In the weight room, there are two basic approaches.  You can try and lift using more weight and consequently perform less repetitions.  Or you can perform more repetitions and therefore use less weight.

Each approach serves a different end.

If you want to gain muscle, more weight and less repetitions tends to work better.

If you would prefer your muscles to be more toned and to develop more control, the greater number of repetitions will probably help you more.

A long distance runner will be burdened by having a bulky upper body and an American football player will be at a disadvantage without that same bulky upper body.

On saxophone, you actually want to uses the concept of both heavy lifting and repetition.

Certain things we play on saxophone require a lot out of us and can only be done for so long.  Long tones for example.

Normally you get breaks when you play.  Some songs don’t have a lot of rests, but few things you play are as physically taxing as long tones.

Playing the hard parts is kind of like lifting heavy weights.  Practicing things which challenge you is also something that matters a lot since your playing will get better overall if you focus in the right places.  You won’t be able to get in as many repetitions on the hard parts as you could on something easier, but it will help you out more effectively than simply running through easy parts.

Working on the fundamentals and using repetitions to make them stronger will also improve your playing.  Being able to play one note exactly how you want it to be is an awesome thing to be able to do.

Using repetition on the harder parts as well as the fundamentals in general will tone your saxophone muscles overall and make you a better player.

What do you think?  Leave a comment!