Stiff Arms... Help needed...
- Thread starter Vio
- Start date
shred5
New member
Oh dear.. u've got TENDONITIS..
Its common amongst drummers, who plays without proper warm up and stretching. :?
The condition will worsen if U have a long period of session and U still persist in playing. Let me tell Ya boy, ur forearm will be immobile!! And I'm not kidding!!
Its a good practice for me to warm before every jammin session or gigs.. Be it on my way there, inside a bus or mrt(u'll be getting a lot of stares from other passengers but who cares. Its ur hand. Not theirs.) or come a bit early just to warm up..
An easy way to prevent tendonitis is to stretch those muscles and joints that are being used by our limbs for drumming..
How??
Hold and grip ur sticks. Twist ur wrist clockwise slowly to feel the stretch at the wrist joint and hold. Count up to 5 and return bak to normal position. After 3 or 5 reps, do the same repitition but this time anticlockwise..
This is just a simple stretching that helps to reduce tendonitis. There's still a lot more hand exercises that U could do.
Hope that I answered some of ur questions..
Its common amongst drummers, who plays without proper warm up and stretching. :?
The condition will worsen if U have a long period of session and U still persist in playing. Let me tell Ya boy, ur forearm will be immobile!! And I'm not kidding!!
Its a good practice for me to warm before every jammin session or gigs.. Be it on my way there, inside a bus or mrt(u'll be getting a lot of stares from other passengers but who cares. Its ur hand. Not theirs.) or come a bit early just to warm up..
An easy way to prevent tendonitis is to stretch those muscles and joints that are being used by our limbs for drumming..
How??
Hold and grip ur sticks. Twist ur wrist clockwise slowly to feel the stretch at the wrist joint and hold. Count up to 5 and return bak to normal position. After 3 or 5 reps, do the same repitition but this time anticlockwise..
This is just a simple stretching that helps to reduce tendonitis. There's still a lot more hand exercises that U could do.
Hope that I answered some of ur questions..
thanks for the tip. i remember an aquaintance once teaching me how to stretch before playing... but i've never actually followed it.
Actually what i meant by tensing up when i do a roll is how my elbows and upper arm seems to lock up rigidly, especially when i'm anticipating a big 8 bar fill kinda thing. It's more a psychological barrier than physical, i can see this clearly because even my torso tenses and straightens up during the fill.
How do drummers do a huge roll without the feeling of "panic" and fear?
Actually what i meant by tensing up when i do a roll is how my elbows and upper arm seems to lock up rigidly, especially when i'm anticipating a big 8 bar fill kinda thing. It's more a psychological barrier than physical, i can see this clearly because even my torso tenses and straightens up during the fill.
How do drummers do a huge roll without the feeling of "panic" and fear?
mel80
New member
Some of my humble opinion about your problem here...
It might be the way you play. Sometimes it helps to re-learn some techniques/strokes. Not sure how you approach your playing since I've never seen you play before (or have I?), but you might be using the wrong approach. Put less emphasis on using forearm strength. Instead, use 'finger snapping' (not sure if this is the right term) with a little wrist action. More energy efficient and lesser risk of having your arms tensing up. Kinda hard to explain it with words, but it helps to observe how some of the professional drummers play using finger and wrist action.
And shred5 is right. Proper stretching and warming up is very important, especially when you're playing for a long period.
It might be the way you play. Sometimes it helps to re-learn some techniques/strokes. Not sure how you approach your playing since I've never seen you play before (or have I?), but you might be using the wrong approach. Put less emphasis on using forearm strength. Instead, use 'finger snapping' (not sure if this is the right term) with a little wrist action. More energy efficient and lesser risk of having your arms tensing up. Kinda hard to explain it with words, but it helps to observe how some of the professional drummers play using finger and wrist action.
And shred5 is right. Proper stretching and warming up is very important, especially when you're playing for a long period.
stillwater
New member
go for a thai massage! 
drummar-buah
New member
hey i have a remedy to help that. in fact what i'm going to say applies to EVERY INSTRUMENT, AND TO EVERY KIND OF MUSIC IN THIS WORLD AND TO EVERY PERSON IN THIS WORLD..
START SLOW!!!!
well u may think..isn't that obvious.. well if ur thinking that..then y aren't u doing it huh?? haha i not insulting u or wad la..dun get me wrong k? try going at an extremenly slow tempo...as mel has said..use the finger flicking techinique. if u are totally not comfortable wif that, then u should start developing that technique. it not only enables u to play faster, but you will be less tense. if you are using this technique maybe u should rewind awhile and try to recall your every movement. yes u may be using your fingers but maybe there was one point when u started to get all rolly and real fast then u started to use your whole arm to try to swing your drumstick as fast as u can...maybe that's the point when u started to tense. this could be one scenario. and if it happens..of course.slow down...try to work your double stroke roll..try playin it on a soft surface where your stick won't bounce..that's when you're really using your fingers. then when u get back to the bouncy head of the snare u'll find u can control your stick so much better and u'll be able to play faster without tesing up much. yeah?
i hope i've helped u wif this reply yah?
good luck and keep practicing ok? START SLOW!!!
