Would performing undermine my retraining?

QUESTION: I have a job and I have to be performing. As much as I want to dedicate my time and effort only into retraining, I still have to be performing in awkward ways. Would this undermine my retraining?

ANSWER: This is a very common question among performing musicians. As a performing musician, I had 3 different types of 'playing' which were..

#1 Slow and thoughtful retraining, being conscious of movements and sensations, every little split second of a time.

#2 Free play when I'm not under pressure. Playing freely as is, and allowing myself to just observe symptoms as they come up (and perhaps not trying to do anything about it).

#3 Do whatever I have to do to perform in public. With all the unnatural position, unnatural tensing, unnatural fingering you name it...

All 3 are essential especially as a performing musician in retraining.

#1 is the foundation of the retraining, #2 compliments what you're worked at #1 and also open some different insights, and #3 will eventually come closer to #2 when things start rolling, and then merge with #1 when things start getting effortless.

As long as you are spending enough conscious effort at #1, I don't think you will be harming yourself further more by doing #2 and #3 as long as you're not physically straining yourself in any way.