Daily Warm-Up Routine

When to read this: Session 1 assigns this handout. Read it after the session: the reading is not part of the session’s 50 minutes. Read “Step 1 — Hand Movements (From Session 1)” and “The Warm-Up by Session” (about 5 minutes).

What You’ll Learn

This handout gives a warm-up routine of about 5 minutes. It includes hand movements, a quick tune-up check, a picking-hand activation exercise, a chord check, and a fretting-hand activation exercise (the spider crawl). The routine grows as the course goes on: each step says which session it starts from.

Why This Matters

Playing guitar demands fine motor control from your hands, wrists, and forearms. Warm hands move more easily. A short warm-up takes your hands from everyday life into guitar-playing mode, and it lets you check that the guitar is in tune and that your fingers are landing where they should before the real work starts. Pain rule: tender fingertips are normal. Pain in the wrist, forearm, thumb joint or knuckles, numbness or tingling, any sharp pain, or pain that lasts into the next day means stop. The full rule is in START HERE.

This handout explains the warm-up movements the sessions use and gives a longer routine for days when you have time. The sessions’ own warm-ups are the ones to follow.

The Routine

Total time: about 5 minutes. Do the steps in order. Some steps start in later sessions: each heading says when, and “The Warm-Up by Session” below lists them all.

Step 1 — Hand Movements (From Session 1)

Do these before touching the guitar. If your hands are cold, rub them together or hold a warm mug. Keep your fingertips dry.

1. Open and close both hands loosely five times.
2. Circle each wrist five times each way.
3. Touch your thumb to each fingertip in turn.
4. Shake the hands out.

This is movement only. Nothing is squeezed, nothing is held, and nothing is pulled with the other hand. The held stretches are at the end of this handout: they are optional and are for after playing.

Step 2 — Tune Your Guitar (From Session 1)

Pick up your guitar. Before any exercises, check your tuning.

1. Use a clip-on tuner or a phone tuner app.
2. Play each string open: E-A-D-G-B-E (6th to 1st).
3. Adjust any string that is not in tune.
4. A well-maintained guitar that was tuned yesterday will need minimal adjustment. A new guitar or one exposed to temperature changes may need more.

In your first weeks, tuning will take several minutes. That is normal, and it becomes quick.

Saga SF-600C-BK note: Steel strings hold tuning better than nylon after the initial stretching-in period (first 1-2 weeks of new strings). If your guitar constantly goes out of tune, check that the tuning pegs are tight and the strings are properly wound. See Guitar Guide for detailed tuning instructions.

Step 3 — Picking Hand Activation (From Session 4)

Before Session 4, do this instead: strum all six open strings four times with slow downstrokes.

Open-String Alternate Picking

Strings: All 6, open Tempo: 60 BPM, one note per click (quarter notes). When that is even and relaxed, raise it 5 BPM at a time to 80 BPM. Then change to two notes per click (eighth notes) at 40 BPM, which is exactly the same speed, and raise it 5 BPM at a time to 60 BPM. Pattern: Strict alternate picking — down, up, down, up

e|--------------------------------------|
B|--------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------|
E|------0---0---0---0---0---0---0---0---|
Pick:   D   U   D   U   D   U   D   U

1. Start on string 6. Pick 8 notes (down-up-down-up-down-up-down-up).
2. Move to string 5. Repeat.
3. Continue through all strings to string 1.
4. Then reverse: string 1 back to string 6.

Focus on:

• Relaxed wrist — the motion is small
• Consistent volume on down and up strokes
• Clean targeting — only the intended string sounds

From Session 13: After the single-string exercise, add string crossing: pick string 6 (down), then string 5 (up), then string 4 (down), and so on across all strings. This warms up the hand for melodies and scale runs.

