Contents
1. Exploring the Whole Width of the Bow
2. Cultivating your Legato
3. Long and Short Strokes
4. Phrasing Exercise
5. Triplets
6. Across the Strings, Upwards
7. Across the Strings, Downwards
8. Up and Down across the Strings
9. Across Three Strings
10. Across the Lower Three Strings
11. Across Four Strings, Part 1
12. Across Four Strings, Part 2
13. Portato Exercise
14. Dotted Rhythm Exercise
15. Driving Rhythm Exercise
(based loosely on Grieg's Holberg Suite)
16. Triplets Across Two Strings
17. Portato and Staccato Exercise
18. Legato Across Strings
19. Quickly Across Two Strings
20. Triplet Rhythm Exercise
21. Portato/Staccato and Legato Combined
22. Across Four Strings, Part 3
23. Spiccato Exercise
24. Flying Spiccato Exercise

Welcome to the fourth volume of the Cello Gym Series: Bow Fitness Training!The concept of how to train and improve your bowing technique introduced inthis book is not entirely new. At the end of the 19th century, the Czech violinistOtokar Sevčik published his "School of Bowing Technique", which quicklybecame a staple of bowing exercises.
The French cello teacher Louis Feuillard transcribed this method for the cello, and since then, every cellist aspiring to master his or her bowing technique comesinto touch with Sevčik's method at some point in his or her life.
However useful Sevčik's exercises are I have yet to meet a cellist who is notfrustrated in the face of the sheer volume of material. Finding the right exercisesand tailoring them to your daily practise schedule is a major challenge. And thusthe idea developed to take Sevčik's concept as a basis for a new method.This book takes a very practical approach. As long as you stick to the giventempo, one workout should take about 10 minutes. At the beginning of eachworkout, there is a short piece that you should play once in order to familiarizeyourself with the music. After that, there are a number of variations to practisethe bow technique in question.
To improve your bowing, you need to be patient. Changes and improvements arenot happening overnight. Some exercises can be a little tedious. Developing agood spiccato can take years. Be patient and don't give up! Tackle one workoutat a time, and don't overdo it. Stay relaxed throughout. If your arm hurts, stopplaying and try to find the reason. Do not hold the bow tightly, rather let it rest onthe strings and guide it.