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View Full Version : How long did it take to get used to braiding your hair?



OakTreeGirl
January 20th, 2012, 05:46 PM
My hair is pretty short right now but I've started french braiding it before bed to keep it tangle free. This seems impossible to do well. I've watched videos and I feel a little dumb for finding it so difficult. It takes me so long that my arm starts to hurt by the time I'm done. (Maybe I need more exercise!) So, how long did it take before you became a master of your locks? I dream of long hair, but I know I can't maintain a hair length that requires a lot of time on a daily basis. I need to be able to just put it up and go, if I need to. Is that a reasonable expectation? Also, as the quality of your hair improved with better care, did that make braiding easier (due to fewer flyaways, etc.)?

spidermom
January 20th, 2012, 06:15 PM
I think it took about a weekend of practice with my roommate to learn how to french braid, but it took longer than that to do my own hair. Sometimes it still turns out crappy-looking! Not having layers will make it much easier. Keep practicing. You'll get it.

t_ballet26
January 20th, 2012, 06:23 PM
I have recently started doing my french braids lower on my head and it is much easier and looks much better in my opinion. I start around my ears. This was my first attempt after not doing them for a few years. My arms get tired when I start them up higher and I could never get it to look good from the front.
http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/picture.php?albumid=9611&pictureid=124342

kidari
January 20th, 2012, 06:45 PM
Research, practice, and a good understanding of your hair... it all takes a lot of trial and error and patience with a desire to learn and a realistic knowledge of your own hair type. As it gets healthier and as it gets longer your will find that your routine will need to change as well as the hairstyles you wear. Good luck! Just remember that sometimes you can research how it works for others but pay specific attention to those who have hair similar to yours and remember that most of the time you will have to modify it a little to tailor it more to your hair needs or quirks.

Pierre
January 20th, 2012, 07:04 PM
I don't remember how long it took me, but my first Dutch braid came out Belgian.

Long_hair_bear
January 20th, 2012, 07:11 PM
It takes a lot of practice. I can 3 strand braid quick as lightening, but French and Dutch braiding still takes ample time and effort, and like spidermom, I still don't always get it right. Keep working at it and practicing so that by the time you have long hair, you'll be an expert. :D

Kitkey
January 20th, 2012, 07:21 PM
I've been working on being able to do a decent french braid for ages. I've started to try to put one in a few times a night while watching tv before bed and as soon as I get one that holds well I will sleep with that one in. I haven't worn one out of the house yet though. I can't get one to look good if I start right at the top of my head so I have been starting them a section above my ears with much more success.

Delila
January 20th, 2012, 07:26 PM
Do you mean 'how long did it take before my arms quit getting tired just from having made the effort to braid my hair?' ??

Sadly, I don't know. The time frame was short enough that I didn't quit from exhaustion, if that's a help. (and I really do remember the hand/arm/shoulder fatigue in the beginning)

I do know that I now braid my hair at least once a day (I braid it every night to sleep in) without really noticing the effort it takes..

For what it's worth, my hands and forearms don't get tired the way they used to.

I do think it takes a bit of practice (and, basically exercise) to get your muscles accustomed to the exertion.

Just keep practicing, and try and be patient with yourself.

Madora
January 20th, 2012, 09:02 PM
My hair is pretty short right now but I've started french braiding it before bed to keep it tangle free. This seems impossible to do well. I've watched videos and I feel a little dumb for finding it so difficult. It takes me so long that my arm starts to hurt by the time I'm done. (Maybe I need more exercise!) So, how long did it take before you became a master of your locks? I dream of long hair, but I know I can't maintain a hair length that requires a lot of time on a daily basis. I need to be able to just put it up and go, if I need to. Is that a reasonable expectation? Also, as the quality of your hair improved with better care, did that make braiding easier (due to fewer flyaways, etc.)?

French braiding (whether English technique or Dutch method) boils down to a LOT of practicing. It took me a month before I could do it on myself.

