Help me reconcile this hand strength training stuff

[Bassaga]

As a teenager, my friend was well along the path of classical piano training, and she had worn out, sensitive fingers to show for it. I got into guitar/bass and saw a lot of stuff about how training your fingers to get stronger is a terrible impossibility and will only result in damaged tendons and whatnot. I read about how one of the old composers (Chopin maybe?) worked up a finger training system to help himself improve, ended up crippling his hands and never playing again. My own fingers have gone through piano and bass and mechanical work and typing and martial arts; they've come out of all that mostly functional, but kinda frail.

Recently I started weightlifting and discovered how woefully behind my grip strength is. Tired of being bad a bar chords, too. So I looked into finger strength again for the first time in a few years; now I see climbers doing fingertip pullups all day, people using all the grip tools, musicians doing all sorts of training, and I cannot find one tiny mention of potential damage from finger training, even if I look for it specifically. Just a mentality of going hard and getting strong.

I swear sometimes the internet pulls a 180 on some well accepted issue and acts like the other view never existed. It's the only real evidence I have of a 'Truman Show' situation going on, but that's another question. But, what's the deal? Can I train my fingers without fear? "If it feels good it is good?" Or do we still need to be careful?

 

[tlc1976]

IMO gradual is the key, as with anything.

 

[Don Kasper]

(Chopin maybe?)

Robert Schumann...Blew out his hand. Permanently.
It is not AT ALL about strength, but all about agility, relaxation and efficiency.
Stay far away from any "grip strength" exercises...unless you're planning on rock climbing, or becoming a Gym Rat.
IMFO, of course, as always.
(FYI - 2023 is my 50th year of injury-free playing and studying of the "basses" - both BG and DB.)

 

[SteveCS]

Recently I started weightlifting and discovered how woefully behind my grip strength is.

Grip strength is not necessary ...

It is not AT ALL about strength, but all about agility, relaxation and efficiency.

 

[fearceol]

It is not AT ALL about strength, but all about agility, relaxation and efficiency.
Stay far away from any "grip strength" exercises

This^^^

From an early age you naturally have enough grip. Besides, with bass playing, the hands are meant to be relaxed...the opposite of gripping.

If any exercises are needed they should be ones that concentrate on the opening of the hands. Also beneficial to maintaining good hand health for bass playing, is gentle stretching both before you pick up the bass, and after a practice session.

 

[Yonni]

In any (responsible) climbing gym there will be a disclaimer on the grip hangboards that you must have an induction before using them. It is very easy to damage your hands if you don’t know what you are doing. I’ve heard the same warning from Alex Honnold (the guy who free soloed El Capitan).
[Jedi voice] This is not the exercise you are looking for. [/Jedi Voice]

 

[Mark White]

A similar history as with you here, now in my 50s with some hand and finger issues. My son bought me a hand exerciser last Christmas thinking it would help with my guitar and bass playing. It hasn't, but it's very quickly made a difference with the strength of my grip.

So if you're wanting to improve your grip so you can improve your bass playing, as others have said you may have the wrong end of the stick. If you want to improve your grip so you have a better grip, any form of exercise approached carefully will almost certainly make a difference unless you've developed an underlying medical condition that prevents you from doing so.

 

[Killing Floor]

It will make you go blind.

 

[mambo4]

The best hand exercise for playing bass is playing bass.

It does NOT much strength to pluck or fret
If your hands get worn out playing bass
it's probably because you are doing it too hard or for too long.

We do tend to respond to difficult passages by playign harder
That's a bad habit, one we break via practicing relaxed, accurate technique.

 

[Groove Doctor]

Common sense in rare.

“ The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, but wiser people so full of doubts.”



In 1933 Bertrand Russell wrote an essay titled “The Triumph of Stupidity”

“The fundamental cause of the trouble is that in the modern world the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.
Even those of the intelligent who believe that they have a nostrum are too individualistic to combine with other intelligent men from whom they differ on minor points.”


“This quote claims that the bulk of the difficulties in the world are caused by stupid people. The stupid people, it says, are so confident and bold, and certain of the correctness of their ideas, that the rest of us tend to believe what they say and do what they suggest. Sometimes it goes well, sometimes it doesn’t go so well.

Unfortunately, the quote continues, the intelligent are full of doubt. They hesitate, they project their uncertainty in their words and body language. The rest of us, noticing these cues, are not prepared to move forward with their plans or believe what they say. At least I think that’s what it means.”


The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt - philosiblog

 

[Groove Doctor]

A story….

I was visiting a top podiatrist for custom orthotics. (I’m also in the medical game, and much younger). I asked his opinion about some latest fad in shoes for running.

With a wry grin, he wisely replied… “It’s things like that that keep you and I in business.”

 

[chris_b]

You don't need a gorilla grip, or super strong hands and fingers. Get your bass fret stoned, set up with a low action and play with a gentle touch.

Don't stretch to reach notes. Watch Sean Hurley videos to see a relaxed and stress free playing technique.

 

[JRA]

no "grip" is needed --- as all of the other posters have indicated...i'd shoot for accuracy/efficiency/economy while both hands are relaxed. good luck!

 

[Watchootognbout]

Dexterity and fluid flexibility are whats needed.
Although the strings are thicker,a Herculean grip is not needed.
In fact,it is detrimental.

 

[Kaa]

A gent online name Rich Brown (a teacher) had a video about playing with relaxed muscles, and help up both his hands and said "Look, no callouses." as an example of playing with a low action and light touch. That is my eventual goal.

 

[SteveCS]

A gent online name Rich Brown (a teacher) had a video about playing with relaxed muscles, and help up both his hands and said "Look, no callouses." as an example of playing with a low action and light touch. That is my eventual goal.

IME that process begins by investing some proper $$ in a top-class fret job*. That enables you to get the lowest action. Then you lower it to the point of being unplayable and start learning all over again. There is no point doing it a little at a time. Just take the plunge - you will probably be surprised at how quickly you adapt.
YMMV

* Experience tells me to recommend a PLEK, but you should get close from a top-class luthier.