• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Double Bass Weight lifting or workouts for Double Bass Players

#21
Ketbass said:
Thanks for this timely thread as I’ve also wondered about working with a personal trainer on these issues. As a lot of you have said, tension seems to be my biggest impediment. I do a series of stretches after I play to relieve tension in the neck, shoulders and back. As others, I keep overall fitness with cycling, walking, yoga and diet. But I still battle arthritis all over that creates a lot of tension, so keeping my stance balanced is super important (I’m a stander). But if get sucked into a piece that requires a lot of focus on my right and left hands I too lose the ability to stay balanced and also put to much pressure on my right foot/leg. Oddly when I’m playing, everything feels fine. When I stop, that’s when the pain creeps back in.
Click to expand...
It's like that with any exercise when we get a little up in years, the pain creeps in afterwards. Some NFL players sit in an ice tub after games. I'm sure that is true for other sports as well.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ketbass
#22
pdbass said:
I lifted a bit in my 20’s and came back to it 9 years ago (at 39) with much more dedication/consistency. I would say that anything you do for your health is it is a step in the right direction, but remember that playing the bass is not about playing strong or hard. When I started growing my muscles, I found myself often muscling the fiddle and it’s quite the opposite. It helps when I have to carry the bass, play for long periods of time, or lift gear, but playing requires relaxation and ease more than brute force or tension.
Click to expand...
Are these exercises you've developed on your own or with a trainer?
 
#23
@Greg CEO you may be interested in Grey Cook and his Functional Movement Screening and general philosophy. I get the feeling that may be the type of thing you’re after. I’m sure you can find a trainer qualified in his methods reasonably near you. After being involved in a nasty car wreck many years ago I found a trainer and had the screening done. I found it very helpful and also a very simple common sense approach.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Greg CEO and Chris Fitzgerald
#24
You can do as much strength training as you want and play DB - you just have stretch well and daily, and avoid any particular exercise that strains your wrists to the point of pain. You can modify most exercises to avoid tweaking your wrists, use wrist support wraps, etc. More back, shoulder, and arm strength is only a benefit.
 
  • Like
Reactions: james condino
#30
So I really haven’t done much double bass playing since mid April due to shoulder issues.

Shoulder is still playing up, but in a way where I can now play double bass, but can’t deal with the weight of my bass guitar.

What would have been smart would be to start getting back into playing shape gradually.

What I actually did was wait until Friday to start learning a bunch of songs, for Saturday morning rehearsal, to play at church today (one run through where we probably played each song once or twice and one service).

I will tell you the first thing to “go” is the hands. I’ve done quite a bit of icing over the past few days.

To be fair, I do tend to play a bit…hard…but man, easing into things is always the way to go.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back