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Activities that make bass more difficult

#82
Mountain biking - I've messed up a lot of body parts mountain biking, but (luckily) not the hands/wrist. Shattered an elbow but played the gig that weekend.

+1 on glass. I'm recovering from a severed nerve and tendon on my fretting hand index finger due to broken glass. Played the gig that night too (taped up the finger real good, like). Took about six months before I could entertain the idea of picking up the bass.

One thing that throws me off playing is if I spend any time riding a thumper (single cylinder 4-stroke motorcycle). I get numb hands for a day or two. I can ride my twin all day long and no hand issues.
 
#84
Anytime my neck or hands act up. Stopping the heavy bag training certainly helped with the hands although I have to take a day off and wrap my hands in ice in order to feel good enough to play the next day. As far as the neck.... bad disk c6-c7, so I just try and not let that flare up.

Hooray aging!
 
#85
I spend about half my work day at a computer, and there are days that I feel a fall off in my abilities on the bass. It's not every day, but it does happen. About 14 years ago I was working a pure desk job and so much work on the computer that I was starting to feel pain in my wrists. The doctor said it was carpal tunnel, but not to the degree that I needed surgery, just more frequent breaks and exercises. It got better, which I am very thankful for. Also, I modified my technique at the time, I play with a much lighter touch than before, which helped.
 
#87
crucislancer said:
I spend about half my work day at a computer, and there are days that I feel a fall off in my abilities on the bass. It's not every day, but it does happen. About 14 years ago I was working a pure desk job and so much work on the computer that I was starting to feel pain in my wrists. The doctor said it was carpal tunnel, but not to the degree that I needed surgery, just more frequent breaks and exercises. It got better, which I am very thankful for. Also, I modified my technique at the time, I play with a much lighter touch than before, which helped.
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Coincidentally, I saw a hand surgeon today, as the carpal tunnel has been causing grief in my plucking index finger of late. I also work with computers, and indeed both activities can aggravate the nerve by making it rub against the surrounding tendon. But here's the good news for anyone wondering about the recovery time. While you may have some pain for a little while, the doctor says with advances in the surgery technique, you can now be functional again in only about two days. So get it fixed if you need to, to avoid further nerve damage.
 
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#88
Interestingly enough- martial arts. You hit something (or someone) the wrong way even with gloves on, I feel it in the bone / tissue that connects pinky to wrist for a few days. Nursing one of those occasional injuries now.
Also, like many others, woodworking or anything requiring a tight grip on tools for long periods of time just makes it too uncomfortable to want to play.
 
#93
Drinking... Im no lush...well... lets just say I like to go out once in a while and imbibe. Even though as of now Im on my yearly 4 month cleanse. No alcohol at all! But when I do go out and over do it, I always come home and test my bass skills. It's not good! It's literally like throwing close to 25 yrs of playing,studying, down the drain.
The motor skills are completely gone. I just cant play. When I was younger, It wasn't as bad. But now closing in on 40, it's like turning into a complete beginner again. Im so glad I don't drink like I did when I was younger.
Oh yeah.... and cold hands too. In the winter, even when indoors my hands get cold, and the fingers slow right down.
Kinda like when Im drunk........:dead:
 
#94
Zooberwerx said:
No, I have a pretty cushy job which doesn't over-tax any of the major muscle groups. I did get a really nasty splinter last summer while moving the redwood deck chairs. Does that count?

Riis
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I'm not sure getting a splinter is an activity, lol. But I've had redwood splinters before and they're no joke! Got one under my fingernail that went all the way past the first joint. Ouch!
 
#96
Things that requie a lot of focus over several hours drain me a lot.

Recording is a prime example - after a 5 or 6 songs I`m done for the day. There are similar activites that you just can`t do for more than a couple of hours a day while maintaining efficiency and focus.

Constant noise is really bad.

I can play ok even with a lack of sleep or just overall a bad day, but there are some things I do at work that just make my brain go offline after 5 PM - I usually avoid doing any rehersal on those days.

There are also days that simply suck :)
 
#99
Drinking more than a couple drinks is something that has messed with my ability to play the bass, as well. And I don't mean getting too drunk to play, either. For me, it has had a very negative effect on the tendons in my fretting hand, especially as someone who's had tendinitis in the past.
 

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