True confessions..older and slooower

Bozozoid

Platinum Member
Ok..im getting into this 60's thing..no more Foo Fighters on steroids trying to take over the world. I've always had pretty fast 16ths on the hats and ride. I haven't played forever..we were working up Help...Beatles and I'm struggling like an 8 year old beginner. 6-7 years ago it would have been cake..now I'm embarrassed of my decline. I'm driving home just depressed. Please tell me SOMEONE has overcome this horror.
 
Do you stretch?

I’m 44 and I *need* to warm up now - it’s not optional. Been using Great Hands for a Lifetime to do so, though, to get through it, I need to warm up and stretch for 5-10 minutes first.
 
thanks to marching band practice, and playing metal all my life, my hands are one of the only body parts of mine that are not "feeling it" as far as age goes...

my back, however, hates load in/out more and more...

one thing that might help would be to make sure you do some kind of basic motion/endurance exercises every day. I play for at least an hour everyday no matter what: usually mid tempo basic drumline exercises that I use with the kids, or page 8 of Stone Stick control...tempo around 110-120.

like all the other parts, it is just a matter of keeping them limber.
 
I'm 45 and must do at least 5 minutes of slow warming up otherwise my limbs will tighten up almost immediately. Once I'm warmed up its all good.

I seem to be developing arthritis, or at least joint pain (not from playing), and it dictates how long I can play for some days. Cold days are more difficult than warm.

@brentcn how do you stretch your hands?
 
Luckily ( knock on wood ) at 55 I haven’t really felt the “ old guy” stuff yet.

i guess there are certain drumming things I can’t do anymore such as left foot clave but I believe I could regain that pretty quick if I sat down for a bit and concentrated on it.

i really don’t even play the drums every day anymore but I do play piano and guitar a least an hour a day a that seems to help my drumming hands .

I did work very hard on my hands and coordination starting as a kid for a good 20 years. When playing drums , I love it and everything seems in tact. I pick up the sticks at least three times a week and I am gigging on drums at lest once a week. Drums and music are always on my mind though.

I don’t drink, or smoke. I try keep a regular sleep schedule and I try to eat well too. My cholesterol and weight are good. I walk at least 6 miles a day ( Usually while singing or doing some deep listening to music) I stretch, do push-ups, jump rope, and dance like a fool often times completely lost in music . It’s all very euphoric.I’d like to this keeps me young, at least young at heart :)
 
Luckily ( knock on wood ) at 55 I haven’t really felt the “ old guy” stuff yet.

i guess there are certain drumming things I can’t do anymore such as left foot clave but I believe I could regain that pretty quick if I sat down for a bit and concentrated on it.

i really don’t even play the drums every day anymore but I do play piano and guitar a least an hour a day a that seems to help my drumming hands .

I did work very hard on my hands and coordination starting as a kid for a good 20 years. When playing drums , I love it and everything seems in tact. I pick up the sticks at least three times a week and I am gigging on drums at lest once a week. Drums and music are always on my mind though.

I don’t drink, or smoke. I try keep a regular sleep schedule and I try to eat well too. My cholesterol and weight are good. I walk at least 6 miles a day ( Usually while singing or doing some deep listening to music) I stretch, do push-ups, jump rope, and dance like a fool often times completely lost in music . It’s all very euphoric.I’d like to this keeps me young, at least young at heart :)
I can picture you Dancing with the stars minus a partner. Wish I could dance..chicks love that but for me I'd be better off invisible.
 
I'm 56 and I'm in a working pop / rock cover band. I found that starting around 50, I needed to
work harder at the gym to maintain my flexibility, strength and endurance.
 
I'm 74, I can still do my fast stuff if I just do a little bit each day to keep the muscle memory, then I'm good for gigging but, you can backslide quickly. I remember that 'Help' was always a B to cover back in the day because Ringo has incredibly fast hands, so don't feel bad about that. One saving grace is that you may be older but you have more experience in drumming in a world where the 'less is more' rule is carved in stone so, there is that. Still, those fast cymbal rides are tough, I go 2-hand where that will work
 
Ain't no shame in it. I'll be 51 in October and what I have to do now is make sure I warm up before playing.
If not, I'll stiffen pretty quick.
Fast 16th like back in the day? Hell no. But I'm still doing what I love just at a different tempo.

After all...isn't the tempo what WE say it is? 😆
 
I'm 45 and must do at least 5 minutes of slow warming up otherwise my limbs will tighten up almost immediately. Once I'm warmed up its all good.

I seem to be developing arthritis, or at least joint pain (not from playing), and it dictates how long I can play for some days. Cold days are more difficult than warm.

@brentcn how do you stretch your hands?
1. Pulling my fingers back, collectively, with the opposite hand.
2. Stretching my wrist the other way, pulling with opposite hand.
3. Right arm straight out, palm facing left. Make a fist, but with the thumb inside the fist, then gently "roll" your fist forward/downward, feeling the stretch at the base of the thumb and wrist.
4. Give each hand and finger a bit of massage with the other hand.
5. Stretch shoulders by putting arms straight on the wall.
 
Embarrassingly one of the guitar players..heaven forbid mentioned wether or not the hats werev16ths?..i said it was doubtful but after youtubing it I'll be a son........! If it's not quick 16ths..i now have to go to rehearsal and say I was wrong..i hate that.
 
Embarrassingly one of the guitar players..heaven forbid mentioned wether or not the hats werev16ths?..i said it was doubtful but after youtubing it I'll be a son........! If it's not quick 16ths..i now have to go to rehearsal and say I was wrong..i hate that.
Actually, I'd say Ringo was doing slightly swung 8th notes, which isn't easy at this tempo. I never really noticed that before , and my respect for Ringo just went up a notch : )
 
Actually, I'd say Ringo was doing slightly swung 8th notes, which isn't easy at this tempo. I never really noticed that before , and my respect for Ringo just went up a notch : )
Exactly my thoughts....UNTIL. I've been getting by Paul Blood style which made me laugh out loud when I read his post.
 
Ok..im getting into this 60's thing..no more Foo Fighters on steroids trying to take over the world. I've always had pretty fast 16ths on the hats and ride. I haven't played forever..we were working up Help...Beatles and I'm struggling like an 8 year old beginner. 6-7 years ago it would have been cake..now I'm embarrassed of my decline. I'm driving home just depressed. Please tell me SOMEONE has overcome this horror.
I think you have to remember that some days will be good, some days won't. Nobody is on fire every time they sit behind the kit.

Also you said you haven't played in forever... That's probably the biggest contributing factor. As we age, our muscles tense up and become less limber, so warming up sounds like a good idea. Play on your pad every day to keep limber... Stick Control is great for that.

With Stick Control, an idea could be to pick 3 tempos to work on. So, depending on how much time you have to practice on your pad:

Pick 3 - 5 exercises, and play them 2 minutes each at tempo #1. Then the same thing at tempo #2, then tempo #3. Rather than playing the same exercises every day, change them up. This will ensure that your brain is firing on all cylinders too, as you'll be working to get comfortable with the sticking in a short period of time. And ultimately, all those exercises are singes and doubles, so doesn't matter which exercises you pick, you'll be working on the fundamentals.

I'm late 30s but try to do yoga and exercise regularly to help me stay limber. Perhaps try some light yoga to help with your flexibility.

I hope this is useful. x
 
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