Ways to strengthen fingers without a bass?

[Wootsticks]

As I'm in Driver's Ed right now, I have two hours of virtually nothing to do. I feel like I'm wasting my time, and I was wondering if there are any finger exercises to do on a tabletop to build up strength and dexterity. I've been lifting up sets of left hand fingers back and forth, like lifting up 1 3 and then lifting up 2 4, and then dropping 1 3. Simple stuff like that. Anything else I can do?

[meev992]

the Gripmaster exercise tool, worked wonders for me.

[meev992]

Originally Posted by Lalabadie

Well there's one thing you could do...

that doesn't exercise your grip.

It just gives you tendinitis

[fenderhutz]

Fret your arm.

[unclekebm]

how about under the table?
do push-ups using your fingertips...

[MyUsernameHere]

Not to sound like a know it all but if you really feel like you need to increase your finger strength, and aren't just asking for advice because you want to be doing something to feel like your not waisting your time, you should invest some time for actual grip training.

There are three types of hand strength: pinching strength, crushing strength and static hold strength. What you want to work on is pinching strength, but the other types will also help in developing total hand strength and endurance through synergistic effect.

The little individual finger grip thingys are ok, but you really don't need to work each individual finger independently to get results. If your worried about being able to use each finger independently its much more productive to work on that by practicing technique than developing strength in each finger independent of one another.

Believe it or not, the absolute best exercises to develop pinching strength is to get two wight lifting plates and pinch them together between your thumb and fingers and just hold them for a period of time without letting them slip apart. Start with two five (or ten if that's too light) pound plates and work your way up as your strength increases. You can also try holding three plates (like three ten pounders) if the jump between ten and 25 pounds is too much.

[Bassist4Life]

I really don't believe that you need a lot of strength to play the bass. IMO, you need coordination. If you can press the string down to the fret/fingerboard, then you probably have enough strength to play the bass.

Mental practice is time well spent. It's harder than it sounds. It takes a lot of concentration and focus. It's hard to play the instrument in your mind without the instrument in your hand. You can visualize you way around the fingerboard. You can do this with anything: scales (in one octave, two octaves, or more). You can visualize scales up one string, across strings, and a combination of both with shifting. You can do the same thing with arpeggios. You can also visualize scale patterns and arpeggio patterns through chord changes.

The sky is the limit.
Joe

[scottbass]

Originally Posted by meev992

the Gripmaster exercise tool, worked wonders for me.

A big +1. I have a long commute. I keep it in my car. I try to work it 10 minutes each hand in the morning and 10 minutes each hand in the evening. I also have those rough caps on the plungers to help me keep my caluses. I can tell the difference.

The reason I work the gripmaster is not so much to increase my finger strength but rather to improve the stamina of my forearm tendons to prevent cramping at the end of a 4-hour gig.

[meev992]

Originally Posted by scottbass

The reason I work the gripmaster is not so much to increase my finger strength but rather to improve the stamina of my forearm tendons to prevent cramping at the end of a 4-hour gig.

My classmate who is a body-builder and a personal trainer, says that "For such a small guy, you've got some great forearm muscles" I tell him it's because of the bass playing.

but yes, a big +1 on the gripmaster. Had it not been for the gripmaster, I would not have been able to play with my pinky. Before then, I was stuck on two finger and three fingers fretting patterns.

Sure, one may argue that if you had enough strength to fret down the string, that's all that's necessarry. But I'm a small guy, and simple practice tools like the gripmaster have done wonders for my playing (and now everyone asks me to open jars for them )

[Lesfunk]

Flog the Dolphin!

[Wootsticks]

My fingers are plenty strong enough, I guess I asked the wrong question. I meant to ask how to improve stamina while I have nothing else to do. Something useful to do with my fingers while I don't have a bass to practice specific things. (During practice for the musical, school, drivers ed, that kind of thing.

[Bassist4Life]

Originally Posted by Wootsticks

My fingers are plenty strong enough, I guess I asked the wrong question. I meant to ask how to improve stamina while I have nothing else to do.

No problem. It's cool.

I don't know if there is anything you can do to accurately mimic bass playing without having the actual instrument in hand.

