wildhatz
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jul 08 2003
Posts: 176
Loc: Maryland
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i'm in a situation where the drums arent at my house so i cant practice when i want too. When i go to band practice, I find myself trying to warm up as best i can, but its so hard to warm up the muscles and i find myself not being able to play at the peak of my abilities. I can stretch, play on a pillow, or a real feel pad, and play double bass on the floor at my house between practice days, but nothing can really simulate the feel of drums. Is there anything i can eat or do to help me from always trying to fight through this sluggishness? I know theres not a food that can make you play like steve gadd ![[Smile]](/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif) but i was wondering if there was a sort of drumming diet i could follow or any specific types of stretches or excercising that could help me out, thanks a bunch ~ josh
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Popeye
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1305
Loc: California
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Josh: well, since carbohydrates are the fuel our bodies run on, I'd suggest that you eat a nice meal BEFORE going to practice that contained a lot of them (good carbs like cereal, bagels, bananas, other fruits, wheat/multi grain toast, etc., etc.). Try NOT to eat "heavy/greasy/fatty foods" that tend to sit on an individuals stomach and not be absorbed into the body very quickly (i.e. eggs, bacon, sausage...you know...all the really good tasting stuff:o) IF you've ever run a marathon or multi-event like a triathlon/biathlon, you know that MOST competetors load up on the carbs several days PRIOR to the event by eating LOTS of high quality pasta, fruits, grains, etc., etc., so that they'll have the body "fueled" for the task(s) at hand:o) Power Bars are another great way to add carbs that are rapidly assimilated into the body during physical exercise (and drumming IS PHYSICAL EXERCISE:o) Your mental fitness is ALSO enhanced when your body is well fueled by the proper foods. SLEEP is also very important. TRY to get a good night's sleep prior to your practice sessions. Sports drinks that replace electrolites lost during exercise (i.e. when sweating) are also very important as is the prevention of dehydration!! I know that after I get done practicing either on my own OR with my band, I'm USUALLY drenched in sweat (especially if we or I'm practicing up-tempo songs:o) All things for you to consider and try. Hope they help!!
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wildhatz
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Jul 08 2003
Posts: 176
Loc: Maryland
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thanks popeye, ya i have been eating a lot of junk food lately. I'm gonna try an get some more fruits in my diet ![[Cool]](/ubbthreads/images/icons/cool.gif)
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TigerBill
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 11 2002
Posts: 1660
Loc: NJ
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I agree with Popeye. Diet is very important not only to keep you in the best shape for drumming but for living a long, healthy life period!
Junk foods are OK once in a while but you need to eat fresh fruits and vegetables (salads are great if you use oil/vinegar type dressings and stay away from Blue Cheese, etc...), chicken, fish (not fried!), and pastas are the best. Get some good multi-grain breads for toast in the mornings (I like Pepperidge Farms Natural Breads - look for the ones that have at least 3 grams of fiber and 2 or less grams of sugar) and try not to use butter on your bread. Natural peanut butter is great. Also snack on nuts (roasted unsalted are better for you) and drink plenty of fresh water during the day. Diet can make a tremendous difference in your energy level.
If you are playing with the correct technique (aka: loose and relaxed) you won't need a warmup before you start to play. You'll be warmed up after the first verse of the first song.
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Night Flyer
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Apr 05 2002
Posts: 20
Loc: Belgium
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Couldn't agree more. A thing i expierenced also is the combination of drumming, playing piano and working a lot on the computer has a verry bad influence on your wrists. For about two years i've having pains in my wrist and the reason was mostly that some parts of my muscles were stronger but some weaker and that caused some nerves to block.(with havy pains) But then i used some fortify bandages that helped for a while, but they really didn't help the situation on long terms. Now i've discovered some tool that rebuilded the unused muscles in the wrist/arm, wich allowed me to play loger, faster without pain. The little thing is called a powerball and can be found on the internet. It's a tool that was use by nasa for training their astronauts in space but its quite affordable. I can't say how i enjoyed it and recommend it to al drummers who experience pain in the arms.
Maybe even start a topic on it. Did anyone else use it?
enjoy
greetz flyer
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DW Does It
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Aug 28 2002
Posts: 82
Loc: New Jersey
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I wouldn't recommend eating a hefty meal immediately before heading to practice. The body needs time to digest (about 30 min to an hour), and in the mean time it will fight any activity. In short, you'll be tired. Do eat something, that is important, but make sure you give yourself some time.
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Popeye
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1305
Loc: California
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Night Flyer: hey, THANKS for the tip on that POWERBALL Gyroscope exerciser!!! After checking out their website, I think I might just buy me one of those!!! ![[Embarrassed]](/ubbthreads/images/icons/blush.gif) )
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Night Flyer
Tiger Talk Trainee
Reged: Apr 05 2002
Posts: 20
Loc: Belgium
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No problem, it helped me a lot, but it takes a least 5 minutes of your time every day. Small price to pay if you ask me, it brought me so much joy, and less pain
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Popeye
Tiger Talk Pro
Reged: Mar 18 2002
Posts: 1305
Loc: California
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It looks VERY useful. After I get one, maybe I'll recommend that everyone get one:o)
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