Legs hurts after constant double bass drumming?

icedgreece

Senior Member
Alright.

On my kit, I have a true, double kick drum setup, each drum with a Speed Cobra. The beater is about 5 inches from the batter, and the pedals are pretty sensitive. I've been doing a lot of research and it's all just common sense.

I play heel up, but my legs are at about a 75-80 degree angle. The problem is, my stool won't go low enough. But I like to sit high on my kit, I feel more dominant over everyone else. I have some cheapo stool right now, but when my AAX Metal ride comes in I'll grab one of those stools that look like a V. Not sure the name of it.

Every day I will try to play through a song, like Nightmare but my right leg is just cramping and hurting after. In the back of the calf, heelcord of my foot, and behind my knee. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. It's more on my right leg than my left leg. But, I do use my right leg more.

I put my stool to the lowest it would go, and my legs still hurt while doing this. It's been like this for about 8 months when I just got my true double bass kit. I don't remember feeling it on my double pedals on my old kit.

I trued moving the pedals and drums, nothing really helped.

So, do you guys have any idea? I'm 5'11 or 6 ft, which ever one. I don't want to damage my legs so I have no idea. Any help is appreciated.

Thanks!

* I also want to get faster but I'm sure it just comes from plenty of practice and time.
 
Maybe that song is not too far below your peak speed? Just like with the hands, unless you're really cranking out notes around your peak speed, it shouldn't be much of a strain. You could try taking some time to slow it down and develop your legs back up to that speed. If you want some exercises and tips I'd be glad to share. If it was a different part of your leg I might think positioning problem, but the calf burn sounds like your muscles just aren't at that tempo yet. Good luck
 
Maybe that song is not too far below your peak speed? Just like with the hands, unless you're really cranking out notes around your peak speed, it shouldn't be much of a strain. You could try taking some time to slow it down and develop your legs back up to that speed. If you want some exercises and tips I'd be glad to share. If it was a different part of your leg I might think positioning problem, but the calf burn sounds like your muscles just aren't at that tempo yet. Good luck

Well see, the double isn't that fast. It's just the long double kick that I can't keep going on.

I'd be greatly appreciative if you showed me some exercises, though.

Thanks.
 
How fast are your double strokes on the bass drums, relative to the singles?
 
Buy, borrow or steal a camera and record your feet while you're playing. If there's a technique problem, someone here will spot it.

Yeah that would be a good idea. Throw in examples of your practice routine as well, at the intensity that you practice with.Are you talking about 110bpm 32nd note doubles on the bass drums? If you are, I don't think I should be the one giving you tips.........

But here you go... I pretty much just practice everything in the Lang DVDs. So if you've seen em, this is redundant. You might do alot of these already, but they're pretty good leg conditioners.

These are all single stroke exercises

1. Practice everything heel up and heel down... and with a metronome.

2. Practice various 16th note patterns with strict sticking (footing?), any 8th notes are played by right foot, any 16th note off-beats are played by left. Right hand rides 8th notes (high hat or ride), left hand plays backbeat. (2 and 4 snare)

Example foot pattern:
| x L x L | x x R L | x x R L | x x R L | x L x L | x x R L | x x R L | x x R L | x L x L | etc.

3. Same thing but with sixteenth note triplets. Right foot plays any eighth note triplet, left foot plays any sextuplet off-beat. Right hand rides with triplets, left hand plays backbeat.

Example foot pattern:
| R L x L x L | x L x L x L | R L x L x L x L | x L x L x L | etc. This one is awesome at a fast speed

4. Same thing but with thirty-second notes. Right foot plays any sixteenth note, left foot plays any thirty-second note off-beat. Right hands rides sixteenth notes, left hand plays backbeat.

Example foot pattern:

Ok I know a really cool one, but I gave up trying to write it....

In all the patterns the right foot and right hand will strike together, and the right hand and left foot will always be linear.

5. Practice 3, 5, and 7 stroke rolls as singles and practice stringing them together. Play a backbeat over them if you need to make them more interesting.

6. Cycle up and down through the subdivisions (quarters to 32nd notes) as singles on the bass drum under a backbeat.

7. Half time/double time singles

So yeah... that's what I do. Haven't gotten around to practicing doubles yet, they look so hard...
 
My two thoughts, and $.02.

IMHO anything tighter than a 90 degree angle of the leg is inefficient and likely reduces blood flow. So I think you're working harder than you have to, and not feeding the muscles as well as you could.

Bass technique must have, again in my opinion and my teacher's, a momentary rest in most every stroke to allow recovery and prevent injury. Even a millisecond of rest when your heal hits the floor adds up over the length of a song and a set. You say you play heel-up non-stop, no wonder it hurts!
 
My two thoughts, and $.02.

IMHO anything tighter than a 90 degree angle of the leg is inefficient and likely reduces blood flow. So I think you're working harder than you have to, and not feeding the muscles as well as you could.

Bass technique must have, again in my opinion and my teacher's, a momentary rest in most every stroke to allow recovery and prevent injury. Even a millisecond of rest when your heal hits the floor adds up over the length of a song and a set. You say you play heel-up non-stop, no wonder it hurts!

Duh! I totally missed that. I'd say get your angle to a little above 90, it takes tension off all around. Especially the abs, back, and hip flexors
 
Maybe your stool is too low. Knees should a little lower than your hips.
 
Buy, borrow or steal a camera and record your feet while you're playing. If there's a technique problem, someone here will spot it.

Alright. I've come down with a cold so I'll see if I can record it. It may be sloppy but I'll play with my same technique.

Yeah that would be a good idea. Throw in examples of your practice routine as well, at the intensity that you practice with.Are you talking about 110bpm 32nd note doubles on the bass drums? If you are, I don't think I should be the one giving you tips.........