Step 4 — Quick Chord Check (From Session 2)

Play one strum on each chord you know, slowly, to confirm your hands are ready. Check that every note rings. Add each chord from the session that teaches it:

• Session 2: Em
• Session 3: Am
• Session 5: E
• Session 7: D
• Session 8: A
• Session 10: G
• Session 11: C
• Session 17: F (simplified)

If any chord sounds muted or buzzy, adjust your hand position before proceeding to the main practice. This quick check catches issues early — cold fingers, shifted hand position, tuning drift.

Step 5 — Fretting Hand Activation: Spider Crawl (From Session 10)

The spider crawl comes after tuning and after the easy playing in Steps 3 and 4, never first.

The spider crawl: fingers 1, 2, 3 and 4 play four frets in a row on one string, one finger at a time, then the next string. Each finger lifts after its note.

Strings: Start on string 6 (low E) Frets: Sessions 10 to 12: frets 5 to 8. Sessions 13 to 18: frets 3 to 6. Sessions 19 to 24: frets 1 to 4. Fingers: One finger per fret. At frets 5 to 8: finger 1 on fret 5, 2 on fret 6, 3 on fret 7, 4 on fret 8 Tempo: 50 BPM, one note per click (quarter notes)

The TAB shows frets 5 to 8. Read the first six lines from left to right (strings 6, 5 and 4), then the second six (strings 3, 2 and 1):

e|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
G|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D|----------------------|-------------------|---5---6---7---8---|
A|----------------------|---5---6---7---8---|-------------------|
E|------5---6---7---8---|-------------------|-------------------|
Finger: 1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4

e|----------------------|-------------------|---5---6---7---8---|
B|----------------------|---5---6---7---8---|-------------------|
G|------5---6---7---8---|-------------------|-------------------|
D|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Finger: 1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4       1   2   3   4

Play ascending through all 6 strings (string 6 to string 1). Then descend:

e|------8---7---6---5---|-------------------|-------------------|
B|----------------------|---8---7---6---5---|-------------------|
G|----------------------|-------------------|---8---7---6---5---|
D|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
A|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
E|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
Finger: 4   3   2   1       4   3   2   1       4   3   2   1

e|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
B|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
G|----------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
D|------8---7---6---5---|-------------------|-------------------|
A|----------------------|---8---7---6---5---|-------------------|
E|----------------------|-------------------|---8---7---6---5---|
Finger: 4   3   2   1       4   3   2   1       4   3   2   1

Stop if it pulls or aches.

Focus on:

• One finger at a time — each finger lifts after its note
• Minimum pressure — only enough for a clean note
• Arched fingers — no collapsed joints
• Relaxed wrist — keep the wrist close to straight
• Each note should ring clearly with no buzz

This is not a speed exercise. It is a wake-up exercise. Stay at 50 BPM and focus on clean, relaxed movement. After the course: up to 70 BPM, raised 5 BPM at a time.

The Complete Warm-Up at a Glance

Step	Activity	Starts
1	Hand movements (open and close, wrist circles, thumb to fingertips, shake out)	Session 1
2	Tune the guitar	Session 1
3	Open-string alternate picking, all strings (before Session 4: four slow strums of the open strings)	Session 4
4	Quick chord check — one strum on each chord you know	Session 2
5	Spider crawl — ascending and descending, all strings	Session 10
	Total	about 5 minutes

The Warm-Up by Session

This warm-up grows with you:

• Before Session 2: Steps 1 and 2 only, then strum all six open strings four times with slow downstrokes.
• From Session 2: Add Step 4, the chord check, with Em. After that, add each chord from the session that teaches it: Am (Session 3), E (Session 5), D (Session 7), A (Session 8), G (Session 10), C (Session 11) and the simplified F (Session 17).
• From Session 4: Add Step 3, open-string alternate picking, at 60 BPM with one note per click.
• From Session 10: Add Step 5, the spider crawl, at frets 5 to 8.
• From Session 13: The spider crawl moves to frets 3 to 6. Add the string-crossing variation to Step 3.
• From Session 16: You may add 30 seconds of hammer-on/pull-off warm-ups after the spider crawl (see Finger Exercises, Level 3).
• From Session 19: The spider crawl moves to frets 1 to 4, the widest: stay at 50 BPM for them. Add scale fragments (C major, A minor pentatonic) after the spider crawl for a more musical warm-up.

