Some thoughts on drum technique and weight lifting

[Mr. Fanzy Pants]

I hit the gym at least 3 times a week. It started like 10 years back when I got carpal tunnel syndrome because of my drumming. I began lifting weigths to strengthen my muscles and by doing that I completely recovered from my CTS.

Anyway, lately I have been using this routine that is very helpfull if you wanna gain more muscle mass. The idea is that you use a weight which with you are able to do maximum 10 or 12 reps but you stop after doing 8 reps. This will have a more positive effect on your muscles compared to doing all 10 og 12 reps and lifting until failure.

I believe this philosophy can be used when developing your drum technique as well. Instead of doing rudiments until your hands start to hurt and you reach the stage of failure (when you are barely able to hold on to your drum sticks), stop playing like 1 or 2 minutes before this stage. After a while you know when this stage hits you and when to stop. I believe this to have positive effects on the muscles in your hands.

[oops]

I prefer not to be pushing my hands to a point where they can't play at all anyway.

It seems if you're aiming to be near this point you're either playing with too much force, or you're trying to play too fast. I'd prefer to work on control than speed.

[Mr. Fanzy Pants]

Fair enough.
But I would say that developing the muscles in your hands would have a positive effect on your technique. And when it comes to playing too fast...didnt know there where limits concerning speed...to achieve speed you have to play fast right? Well maybe i`m wrong.

[LeeLovesSabian]

Sounds like it might actually work.
But I don't push my arms too far, like oops said

[oops]

Ah sorry...

Didn't mean 'too fast'. I prefer controlled practice. Take it close to your limit, make sure the exercise is clean and tight. Then push it to your max if you're after speed, but don't keep it there till you mess up and lose clarity. Make sure you're playing it perfectly. If you start to have problems playing it right pull it back a bit.

On reading your post again, maybe that's what you meant... My bad?

[sciomako]

The idea is that you use a weight which with you are able to do maximum 10 or 12 reps but you stop after doing 8 reps. This will have a more positive effect on your muscles compared to doing all 10 og 12 reps and lifting until failure.

Hmm... in the context of bodybuilding, I think the theory is you need to get the microscopic tearing in the muscle fibre (i cannot remember the exact medical term) in order to build muscle mass. To achieve this effectively, you need to do the lifting until failure.

[abe]

Hmm... in the context of bodybuilding, I think the theory is you need to get the microscopic tearing in the muscle fibre (i cannot remember the exact medical term) in order to build muscle mass. To achieve this effectively, you need to do the lifting until failure.

Yeah it's micro traumas.

But I'd like to say that even most intensive drumming doesn't require big muscle mass. Look at guys like Jojo Mayer or Marco Minnemann; they don't have huge arms. Regarding drums, controlled practice with good form is much better for hands.

[Mr. Fanzy Pants]

You should of course train until failure every now and then. I know that. But if you constantly keep stressing your muslce this much every time you work out you will soon reach a point where the stage of stagnation hits in...unless you are doing steroids....hmmm..this is the www.bodybuilding.com forum right? haha:)

What I maen is that the mucles in you hands are pretty small and do not respond well to heavy training/practising day out and day in....

To gain stick controll I believe gaining some muscles in your hands is a good idea. But at the same time you should not overdo it and be aware the fact that they need rest to grow and recover.