I used to do push-ups but now in the last couple of years I discovered that it was causing wrist pain which would then become exacerbated, particularly in my left hand while playing DB. Are there exercises that you do or do not do related to DB?
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Double Bass Push-ups?
- Thread starter Alexis Duntov
- Start date
I do yoga, not specifically for anything related to bass playing. I have a chronic, genetic illness and it's the only form of exercise I've found is tolerable on my body. The benefits of it on the spine have been incredible for me, plus the meditative qualities you can work into it if you choose. I don't do many of the weight baring poses that required the wrists and elbows to take stress though, for the reasons you've stated about the pushups. Honestly yoga can be as intense as any other strength routine out there depending on how far you want to dive into it.
Do your pushups on your fist instead, straight wrist. Go bouldering at your local climbing gym for finger strength and to stretch out the ole injuries. I have 25 years worth of saxophone related spinal damage and like to climb for physical therapy. Capoeira training can be a boon for wrists too
A bar that fits in a doorway for pullups/chin ups is useful for a variety of exercises including just hanging which is good for hand strength. Also, there are little bar things you can use on the floor for pushups -might help your wrists.
Because sun salutations are moving not static they do what a push up does, but much more, and do not put static weight on your wrists.
I just looked up sun salutations, I think of I actually made all those shapes, I’d end up in several large chunks in different places around the room. 
I just looked up sun salutations, I think of I actually made all those shapes, I’d end up in several large chunks in different places around the room.
You can do the whole thing on one mat . It's the essence of yoga -- doing them gives you the central benefits of yoga. Supple spine, strong core, and builds all your muscles. Do 20 of them in a row and you are a yogi!
Yeah but hanging all my 205 lbs puts a lot of strain on my wrists. But yes there are gadgets for floor training. Thanks!
I use these: https://www.amazon.com/Perfect-Fitn...ocphy=9014231&hvtargid=pla-304455278100&psc=1
They rotate with you to keep the wrists at a healthy angle. Mine are an older model that fold up for travel and I take them on trips. Inexpensive, and they have served me well.
They rotate with you to keep the wrists at a healthy angle. Mine are an older model that fold up for travel and I take them on trips. Inexpensive, and they have served me well.
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I cant do pushups with flat palm at all, makes my wrists sore. I do them on my knuckles in a fist (on carpet). Works for me and doesn't cause any pain. You could also try those pushup handle things to keep your wrist straight.
Strength training has made playing the bass so much more enjoyable for me. I wish more musicians did it.
Strength training has made playing the bass so much more enjoyable for me. I wish more musicians did it.
I incorporate wrist curls using dumbbells in between pushups and never had an issue, you could also use the dumbbells (if they are hexagonal type) as a handhold and base for pushups for more comfortable wrist angle.
Trying doing them on your knuckles. Wear gloves if you have to. It may take awhile to get used to it, but I found it was a lot easier on my wrists.
2 x per week hard mountain biking for at least three hours
2 x per week heavy lifting weights
1 x per week approx. 2+ hrs trail running (incredible full moon / monster thunderstorm rain run last night!!!)
No red meat, no dairy, no tobacco, no alcohol, 2-3 x week vegan (often more)
That is my minimum, yet every time I look in the mirror, there is still some grey haired worn out old white dude looking back at me...
2 x per week heavy lifting weights
1 x per week approx. 2+ hrs trail running (incredible full moon / monster thunderstorm rain run last night!!!)
No red meat, no dairy, no tobacco, no alcohol, 2-3 x week vegan (often more)
That is my minimum, yet every time I look in the mirror, there is still some grey haired worn out old white dude looking back at me...
James, that gray haired old white dude is trying to tell you that all that exercise and healthy food is killing you
Do what I did and buy yourself a good LaZboy recliner.
Wake me when all this S##t is over.
I find exercise helps with hauling amps hauling the bass and standing while playing.
Three times a week I strength train on a mechanical gym in my basement. Nothing insanely heavy.
Daily jog with my Boston Terrior. She’s in charge. She can handle 2 hours in the rain. I have jogged for 35 years, discovering that whenever I stop back aches come on.
No booze since last Friday! Wow! It’s a record.
Trying to eat a bit more unprocessed food and less rubbish.
I have 4 bikes - tt, mountain, Look Cofidis team issue and Litespeed ti, all calling out to me. Constantly.
‘The Big Goal’ now is to get off blood pressure pills.
Three times a week I strength train on a mechanical gym in my basement. Nothing insanely heavy.
Daily jog with my Boston Terrior. She’s in charge. She can handle 2 hours in the rain. I have jogged for 35 years, discovering that whenever I stop back aches come on.
No booze since last Friday! Wow! It’s a record.
Trying to eat a bit more unprocessed food and less rubbish.
I have 4 bikes - tt, mountain, Look Cofidis team issue and Litespeed ti, all calling out to me. Constantly.
