Does woking out help drumming?

Gladiatoranc

Junior Member
So i have been working out at the gym for about 6 months now and id like to have you guys opinion on wether working out helps druming, actualy has negative effect or is neutral(have no effect on druming at all).

I am wondering if those muscles im working out at the gym could actualy slow my speed and touch on the drums. Im not huge or anything, i just look fit, but i need to know the effect it can have on me long term, because for me druming goes first and my 'body look' goes second. Im ready to quit working out anytime if i think its causing me damage.

Looking forward for your answers and opinions.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

Doesn't hurt. But working out is not specific to the drum set either so don't expect to start miraculously playing better because you've up your bench reps.
 
Re: Does working out helps drumming?

working out and getting in shape should help your over-all stamina. I don't think basic training will have a negative effect, probably quite the opposite, just like stretching before you play it should condition your muscles so drumming does not fatigue you so much. I think if anything might help you be a better drummer it might be taking mixed martial arts or something like that.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

Ive thought about this for a while and I think its down to your joints, tendons, ligaments ,whatever, I am very skinny and dont have much mustle also I have thin bones which could ve weaker as a result but ive never had a problemin getting better.

It may be about tendon/ligament strengh too if thats even possible because we can do one thing such as a roll and maybe do it again but for longer a few months later. So maybe having more mustle will probably have a neutral effect as it doesn't really get built up in the places used when drumming.

We shouldnt tense up either when playing.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

I think exercise such as jogging/ swimming/ cycling etc would be more beneficial for you as drums are more about speed and endurance, not so much strength (depending on what style of music you play of course).
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

I think aerobic exercise helps a lot. I walk to work, and walk about 4 miles a day. I've only been doing this for the past 10 months or so, and I have a lot more endurance when I play.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

I agree, I used to cycle/scoot and trampoline a lot and iv'e always been energetic.

I eat a balanced diet too so maybe thats why I have plenty of energy.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

I thought you meant cooking with a wok! I was going to say yes!

;)

That's funny Bo! ٩(̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾)۶٩(-̮̮̃-̃)۶٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶♪٩(͡๏̯͡๏)۶٩(-̮ ̮̃-̃)۶٩(̾●̮̮̃̾•̃̾)۶٩(-̮̮̃-̃)۶
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

I don't think it helps or hinders but I'm against really heavy lifting. Yoga on the other hand taught me how to sit up really straight and remain balanced. Not that I always do, but I'm much more aware of the position I'm in and what I'm capable of.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

I feel working out in general helps your life overall. Be it a jog, daily walking or going to the gym. The key is a healthy lifestyle, and physical activity is an important part of that.

Years ago, I spent much time in the gym driving the iron. 3 years ago, I returned back to drumming after a long (25 yr) break - so to me, working out was always a priority. I'm not pumping as much iron nowadays, but still maxing more than your average 50 yr old :)

I don't think working out has really helped my drumming. In fact, at times it has hindered it. I often use heavy dumbbells on an incline bench or shoulder press. With the dumbbells on my knees, I use my legs to lift them to shoulder height for the pressing exercises. There is quite a lot of weight the legs are lifting up, so for 2 days my double pedal sucks because my legs feel like jelly. Same thing happens to the elbow and biceps after working out arms.

Actually, I do believe working out helps you LOOK GOOD when drumming with large biceps. But hey, all the awesome drummers I've seen don't have very big arms...
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

Just regular strength training will make you strong and tone. Don't think you'll get super buff with a normal workout. You won't. Muscles like that takes dedication and lots of steroids. If you look at the natural bodybuilders, they don't look like those meatheads with the veins popping out everywhere.

