I was in the weight room today and I soon found myself brainstorming some exercises to help my bass playing. I did a wrist strength thing and a neck machine, but I'm wondering if anyone else does any exercises that help them out with their playing, and about some recommended workouts.
__________________ Fretless#555/Praise & Worship#815/Ugly Bass#6/Geddy Lee#13/PBass#764
A work in progress...
Take one of those slings to add weight for dips and pullups, put on a 45 pound plate, sling it over your shoulder in shoulder strap fashion and run 3 miles on the treadmill!
Run a marathon, when you are as slow as I am practice sessions seem like a breeze.
Seriously, just maintain strength, so that when you are in your 50's like me (I'm just guessing you're younger) you get to carry everyone elses gear in an out of the gig.
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Blues Bass Players Club #86 Hartke Club member#137
Carvin Bass Players #135 Fretless Club#475
I work shoulders and lower back. Those seem to be very helpful. And the lower back workouts are actually helpful for day to day reasons as well as bass. Also, don't forget about routine stretching as that can be every bit as beneficial as lifting.
Lifting weights will ruin your hands. They need all the rest they can get from playing bass. Carpal Tunnel??? I was a triathlete for 10 years. I lived to exercise, now I have aches n pains everywhere, at 38 years old. I was so naive.
But swimming is by far the best exercise for a prolonged healthy life. No impact, no weight bearing, good for the back, and you dont ever sweat.
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" You have six fingers on your right hand. Someone was looking for you."
Playing bass ain't hard, it's lugging real bass gear around that is! That wall of SVTs is hell when your 50.
