And look at you now!
However, I’m 6’ 2" and like 240 pounds of manly flute player, so I dunno if my hand strength is at issue . . .
(Is playing flute “manly”, really? Sure, we think so, but the brass players are always taunting male flutists . . . Maybe that’s why I came later to this instrument, after years of horn, trombone, and tuba playing. Had to become secure in my maleness, y’know.)
I’m trying some things, maybe making progress; will let folks know if I figure it all out.
Nobody taunts this flute-player.
Never quite comprehended the stereotype…it’s always someone else (the taunter) who makes the phallic connotations. Do the math. Also, there’s nothing inherently feminine about playing it; trad flute’s a pretty athletic undertaking.
During a break at a performance, one of a party of priests out on the town said to me, “You know what they say about flute players…” and I made a broad point of rolling my eyes at this. Not satisfied with the aforementioned lameitude, he later went on to inform me (for I was by then swabbing out) that many oboe players use a peacock’s tail feather to do the job. Said I, “Ah, that’s too f**king precious for me. Oops; sorry, Father!” 
Back on topic: I’m always stretching my hands, especially the left one. I have to, or I have hell to pay otherwise. The most effective stretch for me is to splay the hand as if imitating a starfish while simultaneously stretching the fingers in an upward curve. Maybe this can help some people.
Well, things are improving.
What’s helped (and here, a blanket “thanks” to all who posted advice):
–A couple of minutes of stretching before playing. Not just a brief stretch, but systematic, pay-attention-and-do-it stretching.
–Consciously moving my LH thumb on occasion to ensure I’m not gripping the flute with it. By the same token, reminding myself to relax.
–Rolling the head of the flute towards me just a teensy bit more than before. It took only a short time to adapt to the slightly diffeent embouchure (or angle of attack, anyway) required.
–An hour with my Alexander Technique-certified buddy. I can see how regular practitioners of this stuff might become True Believers; it’s an interesting, and apparently effective, approach to body awareness and balance. For a while after that lesson, I felt about three inches taller and much more balanced, sitting, walking, standing. Of course, I’m back to lumbering around like a disheveled bear again now, but I’m paying attention to the body position stuff we discussed while playing flute, and it seems to help.
The improvement is encouraging to me, so I’m sticking with it. I’m hoping the improvement will continue; I still hit that cramping wall that makes me put the flute down for a few minutes (I try to do that before the cramping gets beyond mild), still only on the one flute. If the improvement remains steady – as I hope – I’ll be happy. If the discomfort remains, I’ll try a few suggestions Terry had about dealing with the issue, which may in fact be a function of the way my not very flexible hand relates to this thinner flute body. This may involve experimenting with flat, piper’s-style fingering on the left hand. I’ll give it a while, though, to see if the problem continues to improve.
That they’re great kissers, right?
A friend just told me this one (those easily offended by humor directed at the priesthood, please stop reading)
“A pedophile, a rapist, and a priest walk into a bar . . . and that’s just the first guy!”
He claims he heard it told by a priest, so, you know, that means it’s okay. . .
Hello, herbivore,
i’m glad it’s getting better. I came across this site when i was looking for something else, and they have some articles that may interest you:
http://www.flutelab.com/ergonomy.htm
http://www.flutelab.com/posture/posture.htm#wrists
http://www.flutelab.com/Solutions/solutions.htm