But here you go... I pretty much just practice everything in the Lang DVDs. So if you've seen em, this is redundant. You might do alot of these already, but they're pretty good leg conditioners.

These are all single stroke exercises

1. Practice everything heel up and heel down... and with a metronome.

2. Practice various 16th note patterns with strict sticking (footing?), any 8th notes are played by right foot, any 16th note off-beats are played by left. Right hand rides 8th notes (high hat or ride), left hand plays backbeat. (2 and 4 snare)

Example foot pattern:
| x L x L | x x R L | x x R L | x x R L | x L x L | x x R L | x x R L | x x R L | x L x L | etc.

3. Same thing but with sixteenth note triplets. Right foot plays any eighth note triplet, left foot plays any sextuplet off-beat. Right hand rides with triplets, left hand plays backbeat.

Example foot pattern:
| R L x L x L | x L x L x L | R L x L x L x L | x L x L x L | etc. This one is awesome at a fast speed

4. Same thing but with thirty-second notes. Right foot plays any sixteenth note, left foot plays any thirty-second note off-beat. Right hands rides sixteenth notes, left hand plays backbeat.

Example foot pattern:

Ok I know a really cool one, but I gave up trying to write it....

In all the patterns the right foot and right hand will strike together, and the right hand and left foot will always be linear.

5. Practice 3, 5, and 7 stroke rolls as singles and practice stringing them together. Play a backbeat over them if you need to make them more interesting.

6. Cycle up and down through the subdivisions (quarters to 32nd notes) as singles on the bass drum under a backbeat.

7. Half time/double time singles

So yeah... that's what I do. Haven't gotten around to practicing doubles yet, they look so hard...

Haha I wish 32's. But thanks for the tips I'll try them out. Are there any videos of them?

My two thoughts, and $.02.

IMHO anything tighter than a 90 degree angle of the leg is inefficient and likely reduces blood flow. So I think you're working harder than you have to, and not feeding the muscles as well as you could.

Bass technique must have, again in my opinion and my teacher's, a momentary rest in most every stroke to allow recovery and prevent injury. Even a millisecond of rest when your heal hits the floor adds up over the length of a song and a set. You say you play heel-up non-stop, no wonder it hurts!

So tighter as in higher?

I mean my kit is pretty big. I can try to lower the racks a little lower and sit lower, but I don't want to be behind the cymbals if I'm on stage. I want to be seen!

Duh! I totally missed that. I'd say get your angle to a little above 90, it takes tension off all around. Especially the abs, back, and hip flexors

Abs? I got flab, haha. My throne doesn't go much lower but I can try.

Maybe your stool is too low. Knees should a little lower than your hips.

They are a tad lower than my hips now, so.


Thanks guys, I'll try and post a video tomorrow.
 
Ahh hey guys.

Sorry It's been like 3 weeks, my bad. I've been over loaded with work.

I've been messing around with my pedals, drum setup's, and I still can't find it. I want to bring by bass drum closer but unfortunately, my 14" tom prevents that. I'm not sure what else to do. I mean, I know I need practice with it but I'm expecting to do better than what I can do now.

I'll set everything back up and get a vid here within the next week. Hopefully.

Sorry for the wait...
 
Haha I wish 32's. But thanks for the tips I'll try them out. Are there any videos of them?



So tighter as in higher?

I mean my kit is pretty big. I can try to lower the racks a little lower and sit lower, but I don't want to be behind the cymbals if I'm on stage. I want to be seen!


Tighter as in smaller as in lower. You should try going higher. I will record some patterns.
 
Are your legs more spread out using the double bass drum as opposed to the double pedal set up? If so your inner thighs are getting more work with the double drum as opposed to the pedals. Its not a muscle fatique I think your dealing with tendons and nerves. To become tired in 20 seconds is usually nerve related. You need to sit higher instead of lower and your drum stool quality is as important or MORE important than any piece of equipment you own. I know when your young you don't think of a stool as important but if you ask any drummer who has sat behind a set for more than 25 years you'll find out how wrong you are. Drummers are prone to nerve damage in their backs and their hands and legs are often riddled with poor circulation. Buy yourself a high quality hydralic seat with the optional back rest and give your back a chance to stay healthy and pain free.
Are you more spread out with the 2 kicks??? Doc
 
I mean my kit is pretty big. I can try to lower the racks a little lower and sit lower, but I don't want to be behind the cymbals if I'm on stage. I want to be seen!

Abs? I got flab, haha. My throne doesn't go much lower but I can try.


Comfortable, ergonomic setup should be the most important thing, not appearances... And why do you want to be seen if you got flab? :)
 
Don't sit lower, sit higher so that the top half of your leg is level with the floor or even slopes down a little. And you must rest your foot/leg at the end of the stroke. Heel-up is fine for a short passage, but I bet nobody can do it all night.

As for visibility, this guy seems to have figured it out. Move them cymbals to the side so you look badass when you reach over to give them a whack.

mangini-big.jpg
 
Try one more thing. Are you sitting on the edge of your stool.? Is it cutting off blood flow like a tourniquet. If the edge is pressing into your thighs it will cut off blood flow. Sit back on your stool so that your knee joint is closer to the edge of the stool.
 

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Don't sit lower, sit higher so that the top half of your leg is level with the floor or even slopes down a little. And you must rest your foot/leg at the end of the stroke. Heel-up is fine for a short passage, but I bet nobody can do it all night.

I agree... And furthermore Icedgreece,don't sit too near the drum, you need to be behind the kit, not in it.
 
And the OP went??????????? Over.....................where??????? Doc
 
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