Beginner Guitar - Stiff Threat Fingers (middle and ring)

Hi Everyone,

I am very new to guitar playing (about two weeks). I am having great fun with it ans so far have been putting at least 1 to 2 hours a day of practice. I am doing a beginner course on this website and I am at the stage of discovering notes along the threat board. I noticed my hand is still quite stiff and especially movement ability between my middle and index finger. Trying to spread all four fingers between the fifth and eighth threats takes an enormous amount of effort and time. 

I guess my question is...Is this something that over time will improve with practice or should I start focusing more on strength workout for the hand. 

Thanks,

L

Yes, it will improve with time. Remember your hands are doing things they have never done before. The more you do it, the more relaxed you'll become. Relaxation develops more fluid mobility

finger dexterity is the (physical) foundation of every chord, and melody

The more dexterity you develop:

The more difficult things you can do with ease.

also:

it's FRET/s; FRETboard; etc

which inspires the question:

WHY are they called FRETS?

cursory perusal of dictionary yielded origins of fret (to worry)

but originally it meant to consume, or "eat up"

...

which sort of makes sense in a way;

but feels like a lot of license is being taken with the word.