Backwards Bow

Here's an idea for practicing in a way that helps your body explore and experience the bow firsthand. As we say, "It's all about the bow."

• Warm up with long bows on open strings, 4-8x on each string. 
• BUT: hold your bow backwards so your bow hold is near the tip end, as shown.

This completely changes balance, control, expectations – a real shake-up. Yes, you can laugh :-)

I learned this from observing the accomplished students of the Menuhin School in England, when I was 15 and attending the First International String Conference with my teacher, Paul Rolland. (He brought me along as a student guinea pig, because he was at the beginning of a complete overhaul of my playing... 4 hours a day of practice, just to get started. LOL)