~drummar buah~
START SLOW!!!!
well u may think..isn't that obvious.. well if ur thinking that..then y aren't u doing it huh?? haha i not insulting u or wad la..dun get me wrong k? try going at an extremenly slow tempo...as mel has said..use the finger flicking techinique. if u are totally not comfortable wif that, then u should start developing that technique. it not only enables u to play faster, but you will be less tense. if you are using this technique maybe u should rewind awhile and try to recall your every movement. yes u may be using your fingers but maybe there was one point when u started to get all rolly and real fast then u started to use your whole arm to try to swing your drumstick as fast as u can...maybe that's the point when u started to tense. this could be one scenario. and if it happens..of course.slow down...try to work your double stroke roll..try playin it on a soft surface where your stick won't bounce..that's when you're really using your fingers. then when u get back to the bouncy head of the snare u'll find u can control your stick so much better and u'll be able to play faster without tesing up much. yeah?
i hope i've helped u wif this reply yah?
good luck and keep practicing ok? START SLOW!!!
~drummar buah~
thanks for sharing dude.
Yes i agree with starting slow and isn't it funny how its so stress-free when we do the huge-ass roll at half the speed?
In fact during jams, i realise that the more i anticipate a hard fill a few seconds before it arrives, the more i tense up. Conversely if i can get it to go into my subconscious-mind, i wouldn't even have to think about it, much less get tensed.
And i guess endless practise is the answer to getting it locked into our body.
'cept that i been practising that damned roll for a few years now...
Yes i agree with starting slow and isn't it funny how its so stress-free when we do the huge-ass roll at half the speed?
In fact during jams, i realise that the more i anticipate a hard fill a few seconds before it arrives, the more i tense up. Conversely if i can get it to go into my subconscious-mind, i wouldn't even have to think about it, much less get tensed.
And i guess endless practise is the answer to getting it locked into our body.
'cept that i been practising that damned roll for a few years now...
hifi_killer
New member
maybe its that damn cold aircon?
drummar-buah
New member
hey vio.. probably ur not really feeling the music..maybe if u are able to feel your music..and when the time comes for your extreme roll, probablly your hands will flow naturally with your brain and u may be less tense..hmm..keep practicing ok? don't give up.
hmm one thing..are u tensed before playing..that means while ur trying to anticipate the roll..u consciously keep thinking of which count to come in..or something like that..then u start to get tensed...
OR
isit while ur doing ur roll your hands tense up?
if it's scenario 2 then obviously u gotta practice more. for me i use the sort-off french grip with my right hand when i play fast rolls. if u don't know what a french grip is, u can look at an orchestra band and look closely at the timpani player. watch him when he's making a roll.the french grip is played with your hands close to your body. BUT although i use the french grip finger technique in which alot of fingerwork is required..i don't play it like a timpani player..i still play it at around a 45 degree angle from my body to the the stick. come to think about it..i'm not sure if it's considered fench grip anymore.. but anyway..u can try changing your grip and finger technique. it MAY help. for your info, i use traditional grip.
anyway
if it's scenario 1, i really don't know how to help. but maybe u can try a slower roll..but do a crecendo..that helps build up excitement too.
i don't know if what i say really helps or not.. if it doesn't help remembr don't give up ok? hopefully u can find a professional who can help u better.
~drummar buah~
hmm one thing..are u tensed before playing..that means while ur trying to anticipate the roll..u consciously keep thinking of which count to come in..or something like that..then u start to get tensed...
OR
isit while ur doing ur roll your hands tense up?
if it's scenario 2 then obviously u gotta practice more. for me i use the sort-off french grip with my right hand when i play fast rolls. if u don't know what a french grip is, u can look at an orchestra band and look closely at the timpani player. watch him when he's making a roll.the french grip is played with your hands close to your body. BUT although i use the french grip finger technique in which alot of fingerwork is required..i don't play it like a timpani player..i still play it at around a 45 degree angle from my body to the the stick. come to think about it..i'm not sure if it's considered fench grip anymore.. but anyway..u can try changing your grip and finger technique. it MAY help. for your info, i use traditional grip.
anyway
if it's scenario 1, i really don't know how to help. but maybe u can try a slower roll..but do a crecendo..that helps build up excitement too.
i don't know if what i say really helps or not.. if it doesn't help remembr don't give up ok? hopefully u can find a professional who can help u better.
~drummar buah~
Its scenario 2 actually. My hands tenses up during the roll.
My fingers and wrists are doing the roll fine, but its my forearm and upper arm and elbow that really tenses up and hardens, making it look very rigid.
The sound coming out of the drums (if i get the fill right) is actually pretty ok sounding, not particular choked since i let the sticks bounce quite a bit, but it looks horrid as shit on video...
Spent 2 hours just working out ONE drum roll today from Yoshiki. 2 whole hours... it helped that i worked it with a metronome and i had my eyes closed.
My fingers and wrists are doing the roll fine, but its my forearm and upper arm and elbow that really tenses up and hardens, making it look very rigid.
The sound coming out of the drums (if i get the fill right) is actually pretty ok sounding, not particular choked since i let the sticks bounce quite a bit, but it looks horrid as shit on video...
Spent 2 hours just working out ONE drum roll today from Yoshiki. 2 whole hours... it helped that i worked it with a metronome and i had my eyes closed.
drummar-buah
New member
yea glad to know that things are getting better.. 8)
~drummar buah~
~drummar buah~
Relax. I can't stress this enough. But really, relax. Keep it fun and enjoyable. Go back to the basics and improve on your techniques as Mel has mentioned.
And true enough, drummar-buah hit the jackpot by saying that you have to build speed from bottom up. Play the fill with a metronome at a slower tempo, then gradually increase it. Not only will you realise you'll be less tensed, the fill will sound much cleaner. Watch your techniques as you do so too.
Have fun. :wink:
And true enough, drummar-buah hit the jackpot by saying that you have to build speed from bottom up. Play the fill with a metronome at a slower tempo, then gradually increase it. Not only will you realise you'll be less tensed, the fill will sound much cleaner. Watch your techniques as you do so too.
Have fun. :wink:
