Poll : Do you do any instrument specific exercises?

V8

I've been doing a range of exercises over the last few weeks as the 5 string bass doesn't suffer puny humans - 2hr jam session kills my hands/fingers - meaning a day or two to recover.

So , waddling around my local flea market (itchy!), looking around for junk as usual and I happened across one of the Digi Flex grip trainers for a whole R25 and I didn't think twice.

[img width=300 height=306]http://www.fysiomed.com/sites/default/files/extra_images/26202.jpg[/img]

Been using it this week (as per instructions) and I'm very impressed, even took it into the junkies to see if I was imagining it and they all agreed, useful tool!

Interesting that, regardless of skill level, we all had issues with the fretting hand ring finger feeling weak in comparison to the other fingers. But after a few minutes with the Digi-flex and already one can feel a slight improvement.

Best part of getting 'fitter' for bass playing purposes is that guitars feel almost toylike - was a eye opener, especially dusting of the fakemenco skills and bashing on the nylon stringers, with more control than I ever had.

Do you do any instrument specific exercises or have a exercise regime that you can feel improves your playing ability?

(old forum) Poll Results: Poll : Do you do any instrument specific exercises?

No, don't be silly: 0
No, but I should: 3
Yes, I exercise - but not specifically for playing purposes: 0
Yes, I exercise specifically for playing purposes: 2

morph

After a lifetime of playing, sometimes overdoing it and having been genetically dealt with bad collagen, I suffer from tendonitis permanently.

I have found that manic exercise worsens things, creating injury by itself, especially in reaction to having already injured yourself. I now use slower, easier stuff to start off with to warm up the muscles before hitting anything heavy. I also stop the moment I feel any pain, especially sharp burning sensations, which are a clear indication. If I experience any pain anywhere, I try identify what is causing it, i.e. I change my grip/chord or change to the same note on a different string to prevent those circumstances etc. As such I have managed to keep myself playing comfortably for a few hours a day every day for a few years now.

I have also had to slow down, can't do those blistering heavy rock lead sequences any more

In the past I would play until the pain sets in, and then be forced to take a break of weeks to wait for the tendons to heal. I eventually had surgery on my left hand for de Quervain's syndrome.

Another major contributor is practicing that same rif/sequence constantly, allowing the forearm muscles to clamp up and start squeezing or tearing the tendons. You have to take a break and let the muscles relax.

Squonk

Being a bit of a gadget freak I actually have a Digi Flex! ? Never used it though. But if you can see results maybe it's needs a bit of dusting off?

peterleroux

You could also look at using 1-2-4 fingering on bass, so the ring finger doesn't do a whole lot of work in the lower positions. Basically, you pivot on your thumb to play 1-2-4-4 when moving up the neck, and 4-2-1-1 when coming back down. Saves your ring finger (which is supposedly not as strong as your little finger and shares a few muscles with it).

Other than playing chromatic scales all the way up to the 16th fret before I start playing my bass, I don't do any other exercise. Switching to 1-2-4 instead of one finger per fret made my left hand feel much better almost immediately.

Stoffeltoo

Got me an Ibanez finger gym. Awesome at work in those quiet moments.

V8

Squonk wrote: Being a bit of a gadget freak I actually have a Digi Flex! ? Never used it though. But if you can see results maybe it's needs a bit of dusting off?

Definitely seeing results! But it's a daily thing, if I go for a stroll or watching TV, I squeeze in a few minutes. That I can work out the muscles without having to have a instrument in the hands is actually quite cool!

I did RTFM - can see incorrect use causing issues?

https://www.verywell.com/finger-and-hand-exercises-you-can-do-with-digi-flex-2696485
http://prohands.net/Prohands-Music/exercise/exercises_music.pdf

peterleroux wrote: You could also look at using 1-2-4 fingering on bass, so the ring finger doesn't do a whole lot of work in the lower positions. Basically, you pivot on your thumb to play 1-2-4-4 when moving up the neck, and 4-2-1-1 when coming back down. Saves your ring finger (which is supposedly not as strong as your little finger and shares a few muscles with it).

Other than playing chromatic scales all the way up to the 16th fret before I start playing my bass, I don't do any other exercise. Switching to 1-2-4 instead of one finger per fret made my left hand feel much better almost immediately.

Unfortunately I have a twisted little finger - the last joint got smashed up in a door > 30 years ago and what did we know about rehab back then? I've gotten away with it on guitar for the longest time, but those fat strings on the bass (.135 b) means I've had to do some remedial rehab on my hands (had two broken fingers on the right hand too, misspent youth :-[).

Thanks for the idea, I'll try it as the hands/fingers get stronger - keen to see how far I can get with a simple but consistent regime.