Pre-gig habits to avoid stiffness

[Steadfast]

I didn't have time to read past the title....but, I thought stiffness was something to be proud of?


jk......I am 56 and feel the pain now in my fingers. I find that as I progress through the night they get looser.

try Carlson's Cod Liver oil....it supposedly works.

 

[Dale Griffith]

The older I get the harder it is to remember waking up feeling great with absolutely NOTHING hurting or stiff. Part of what you're feeling is just getting older, so it still beats the alternative.

In my twenties we often did three 4-set gigs on a weekend - 12 hrs of playing. Last weekend I did a single 3-setter and was wiped out. I also stretch and take ibuprofen as a pre-emptive strike and they both help, but I'm not sure the fatigue can be entirely eliminated. I'm just not 20 anymore.

I you are literally having a couple of drinks all night I don't think that's enough alcohol to cause stomach problems with the ibuprofen. I rarely drink at a gig because I play better without drinking. At a maximum, I could have maybe one per set without my playing ability going south.

I saw some possibly helpful suggestions above, so best of luck!

 

[Ric5]

As I play more and more gigs and get older, stiffness during a show has become a bigger and bigger issue.

What do people do pre-gig to avoid stiffness and fatigue during a gig?

As of now my ritual is drinking a bunch of water, taking 400mg of ibuprofen, eating a banana or two. I take magnesium daily.

I do drink a beer or two during our gig but I try to insert a pint of water for each beer.

I do wish I had some better stretches to do

In the long term ibuprofen will damage you in many ways

Try turmeric instead ...

 

[SLO Surfer]

Do your wrist (preferably whole body) stretching before and after mountain biking, as well as before and after playing the bass. Yoga is amazing.

Try evaluating your playing technique and bass set up. You shouldn't be "muscling" anything around while playing. Good bass playing does not take much force.

Maybe try a gig without beer or alcohol just to see what's up with that.

 

[Ric5]

getting old is like frying bacon naked ... you know it is going to hurt somewhere

 

[Steadfast]

Maybe try a gig without beer or alcohol just to see what's up with that.

I agree. I used to get up after drinking feeling like a pile of crap. Now that I quit entirely--about 8 years ago--I feel more like small roach feces....big improvement.

My remedy? I totally abuse caffeine.

 

[Element Zero]

Pilates, 2 liters of water and 2 Aleve

 

[Versatek6]

Here are a couple quick and easy ones from Norm Stockton; [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[rtslinger]

Gatorade

No but really I usually play through the set lists prior to the show whether it is Thursday night for a Friday gig or 3 hours before the same night gig. and the above hydrating drink

 

[Josh Kneisel]

Stretch a bit. Move my gear. Take a toke or two.

 

[five7]

water and some pemf therapy on my bemer, that has done wonders.

 

[Kun2112]

I used to use baoding balls to limber up my hands, since they were what would usually stiffen up on me. Now, it's my knees.

 

[Goatee220]

Depending on where you're playing, if it's chilly - make sure your core is warm. You don't want anything taking blood flow away from your hands. Plus all the above, stretching, hydration, etc.

 

[bass40hz]

Depending on where you're playing, if it's chilly - make sure your core is warm. You don't want anything taking blood flow away from your hands. Plus all the above, stretching, hydration, etc.

Good advice. I did an outside nighttime gig in late October in NJ once...once...and it was 42 degrees...my fingers were like rigor mortis had set in, my strings were like iced over cables, it was torture.

 

[neddyrow]

since when did ibuprofin = herion?

 

[gln1955]

I didn't really have this problem before I started mountain biking

Biking may be causing some low grade nerve damage to one or both of the two large nerves going into your hand. Wearing good padded gloves, keeping your weight off your hands and watching out for overflexing or overextending will help.

Nothing wrong with the occasional use of ibuprofen.

 

[Wiremessiah]

As I play more and more gigs and get older, stiffness during a show has become a bigger and bigger issue.

What do people do pre-gig to avoid stiffness and fatigue during a gig?

As of now my ritual is drinking a bunch of water, taking 400mg of ibuprofen, eating a banana or two. I take magnesium daily.

I do drink a beer or two during our gig but I try to insert a pint of water for each beer.

I do wish I had some better stretches to do

Take private yoga lessons from someone who knows what they are doing, if you can it will change your life, make you feel years younger. You just feel better, more energetic, healthy, etc. It's a little tough at first, but after a while it gets much easier, and with private lessons, you can go at your own pace. It's really the only exercise i get.

Time stiffens your joints, and most people just think it's a reality of age, but it's totally reversible.

 

[Wiremessiah]

since when did ibuprofin = herion?

Since when did Herion= Heroin?

 

[Steadfast]

Just go build docks. Your hands will hurt so bad that playing the bass will feel good.

 

[Thumb n Fingers]

I get stiffness in my fingers, but only when my hands are cold. I feel idiotic doing it, but in the months leading up to summer, I wear gloves to the gig, while setting up, and right up until I play. If I'm feeling it coming on, I put them back on between sets. That resistance on your hands to move, albeit slight, also gives me enough of a stretch to make moving without them seem weightless on my fingers.
The kick in the arse for me is that I love the cold weather, and my core and the rest of me never really gets cold. But my hands really do. IDK, maybe I have some circulation issues there.

Gatorade (or Powerade) and water are the only things I drink during gigs. I try not to eat anything that day that will effect how I'm feeling (like too much spicy foods or foods loaded with carbs).