Common Mistakes

1. Skipping the warm-up entirely. It is tempting to jump straight into a song. Resist. A few minutes of warm-up makes the rest of your practice more productive because your hands are ready.
2. Starting with cold hands. Warm hands move more easily. If your hands are cold, rub them together or hold a warm mug. Keep your fingertips dry.
3. Turning the warm-up into stretching. The warm-up is movement only: nothing is squeezed, held or pulled before playing. The held stretches are optional and belong after playing.
4. Using the warm-up as speed practice. The spider crawl starts at 50 BPM and the picking activation at 60 BPM for a reason. This is not the time to push for speed. Warm up gently, then push in the main practice.
5. Forgetting to tune. Playing an out-of-tune guitar trains your ear to accept wrong pitches. Always tune before practising, even if you only have 10 minutes.
6. Pushing sore fingertips through the full warm-up. Tender fingertips are normal. If they sting or burn, or the skin is blistered or broken, do only the parts that do not press strings today: the hand movements and the open-string picking.

Injury Prevention

• Do not skip the warm-up when returning after a break. If you missed a few days of practice, your hands need it even more. Start gently and at a slower tempo.
• If anything in the warm-up hurts, stop. The pain rule near the top of this handout applies to every step and to the optional stretches.
• Cold rooms: If you are practising in a cold room (below 18C / 65F), spend extra time on the hand movements. Consider wearing fingerless gloves until your hands warm up, then remove them for playing.
• After playing: After an intensive practice session (30+ minutes), repeat the hand movements from Step 1. The gentle stretches at the end of this handout are optional.
• The golden rule of guitar warm-ups: if you do not have time for a full practice session, you still have time for the warm-up. Even if you only play for 5 minutes, those 5 minutes are the warm-up. Never go straight into difficult material.

Equipment Notes

• Tuner recommendation: A clip-on tuner (such as a Snark or Korg Pitchclip) attaches to the headstock of the Saga SF-600C-BK and detects pitch through vibration. It works well in noisy environments. Alternatively, a free phone app like Guitar Tuna is adequate for practice.
• Metronome: Use a metronome or metronome app for the spider crawl and picking activation. A steady click (50 BPM for the spider crawl, 60 BPM for the picking activation) keeps the warm-up honest and prevents rushing. Many free metronome apps are available for phones.
• String feel during warm-up: If the steel strings feel rough or sticky on your fingertips during the spider crawl, wipe them with a dry cloth before starting. Accumulated oils and dirt increase friction and make slides uncomfortable.
• Guitar stand or case: Keeping the Saga on a guitar stand (rather than in a case) makes it easier to pick up for a quick warm-up. The more accessible the guitar, the more likely you are to warm up — and practise.

Optional, after playing: gentle stretches. Never force, never into pain

These are not part of the warm-up. Do them only after playing, when your hands are warm. Hold each stretch for 5 seconds. Never bounce. Go only as far as a mild pull, and leave out any stretch that hurts.

Finger stretch

Hold one hand up with the palm facing away from you and the fingers pointing at the ceiling, as if signalling “stop”. With the other hand, ease one finger gently back towards you, only until you feel a mild pull in the finger and palm. Hold for 5 seconds, then let go. Do each finger once, then change hands.

Wrist stretch

1. Extend your fretting arm in front of you, palm facing the floor.
2. Use your other hand to gently ease your fingers downward, so that they point at the floor. Hold for 5 seconds.
3. Now turn your hand so the palm faces up, and gently ease your fingers down and back towards you. Hold for 5 seconds.
4. Repeat with your other arm.