My shoulders and arms killed me when I first started out learning to French braid. It seemed impossibly fiendish at the beginning, but with plenty of patience I finally mastered it.

I've never had any problems with the quality of my hair but have discovered that an overnight EVOO treatment aids greatly in giving your hair wonderful slip for braiding.

Also, to keep your strands from "self braiding" at the ends, always make sure to keep all 3 strands separate..all the way down, while French braiding. You simply have to hold the braid in progress with one hand, while you gently "rake" down the strands with 3 fingers to help separate the strands (each time you make a cross over).

vanity_acefake
January 20th, 2012, 09:38 PM
I cannot remember (sorry) as I've alternated between long hair and short hair all my life and just seem to have always been able to braid my hair. It may have been because of my GirlsWorld styling head I had as a child. I find it easier to do my own hair than someone else's.
I'm struggling with French braiding my very fidgety 8 year old daughter's hair. She just can't sit still.

OakTreeGirl
January 20th, 2012, 10:08 PM
Thanks for the helpful and encouraging responses! I'm starting to believe I will get good at this now. I'm glad I'm not the only one with arms that need to be "hairstyle" trained.

LadyKate
January 20th, 2012, 10:11 PM
I think it probably took me about a month of practicing before I got good at french braiding my own hair... that was over 10 years ago though, so my memory's a little fuzzy. Dutch braiding I've only mastered relatively recently, it probably took me about a week of practicing it every day to get that down (knowing the french already probably helped). Oh, and my arms still get tired, especially if I'm doing 2 braids. But once I get down past the french part, I pull the braid around the front over my shoulder and it's easier.

blondie9912
January 20th, 2012, 10:50 PM
I'm afraid I don't remember, but not so long that I quit before I mastered it. You'll get there soon enough, don't worry :) Just remember to use your thumbs while French braiding! They're crucial for me

sfgirl
January 20th, 2012, 11:01 PM
I'm so bad at french braiding my own hair! This thread gives me hope. :)

lunalocks
January 22nd, 2012, 08:46 PM
It might help to watch some one french braid their hair. Once I fugured it out, it was a breeze. It takes me 1 to 2 minutes. Now the other braids....

FrozenBritannia
January 22nd, 2012, 09:04 PM
I don't remember. I have been able to french braid since elementary school, my mom had a big book of braids and was sometimes able to be begged into doing one on my hair, and I spent a lot of time looking at the braids and reading the directions. I also loved making those braided bracelets when I was really young, even the fancy knotted ones in patterns etc, so I don't actually remember learning how to braid english style, I must have been about six. The biggest thing is to figure out what works for you, I can't watch myself in the mirror, and I can't focus on my fingers or I drop something. Inside my head is basically "left, and then add to the right, go under, add to the left, go under, add to the right, go under..."
Tension is important too, you will figure out as you go how tight you like your braids, etc, what works best for your type. If your fingers are cramping you may be holding your hands too stiff, try curling your finger around the hair more instead of holding your fingers tight together.
Practising on a doll is good, if you happen to have on around, but a string mop, yarn fringe, or beaded curtain would work too, anything where you can have three strand going and then add more.
:)

Torrin Paige
January 22nd, 2012, 09:30 PM
I don't remember when I learned to braid my own hair. I imagine I figured it out on Barbie and then switched to my own. As far as French braiding? It took years!

Up until about three years ago, I was sure I'd just never be able to do it. Then, I watched a tutorial on a bunned French braid by my lovely friend Isabelle and I noticed she only added hair to the outside strands and not to the middle. My mind was blown. I had always thought you had to add to all three strands - and thus my French braids were just mangled, tangled messes. I sat and watched her braid her hair again and followed along. Holy cow! I had a French braid. It wasn't the neatest thing ever, but it wasn't bad, either - and it was certainly better than any of my previous attempts.