If anything it will increase your endurance, not slow you down. Look at Bruce Lee, he worked out a lot and he was fast as greased lightning.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

Yes I would also say it would increase your stamina, I mean is anyone really struggling to hit the drums as hard as they wish? I doubt it. Unless you get sore arms after playing for a while, I doubt you will notice a difference between working out and not working out. I would say most drummers don't work out at all and I have seen many with skinny arms.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

I'd say maybe it's even better to focus on cardio but weight training is great, too. I'm into running (although not too intensely), with runs typically in the 10 km range, up to 20 km. A few months back I did a double bass endurance test - heel-up/singles @ 200 bpm, for 40 minutes straight. Not sure I could have made this with no cardio background.

I also do some weight training at times, too. My approach is to keep the weight moderate but to for more repetitions or to execute them a bit faster than I'd normally do when going for more weight.

PS: Take a look at JoJo Mayer - does he look like working out? But if you're familiar with his DVD, there's a terrific clapping exercises which 99% of us wouldn't go manage to get through the first time trying it. So speed, strength, endurance and coordination is certainly nothing which can be identified by the mere outward appearance.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

Being in shape never hurt nobody.

Being in shape doesn't mean you have to be big and bulky. Look at the Shaolin monks. Probably the fittest group of people on the planet. Lean & mean.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

If I had to pick a workout, I think I'd choose a cardio over a straight strength workout. Reason being is because if I'm playing a two-hour set, I need to make it through with little to no tiring, fatigue or muscle pain. I think cardio is setup for the long haul a little better than strength.
Also, a drum can only be so loud. So having the strength to [presumably/theoretically] hit it harder....don't know if I need that. If drumming were a contact sport, and I needed to be more physical than I am, then I'd think about it.
What I need is to be nimble, fast, on-the-money and precise. How I get there is to walk a lot, breathe right, eat right and do other activities that keep my limbs loose and quick [biking, ping pong, frisbee, kicking a ball, etc].

Drumming can be one of the greatest workouts, if you approach it that way. It's pretty rare to see a pro drummer that's not in freakishly good shape for a guy his age.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

Stay away from the gym IMO, the best thing for drumming is drumming. Practice with your band three times a week for 4 hours at a time you'll soon get were you need to be. But more importantly great technique will use less energy and give you more power than poor technique.

If you are not waking up in the morning after a rehearsal feel sick and aching, with your hands hurting you aren't trying.... that's a joke but maybe a little truth in there.
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

This is an interesting subject. I too think that the best exercise for drumming is drumming itself (and it's certainly more fun!), but I had a surprising experience recently:

I run a few times a week, and recently I changed my running style to reduce impact on my knees. The new running style changes the impact so the work/stress is shared differently to the various leg muscles. In particular my calf muscles had to work a lot harder and ached a lot for the first couple of weeks as I adapted :)

Cut to a practice session a few weeks after I changed my running style, and I'm noodling away. I do a little double kick 16's and notice that I can do them faster than I used to. So I get the metronome out to check, and I'm about 30bpm faster, and still stable. Now I wasn't super fast before, and we're only talking about going from 130bpm to 160bpm. But I hadn't been practising double kick in between, and it was a genuine increase in speed. Nobody was more surprised than me, but there it is.

I don't think I'll be doing arm curls to improve hand speed or anything like that (LOL), but thought I'd share that while this subject is up for discussion...
 
Re: Does woking out helps drumming?

Working out will not hurt your playing unless you injure yourself in a manner that gets in the way. Being healthier is always better.

Drum-specific workouts are done with your sticks in your hand, on a drum or practice pad.

One benefit to being a fit and healthy kind of person is it gears your thinking toward commitment and repetitive practice. A lot of your workout wisdom will translate to your practice habits.

In terms of what workouts will directly help your playing, a strong aerobic base will be a significant help, allowing you to relax and stay fresh-thinking through a full night of playing. For that matter, an aerobic base will positively effect every part of your life. Jog, bike to work, or maybe take two or three spin classes/week. If your gym offers a spin class, that would be a great way to warm you up for your weight lifting. Most spin classes are run such that they are HIIT workouts, which have maximum aerobic and anaerobic gain for minimum time spent.
 
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