The art of block practice and mindful res

Rest is essential in the process of learning any activity. For that reason, block practice is a highly effective approach. Studying in blocks is a fundamental part of my daily musical work and of my lessons on Conscious Musical Practice.

We will work with two types of block divisions: one focused on time blocks and another focused on the analysis and extraction of passages from the repertoire.

Practice becomes much more efficient when both types of division are used simultaneously. In other words, the repertoire should be analyzed, divided, and studied within time blocks.

Time block division

Except for special cases, I don’t recommend practicing for more than 40 minutes without a break.

The main reason is that our brain cannot stay in an “intense” state of focus for hours without rest, and our muscles can also become overworked, which may lead to pain or injury.

Studying for 40 minutes with deep attention is a highly demanding activity, so it’s best to start with shorter blocks—5, 10, 15, 20 minutes—and gradually build up to 40 minutes while staying attentive to what you’re doing.

All the practices we do in class will help you develop this ability to stay focused for 40 minutes. It’s something that grows little by little through consistent work.

Note: Rehearsals and concerts often last longer than 40 minutes without stopping, and it might seem like we need to “build endurance” to survive them. But in reality, daily practice is usually much more intense. During rehearsals and performances, other biological processes come into play that help us stay alert and perform better.

Between each study block, it’s important to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Why rest is essential

Rest plays a fundamental role in our learning process, mainly for two reasons:

a) Our brain learns during rest.
Think of music: musical phrases need silence so we can understand them. In the same way, our study needs rest to be absorbed. Without rest, there is no real learning.

b) Muscles need rest to prevent injury.
To make music, our muscular system must stay in good condition. Rest prevents overexertion, helping us build a long and healthy career.

Musical practice is often compared to high-performance athletic training, and it’s true that musicians demand as much from their bodies as athletes do.

However, I don’t know any 80-year-old athletes who still compete at a high level. So, if we want a long and healthy musical life, it’s not very logical to train exactly like athletes do.

As the great trumpeter Clark Terry said: “The secret to longevity is to rest before you feel like you have to.”

It’s advisable to take a longer rest after practicing for two hours.

I don’t recommend practicing more than four hours a day. In fact, three hours is usually more than enough to work on everything you need. If you also have rehearsals, remember that three hours of practice plus three hours of rehearsal means playing for six hours—a huge demand on your system.

To prevent injuries effectively, we need to develop strategies that help us solve technical challenges in less time and use study methods that allow us to progress without playing: listening to music, reading, analyzing pieces, etc. There’s a lot we can do without the instrument in hand.

Resting effectively

When we rest, it’s important to actually rest. It sounds obvious, but it’s not as simple as it seems.

What not to do during rest:

• Checking WhatsApp or messages

• Scrolling through social media

• Listening to music

• Reading

• Mentally practicing or studying without playing

What to do instead:

• Lie down in constructive rest (you’ll find a video at the end of the article)

• Go for a walk

• Meditation practice

• Mobility exercises

• Gentle stretching

Important notes:

1. Resting for more than 10 minutes can sometimes make it harder to get back to playing, especially in cold weather when muscles cool down.

2. If you use constructive rest, it’s best to do it lying on the floor, but if that’s not possible, you can do a variation using a wall (we practice this in class).

3. If lying down isn’t an option, a short meditation or gentle stretching session can be just as effective.

Using constructive rest as part of your practice

If you can lie down and use constructive rest during your study breaks, here’s a useful practice:

a) Choose one area of the body to “release.” For about five minutes, focus on softening and releasing that part as much as possible—it could be a shoulder, a finger, your hand, your tongue, etc.

b) You’ll likely notice that several areas relax during the process. Observe which ones they are; that can reveal what you were unconsciously tensing while playing.

c) After resting, choose one part of the body to observe as you go back to playing. Practice with the intention of keeping that area as relaxed and free as possible. In other words, dedicate a few minutes to observing one specific body part. The goal is to play as musically and expressively as possible—with the greatest freedom of movement.

d) After your practice period, rest again.

How we use these resources in class

In my lessons, we work with different strategies to integrate constructive rest efficiently into daily practice, always based on each student’s specific needs.

We don’t use the same block divisions when preparing for an audition, competition, performance, or exam as we do during regular daily study.

We also go deeper into repertoire analysis and the possible challenges within each piece. This analysis helps us find efficient ways to break down difficult passages and study them more effectively.

Would you like to learn more about my lessons? You can find more information here:

• Lessons for musicians in general

• Lessons for flutists

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