Most compendiums of studies and exercises suffer the same fate as the infamous home -trainers: one sets out full of good intentions but after a few weeks of blood, sweat and tears they are left to gather dust in a corner. Why? Anyathlete prefers a proper cross -country run to a stint on the treadmill. If there is variety and a chance to make decisions, all the senses become involved. May this set of studies be spared the fate of the exercise -machine -rather they should serve as the equivalent of a cross -country run with people feeling liberated, 'with -it ' and keen to set and achieve their own targets. Exercises for the left hand ■ Waking up the fingers ■ Double stops in theneck positions ■ Double stops in thumb positions ■ Changes of position on the chromatic/diatonic scale ■ Changes of position in free fall on the chromatic/diatonic scale ■ Extensions on the chromatic/diatonic scale ■ Octaves onthe chromatic/diatonic scale ■ Thirds and fourths ■ Natural harmonics ■ Artificial harm onics ■ Exercises for the right hand ■ on one string ■ on two strings ■ on three strings ■ on four strings