 years. It brings joy and | | | | strengthening muscles, playing violin is a complete |
| delight to all and is often depicted being played by | | | | exercise for mind, body, and spirit. "It differs from |
| a beautiful angel. | | | | exercise for the sake of health or stress relief," |
| As described in the film "The Red Violin," the violin | | | | says Harry L. Mills, PhD.D. In his book, "Physical |
| is "a perfect marriage of science and art." Known | | | | Actualization," Dr. Mills focuses on the experience |
| as the "intellectualist's instrument," many of the | | | | of physical activity. |
| great minds of our time have taken up the | | | | Mills says "playing requires tremendous physical |
| fiddling, such as Einstein, Sherlock Holmes and | | | | skills. Somewhere behind the physical actualization |
| yours truly. Kidding aside, playing violin can greatly | | | | is a drive toward self-expression through |
| enhance concentration, coordination, and mental | | | | disciplining the body. The actualization process |
| focus and is wonderfully soothing to listen to. In | | | | involves the whole person, making it a total |
| fact, violin is the instrument of choice among | | | | experience." |
| music therapists. | | | | This fresh new look on exercise is apparent in |
| As well as being rewarding for your mind and | | | | health journals everywhere. "Playing a musical |
| spirit, recent studies show that it is also physically | | | | instrument" (violin and cello in particular) is |
| beneficial. One hour of violin playing can burn 177 | | | | recommendation #15 in the Diabetes |
| and 216 calories. The number of calories burned | | | | Self-Management's "100 Tips for a Healthier Life." |
| during 1 hour of playing violin is comparable to 1 | | | | Once more people discover this little exercise |
| hour of walking, horseback riding, housecleaning, | | | | secret and turn to the violin, we flabby fiddle |
| American bowling (with the big balls) or surfing. A | | | | teachers will be in the best shape (other than |
| big pro here is that one cannot DIE from playing | | | | round) ever! |
| violin, whereas the other activities mentioned can | | | | |