You can; however, do the mental exercises that I mentioned a few posts ago. I honestly believe that it's time well spent. Give it a try. It won't cost ya' nuthin'.

Joe

[meev992]

Originally Posted by Bassist4Life

You can; however, do the mental exercises that I mentioned a few posts ago. I honestly believe that it's time well spent. Give it a try. It won't cost ya' nuthin'.

Joe

But Joe is right. If anything, go over scales, modes, songs, chords...maybe even scribble down a few new licks on a napkin.

For me, I either always have a backpacker guitar with me, or a mandolin, so I always have something musical at my disposal.

Or, I carry two drumsticks and a block or rubber and my mp3 player, to keep my rhythm chops up and to enhance my dexterity.

If all else fails, I just slap my hands against things as if it were a drum

[TDYooper]

I got my left hand damaged a while back. The Doctors made it look good, and the therapist got things going again, but it was my bar tender that got things working the way they should. He had me roll poker chips…

By holding several chips between index finger and thumb, I roll the chips under the fingers, and let them drop from the ring / pinky fingers. You roll them so you are holding them on edge. Start with the finger tips and over time, work you way in…

Next, flip the chips over the knuckles. Start far out, and over time, work your way in. This helps me move my fingers in ways I couldn’t do before the accident…

Don’t know if this will help or not, so good luck…

TDY

[Wootsticks]

It sounds like I should learn some little hand tricks.

[jschwalls]

After i injured my hand, i waas advised to not only work on clamping pressure but just as important, rebound muscles... which is the opening of the hand from fist to fingers out.

Those spring loaded machines, are great for clamping but not rebound strength... I was doing 2 different things to accomplish this.

1. i would put all the tips of my fingers together on one hand and place a rubber band around them ( kinda like making a duck face , lol), and SLOWLY spread my fingers out.... basically the reverse of the grip machines.

2. place a single piece of paper on a flat surface and place my hand in the middle of it, then i would try to "wad" the paper up in my hand without letting my fingertips leave the table. After i had the majority of the paper 'balled' up in my hand i would the remove my hand from table and continue to squeeze it until it was as compressed as possible..

This will make your hands feel wonderful afterwards, it is a very natural series of motions for the hands, and promotes blood flow like crazy. My doctor is awesome.

As far as the recovery muscles are concerned think of it like this... kinda like doing bench presses and all you were doing was lifting the weights and your spotters were lowering them back to your chest for you... makes sense ??


Enjoy,
JON

[meev992]

Originally Posted by Wootsticks

It sounds like I should learn some little hand tricks.

Here's some tricks with a lighter.

http://www.i-am-bored.com/bored_link.cfm?link_id=27002

and here's some more:

http://www.zippyvideos.com/185907920732155.html

[MysticMichael]

Originally Posted by Wootsticks

As I'm in Driver's Ed right now, I have two hours of virtually nothing to do. I feel like I'm wasting my time, and I was wondering if there are any finger exercises to do on a tabletop to build up strength and dexterity. I've been lifting up sets of left hand fingers back and forth, like lifting up 1 3 and then lifting up 2 4, and then dropping 1 3. Simple stuff like that. Anything else I can do?

Don't get sucked into the "physical conditioning" paradigm of playing the bass. Music is a form of art - not a type of sport. The physical aspect of it is relatively inconsequential. You should be able to develop all the strength and dexterity you need to play the instrument...simply by playing the instrument...

MM

[meev992]

Originally Posted by deek

meev,

Which level Gripmaster did you use?

I use "Medium"

...it's the heaviest level that Musiciansfriend.com sells...I hear there's a heavy, but I'm pretty sure I won't be touching that one, ever.

[meev992]

Originally Posted by MysticMichael

You should be able to develop all the strength and dexterity you need to play the instrument...simply by playing the instrument...

MM

yes, but we're talking about passive things that can be done when you don't have the bass/guitar/violin/instrument with you.

Like I mentioned, I was unable to play using my pinky until I got my gripmaster, and squeezed the heck of it throughout the day for a few weeks. It saved me from what would have been very painful and disheartening practice sessions.