Why do people like Thomas Pridgen not lose their sticks?

[Jivi]

Some drummers are fast and hard hitting. What gets me is that they can hold on to their sticks, even when their hands are probably sweaty. I doubt they are holding on tight because a tight grip to me is very restrictive, but I find it hard to play fast with volume without either losing my grip or tightening it too much.

[Bradastronaut]

Propper technique i guess?
Thomas pridgen has been playing like that since he was like 3, i bet it doesnt even seem that fast and loud to him anymore!
And if you look at thomas closely while playing you can tell he is extremeley loose, but i have seen him drop sticks before ;)

[Aeolian]

Thomas is one of those people who lives with a pair of drumsticks in their hands. I've met him a few times and watched him playing with mutual friends. And after a gig, he can be pretty sweaty. He really works it back there.

But that apparent wild abandon is actually very studied and controlled. He has countless hours of rudiments behind him and has amazing control of the sticks. Watch his left hand doing ghost notes. He has a firm grip on the stick with his thumb while still letting it ride freely. The slightest movement of his ring or little finger translates into a ghost note and then he can lay into an accent with the slightest of twitches. So when you see him swinging his arms around like a crazy man, his hands are still doing very precise rudimental movements.