wrist / forearm exercises?
 

I'm a drummer and want to improve my general forearm & wrist strength as I play harder when playing live and I can't hack it at the end of a 45 min set.

I've recently started using

But, is there anything else I can do, NONE gym related...

and don't say wank. I do that enough. :homme:

Powerballs are the tits

I guess that means continue then! :y:

Starting it without the string?

palms down, bicep curls.
palms down, wrist curls.
palms up, wrist curls.

That should do it

Why don't you just drum more, except drum harder when you practise... Surely that's the best way?

Failing that, get a towel and dip it in a bucket of water, ring the towel out, repeat. Get a bucket of sand, and push your hands through, rolling them about like almost digging through the sand. Do that constantly. Could also try wrapping a smaller towel, like a dish cloth round the handles of two buckets filled with sand and just carry them about. Farmers walk style.

there are exercises you can do with power balls, depending on the positioning of your arm.

they are well fun innit!

Powerball / heavy grips

I used a powerball since I was 17, my forearm is bigger then my fist :/ You can roll it down yourarm fast to start without a string ;)

If you sit down, and steady your wrist on your knee, you'll ensure you arnt spinning from the elbow, and keeping the wrist rigid which you don't want.

Pics:





Yes, I know i'm not hench

Ya know, the more I think about this the more it just makes sense to replicate the way you drum at a gig... Strengthening probably wont do it alone, sounds like the issue is more endurance. Yeah, just practise drumming the way you drum at a gig and you'll get used to it.

How old are you now?

Well i havent done it for 2 years, but 21

Is that jeremy beadles hand? :D

Cheers for all the replies!

Dave - Gigging is just a different ball game for some reason! I try and relax etc for gigs so my technique is good, but then I get into and give it death... :/

Seems I am just gunna keep with my powerball, and then get some weights and do as DusheR said!

The elbow on wrist thing seems like a great idea :y: Keep me in check with doing it right!

Problem with Dusher's suggestion is that it doesn't even nearly replicate what you're doing, and wont really give you much endurance, it will give you strength... My point is, when you practise, give it death as well, replicate a gig.

That is a good point tbh! Hadn't thought of it like that! Will have to start manning up a bit... :homme:

Think of it like the way some fighters train... if they need to last 3 rounds, they might train for 6. If you want to be able to run a marathon, doing exercises for your legs will only help so much, the way you're gonna get fit enough for it is by running many marathons... So if you want to be able to go fucking bananas whilst drumming at your gigs, practise going fucking bananas whilst you practise, except do it for an hour whilst you practise, and give it hell every time. You'll get used to it eventually.

I remember when I was trying to learn to play New Born by Muse on bass, it used to destroy my forearms, so I just kept doing it until I could do it...

iv been playing drums for almost 10 years and i can tell you now 100% its not strength you need to build (your forearms look strong anyway), its technique. i play very hard when needed and all the power comes from the stick and the momentum of it, not the players strength. try playing at slow speeds and make sure you are not holding the stick too tight playing hard is about letting the stick do the work and having a loose grip is how you achieve this.

if you find that the sticks are coming out of your hands as you trying to loosening your grip, an you are hot on stage and sweating ect, then use some stick wax on the stick. (great stuff if your a heavy player)

hope this helps.

Not my forearm pictured ;)

I've got fine technique, but it all goes out the window live. Think I may get myself 2Bs again, I'm using 5Bs live and I think I'm thrashing the fuck out of it to get weight behind it... :S

YES Thanks mate :)

Hahaha. Take my stronnng hand