‘The Big Goal’ now is to get off blood pressure pills.
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We are having a big resurgence of Covid variants presently as well as a bad winter flu season that is just as dangerous. Touch bass I have so far avoided them. What I would say is that the past two years of Covid restrictions have set me back physically because I felt so mentally flat and didn't exercise as much as I should. My little dog also suffered because of this lethargy. Now I am again motivated after recently having stents put into a major artery and required to take a shovelful of pills as well as cardiac rehab.
My young but very capable physiotherapist smiles wryly when I claim to only need a stress ball, a couple of lengths of physio rubber(red and black) and a bedhead for equipment to exercise my whole body. I composed a lot of exercises, about 40 that I can mainly do in bed (it's winter here !!) and many that look like Leonardo's depiction of the proportions of a man (arms positioned at points in a circle) as I raise and lower my arms at various angles with lots of reps. The aim is to keep the shoulders and upper torso in trim and stretched to counter the tendency of all string players to be round shouldered and hollow chested by our playing position and arm movements. For instance, as I raise my arms to the side and higher than my shoulders when standing they are pulled forward (I've only been playing the bass about 60 years). My physio's answer is an exercise he calls the "Snow Princess". I lie flat on my back and raise my arms in big semicircles while keeping them flat on the bed as though I am making circles in the snow. This will strengthen the deltoids and hopefully re-educate and stretch the other muscles around my shoulders. He also advocates using the rubber tubes to strengthen the rotator cuffs and the muscles across my upper back.
I am working on one theory that keeping my arms and shoulders exercised will prolong my bass playing life (I am now 80+ and about to rehearse Beethoven's 7th Symphony). My other theory is that I can no longer play when I can't lift the bass up and down a few stairs or into my SUV. So far I manage although knees are grumbling. I am not using weights, only the body or arms and legs, and split my exercises and walks between two days to give time to consolidate and recover. One day I will use most of my upper body exercises and the next my legs and feet. I do 1/2 pushups with my elbows by my sides and 1/2 squats with my heels on the floor to engage my glutes, both using the rounded edge of my bathroom vanity. I also do heel raises, heel lifts and knee lifts, and arm raises to the sides and front. The other exercise I often do more than once daily is to stand at the bottom of the stairs and rest my hands on the fourth step then do squats that seek to engage and strengthen the glutes while half carrying my weight on my arms as I straighten my legs. It also stretches my glutes, thighs and knees without the full body weight of a normal half squat.
I can't stop the clock on my chronological age but I am working on staying about 65 physically and even younger mentally despite the shovel full of pills !!
Cheers everyone and stay safe from Covid, the flu and now monkeys !!
My young but very capable physiotherapist smiles wryly when I claim to only need a stress ball, a couple of lengths of physio rubber(red and black) and a bedhead for equipment to exercise my whole body. I composed a lot of exercises, about 40 that I can mainly do in bed (it's winter here !!) and many that look like Leonardo's depiction of the proportions of a man (arms positioned at points in a circle) as I raise and lower my arms at various angles with lots of reps. The aim is to keep the shoulders and upper torso in trim and stretched to counter the tendency of all string players to be round shouldered and hollow chested by our playing position and arm movements. For instance, as I raise my arms to the side and higher than my shoulders when standing they are pulled forward (I've only been playing the bass about 60 years). My physio's answer is an exercise he calls the "Snow Princess". I lie flat on my back and raise my arms in big semicircles while keeping them flat on the bed as though I am making circles in the snow. This will strengthen the deltoids and hopefully re-educate and stretch the other muscles around my shoulders. He also advocates using the rubber tubes to strengthen the rotator cuffs and the muscles across my upper back.
I am working on one theory that keeping my arms and shoulders exercised will prolong my bass playing life (I am now 80+ and about to rehearse Beethoven's 7th Symphony). My other theory is that I can no longer play when I can't lift the bass up and down a few stairs or into my SUV. So far I manage although knees are grumbling. I am not using weights, only the body or arms and legs, and split my exercises and walks between two days to give time to consolidate and recover. One day I will use most of my upper body exercises and the next my legs and feet. I do 1/2 pushups with my elbows by my sides and 1/2 squats with my heels on the floor to engage my glutes, both using the rounded edge of my bathroom vanity. I also do heel raises, heel lifts and knee lifts, and arm raises to the sides and front. The other exercise I often do more than once daily is to stand at the bottom of the stairs and rest my hands on the fourth step then do squats that seek to engage and strengthen the glutes while half carrying my weight on my arms as I straighten my legs. It also stretches my glutes, thighs and knees without the full body weight of a normal half squat.
I can't stop the clock on my chronological age but I am working on staying about 65 physically and even younger mentally despite the shovel full of pills !!
Cheers everyone and stay safe from Covid, the flu and now monkeys !!
