What's happening?!

[drummerchick435]

I just started drumming for about 45min to 1 1/2 hrs lately. Here's the thing: the tops of my arms start hurting and twitching (not horribly just for a little while). Is this due to bad technique or does have to do with strength?

[Deathmetalconga]

Probably both. Try sitting straighter, maybe have your drum teacher check your posture. Also take more breaks and use lighter sticks.

[Class A Drummer]

Yeah it could be both. The thing is to always stay looose, no matter how hard you play.

[drummerchick435]

Thanks! I'll try to take more breaks. I'll also ask my band instructor about it 'cause I don't have a drum teacher.

[fourstringdrums]

It could be due to bad technique. Make sure you're holding the sticks correctly and you're using your wrists more than your whole arm. Above all else if it gets worse, STOP. You don't want to hurt yourself.

[maddrummr]

Its (almost) all in the wrists.

Well how long did you practice before? The longer time period is probably what you are not used to. If you practiced for 35 minutes before...then jumped too an hour or so, well then your muscles are not used to that, so they start hurting to make you stop.
Its just like everything learning a fast song. Take it at a slower tempo and work up to the speed. For this situation take your practices maybe a bit longer every week. Not a whole 40 minutes in 2 days.

[fourstringdrums]

Also, did you warm up first?

[maddrummr]

Also, did you warm up first?

Ahh nice call, I cant believe I forgot about that.

Always warm up fellow drummers. As it may seem useless, it actually isnt!!!

[Class A Drummer]

It could be due to bad technique. Make sure you're holding the sticks correctly and you're using your wrists more than your whole arm. Above all else if it gets worse, STOP. You don't want to hurt yourself.

Yes very good idea. If it stops hurting stop. Try a different technique/grip, if it still hurts do not play. As Jim Chapin Once said....


"If they tell you no pain no gain... shoot them."

[fourstringdrums]

Yes very good idea. If it stops hurting stop. Try a different technique/grip, if it still hurts do not play. As Jim Chapin Once said....


"If they tell you no pain no gain... shoot them."

I just had Carpal Tunnel Release surgery on my left hand last Friday and I have to have the right one done on the 26th. It was because of all my years of putting pressure on my hands because of my crutches, but I know that my years of not always using the best technique didn't help either.

[drummerchick435]

Thanks guys! This is totally unrelated to this topic but great news: a kid in my youth group at church just talked to me about starting drums!

[xMrJeffx]

OK well that usualy sounds like u dont warm up b4 u play...

B4 you play ALWAYS WARM UP! otherwise your arms are going to hurt...I'd say play some like snare drum stuff and rudiments (Paradiddle's (RLRR LRLL) Single Stroke Roll (RLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRLRL) etc.)

And Also Look Into The "Moller Stroke" go on the main page for Drummerworld and click or search for Jeff Queen and he's really good at explaing stuff like that!

TTYL...

God Bless,

Jeff

[whitesnake]

I have recently been warming up a diffrent way and starting starting slower just doing straight rolls and basic rudiments, I do some rolls and rudiments on the snare and closed high hat to get a diffrent bounce, then do paradiddles and triplets with no foot work on the hat and snare and around the kit.
but if your fore arm muscles are burning and twiching you are probably griping the stick to hard or in the wrong and not using the rebound of the stick to your advantage.

[da cheese walks]

hmmmm....i dunno but when i started drumming, after a few months of practicing 3 hours a day,every day,i started getting crazy pain in my shoulders and across my back,it went away after about 3 days or so....and i also recently began to have crazy pain in my legs when i started using double bass....?i kind of thought it was just the fact i was using previously unused and un-worked muscles?

or is that meant to happen.....it only happened when i started those two things....so i dunno!?

or am i dying?