It took about a week of wearing one every day to get it down pat. Now I don't even think about it - my hands and fingers do it all on their own. Muscle memory is a strange and wondrous thing. Also? I've found that larger sections make it look neater. :)

Oh, and as to muscle fatigue - my arms are really strong now. Every now and then I attempt a style with a ton of braids or something and they'll get a bit tired, but as to one or two French/Dutch braids? It ain't no thang!

Bagginslover
January 23rd, 2012, 02:09 AM
I can do a french braid quick as anything on someone elses hair, but on my own its a totally different story! On someone else, layers are no problem, I just bobby pin them as I go if needed, but my own hair, no way I can bobby pin ANYTHING til I'm done! I'm sure its just practice, and I do wonder if a dutch braid might be easier on myself, as the layers might be held better with the plait on top (might try that out actually.....). But then I can't even seem to master the Gibson Tuck on myself, so a french braid....?!

auburntressed
January 23rd, 2012, 02:35 AM
I'm not sure that I can say I ever "learned" to French braid, as it seems to be a talent I always had - just waiting there. I do remember the first time I ever did a French braid, and thereafter braided my own hair regularly because of it. I was five or six years old at the time. My mom had been putting my hair in braids my whole life. We were living at Ft. Meade at the time, and there was another on-base mother over who wanted to see how to French braid, so my mom had her daughter sit down and showed the woman how to do it. I was like, "THAT'S what my mom does to my hair? I can do that." So I went off, sat in the corner, and French braided my own hair - single braid down the back. Needless to say, my mother and her friend were beyond shocked. First try. I have never looked back.

bratz81
January 23rd, 2012, 02:42 AM
I can french braid my hair but I'm very slow at it still and therefore my arms get tired. I'm talking it takes me 10 minutes to french braid it.
I think partly it's because I have layers and getting them matched in properly takes more time than if it were all one length.

B-L
January 23rd, 2012, 04:37 AM
Well, I've been practicing for few months now and still cant get it right :D I can make a regular braid with 3 strands very quickly but frech, dutch, lace etc takes e foreveeeer!

Hang in there!

jacqueline101
January 23rd, 2012, 06:08 AM
It me a while but how long I don't remember. My hair was really v hem line made it impossible to braid. I started using monistat. My hair is more of a u hem line and its easier to braid for that reason.

jojo
January 23rd, 2012, 06:14 AM
I have been able to braid since a little girl so couldn't tell you how long it took, but its pretty easy to learn, so a week end of youtubing should sort you out!

Sushi144
January 25th, 2012, 05:05 PM
I don't remember how long it took me, but my first Dutch braid came out Belgian.

That's just excellent ! :D

moxamoll
January 25th, 2012, 05:14 PM
It's been a while for me too, so I don't remember how long it took to master, but I definitely remember snarled hair, sore arms and vast frustration. It's just boils down to perseverance and practice, I think. Now I can do English, French, Dutch, Fishtail without any trouble or thought. I'm working on expanding my repertoire to 4 and 5 strands, box braids, waterfall braids, etc.

Good luck!

Kitsu
January 25th, 2012, 05:42 PM
french braiding eludes me, but reading everyones commets here gives me hope that I may get it one day. To be honest I cant even English braid behind my own head. I'm a dab had at twin braids though :)

krissykins
January 25th, 2012, 06:02 PM
It took about six months for me to do a decent French braid, and six months after that (now), my arms still hurt when I braid because I do it so infrequently. Daily practice is very beneficial. You're doing well so far, don't give up! :)

Vanille_
January 25th, 2012, 07:32 PM
It took me about a week to get the Dutch braid down. That was several attempts each day.

There was a day that I couldn't do a Dutch braid to save my life.
The other night, my friend told me while I was drunk I tried to prove I wasn't drunk by doing a Dutch braid in my hair. She said I did it perfectly in less than a minute.

I guess I've put it in muscle memory.