Leg imbalances playing Drums?

WayneD91

Junior Member
Hi guys.

I'm new to the discussion forum.
I've been playing drums for 3 years now. I only have one kick pedal.
I've noticed my right calf and my tibia (shin bone) on my lower right leg is extremely developed.
I also play alot of songs that involve opening the hi hat alot while playing so My left foot and ankle feel extemely developed as well.
The problem with these being developed is that my legs feel imbalanced because my left ankle and foot feels more developed than my right one & my right tibia and calf feel more developed than my left one. The thing is I don't have any pain, it's just my foot, shin & calf tend to get really stiff when I stand which becomes very uncomfortable. I have really long legs so I've tried adjusting my drum stool so my knees are at a 90 degree angle and I even sit back a little bit so that I feel like I have more leg room. I also stretch and do range of motion exercises for my ankles and shins but they still tend to feel tight.
I really don't know what else to do? Is there anybody else out there that has similar problems while playing drums? Help would be much appreciated
 
You're doing different things with different legs. It's normal to have imbalances, both muscular and neuological, when you do different things with each leg. Doing the same thing with each leg will help even them out. Keep stretching, and try to find exercises that work the oppotise muscles to what you use when you play drums.
 
I really wouldn't expect pushing down on a bass drum pedal or a hi hat would do much developing. Both springs are minimal considering the size of the muscles pushing down on them. Imagine lifting 2 pound barbells with your arms. Not much going on there. Maybe endurance but I really doubt any major leg development. I'm guessing you are right handed and do many other things with your feet that may cause some dominant traits.
 
I played competitive tennis from age 10 to about 18. I am left handed, so besides tossing the ball up for a serve with my right arm, I did not particularly use it often (that sounds weird). Either way, my left arm got much larger than my right and still is today, especially my forearm. Take a look at some tennis players and how much larger their dominant arm is (sometimes it is a little freaky). Either way, tennis is a sport where you are using a great deal more muscle power in your dominant hand.

It is hard for me to fathom drum playing is enough of a muscle exercise to cause much development. I have my kick drum pedal set with the spring tension as tight as it will go, have forever. I also play solid, not that I play hard (denting heads, cracking cymbals, shattering sticks), I do not. I play basically the way Bonham did in his latter years, loose but firm finger grip on the fulcrum of the stick and I use my fingers in conjunction with my wrists (and a little forearm) to generate a powerful/solid sound.

Wish playing the drums would help me get back so muscle town and even loose some weight, but I do not think it is going to happen. Take care!
 
I forgot to mention that I do alot of weight training, running & I use the exercise bike alot and have been doing so for the past 6 years and still do. I'm sure that has to do alot with my muscle development to haha. I also tend to play alot of hard rock & heavy metal songs. I just learned paradise city a little while ago and there is a lot of opening hi hat in the intro. Thats when I started noticing my left foot developing. Alot of your comments make sense. I guess I related the fact that My left foot and right tibia and calf are more developed as a result of playing drums rather than it was because of me exercising alot.

Maybe since those parts of my legs were already developed playing drums, I guess running, the exercise bike & weight training has strengthened those parts of my legs even more.

Do you guys ever feel uncomfortable around your lower leg area when standing just because of playing drums.

Maybe it's just me lol and maybe I should get it checked out. I'm trying to do extra calf raises for my left calf to even it out.
 
There's a lot of muscles. You could be using slightly different ones while playing drums. It might be worth making a mental note to make sure you're doing everything evenly while doing other exercises as well. It's normal for your dominant side to work harder than your other side, even if they're doing the same motion at the same time.

Given that you exercise a lot, it makes sense that you'd be sensitive to differences between your right and left lower legs/ankles/feet. Even though you've been playing for three years, you could still be building drum muscles. Depends on how intense you've been playing over that time. Heavier rock and metal have a lot of muscular strength and endurance involved. You'll probably level out at some point and not feel awkward or tired while standing or whatever.
 
Generally speaking you should be using both feet about the same. One is one the hats and the other is on the kick. Both are working and neither is working. No progressive resistance on either and only slightly, if any, additional effort being asserted by your kick foot. Plus you're not kicking in doors, you're using knee/ankle movement which won't effect enough to give you an imbalance. Unless, of course, you're a veal and get NO other exercise in your life.
 
My right calf has always been larger than my left. It isn't the tension of springs on the pedal, it's the number of notes played and the speeds played. Most drummers experience shin muscles tightening when they reach endurance levels. The muscles definitely get a workout, depending on the music and what you play within it.

I play a lot of continuous straight notes on hats, because I favor ride cymbal most of the time. I'm not dancing on the hat stand. But bass drum is another matter. My right leg/foot gets a lot more work, all things considered. Hence, right calf is little bigger. My wife noticed it right away, and asked if it was because of playing the bass drum as I do. I figure so.
 
Alot of the songs I play require alot more bass pedal than they do hi hat so I don't use my left foot as much as I do the Right one. I guess my drum leg muscles are still developing,

To 'Drumsinhisheart'
do you ever feel uncomfortable standing because 1 calf is stronger than the other?
Just curious.

I guess a double kick pedal will help me use both legs more evenly.
 
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