Strengthening endurance when performing puppets

[Skeet]

When your performing with puppets what is the best way to hold it up so that your hand can stay up longer? And or is their an excersise you can do to strengthen that muscle? You see I just started a puppet team and were having some trouble with keeping our hands up. I've done puppets a while ago but i don't remember if their is a certain way to hold your hands or not.

thanks

nikki

 

[zoetrope]

Leo Brodie article touches on this.

This does not completely answer your question, but this article, Introduction to Video Puppetry: Manipulation for the Camera, has some very good info on the puppeteer's basic stance.

As far as endurance goes, the only advice I have is take breaks periodically. You can mess up your shoulder if you keep your arm up too long day after day without breaks.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

When your performing with puppets what is the best way to hold it up so that your hand can stay up longer? And or is their an excersise you can do to strengthen that muscle? You see I just started a puppet team and were having some trouble with keeping our hands up. I've done puppets a while ago but i don't remember if their is a certain way to hold your hands or not.

Ideally you want to keep your arm perfectly straight, but also as relaxed and loose as possible. If anything ever feels strained in puppetry chances are you're doing it wrong.

It takes practice to build up the necessary muscle endurance. If you keep doing it eventually it just gets easier. Puppetry usually works several muscles in your hands and arms that your body doesn't normally utilize so you have to develop them over time.

 

[Super Scooter]

Holding your hand as if you were holding a baseball while performing helps prevent later aches and pains you'll have in life such as carpol (can't spell) tunnel syndrome.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Depends on what you're performing from/behind. I HATE getting on my knees and holding a puppet over my head, as it strains my lower back. Much prefer sitting if I have to be low, or standing if/when I can.

 

[Phantom]

I suggest weight training. Now before everyone gets crazy, light weights (5-10 lbs.) and exercises that work the shoulder area and the arms (bi, tri and forearms). It helps me.

Overall conditioning will help you hold odd positions. I performed last night behind a 5' 6" stage and I am 6' tall. I held a slightly bent-knee, legs spread apart position for about 20 minutes, before I was able to relax. Just some suggestions. G'luck.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I totally forgot to mention: When I trained puppetry, there was this 6 year old who was determined to be a good puppeteer, and he had these spindly arms. I told him to put one of his dad's shoes on his hand above his head and hold it up there for a long time, then get a boot or something. He ultimately kept getting heavier and heavier stuff, but finally he ended up being able to hold a puppet up for 4 minutes straight, and will end up being an awesome puppeteer!!

I suggest that the best thing you can do, really, is to get you a puppet--jsut like you're planning to use--and use it at home; hold it up and lip sync to records or CDs or whatever, and even TV shows and see how long you CAN hold it up without passing out.

 

[Super Scooter]

Depends on what you're performing from/behind. I HATE getting on my knees and holding a puppet over my head, as it strains my lower back. Much prefer sitting if I have to be low, or standing if/when I can.

Oh, yes. I've noticed that too. I don't much care for being on my knees, it makes my knees and back hurt. The chair's a much better option there.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

If you do puppetry on your knees a lot be sure to wear good kneepads. It helps a lot.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

If you do puppetry on your knees a lot be sure to wear good kneepads. It helps a lot.

When shooting Muley videos downtown, I never took knee pads. I ended up with dirty, rusty looking knees from the dirty Memphis streets, and BOY were they sore.