Practicing using different muscle groups on alternate days

Kroy

Member
What do people think about practicing using different muscle groups on alternate days.
For example on day one veering more towards hand oriented work and on day two more feet oriented work. Thus giving each muscle group a longer break, similar to when one does weight training. Does anyone practice like this already? I've been wondering if it would bringer faster results with less chance of cramping etc.
 
If you are always sore after practicing then you are pushing the muscles too hard. Applying weight lifting strategies to practicing will lead to problems.

Don't go for the burn
Don't push to failure
Don't practice near your limit
If you are too muscular in your approach you will never develop fluidity and you will set yourself up for injury down the road


I speak from experience. Practicing perfectly
at 50% speed for an extended period of time will get you faster and better more quickly than pushing the intensity limit.

Good luck
 
Thanks Jeff, those are good points you are making. However, when I referred to weight training I was not referring to the 'going for the burn' type methods, I was referring to the way that weight trainers only train on alternate days (or at least that's what I was always told). ie giving the muscles a longer gap between sessions.
 
Thanks Jeff, those are good points you are making. However, when I referred to weight training I was not referring to the 'going for the burn' type methods, I was referring to the way that weight trainers only train on alternate days (or at least that's what I was always told). ie giving the muscles a longer gap between sessions.

Thats what Jeff was getting at. When you weight train your goal is to break down the muscle and then during the rest period it builds itself back up and then some. Without the appropriate rest period you break down the possibility for progress in the muscle growth.

What Jeff is saying is that during drumming practice you shouldn't be working any muscles hard enough for them to break down and need to repair themselves and therefore you don't need a rest period.
 
Thanks for clarifying - that's very helpful.
I found Jeff's original comments both helpful and inspiring.
 
Jeff nailed it!

When developing something new, muscles will naturally burn a little bit as they're not used to the new function. A tiny bit of burn is OK, but as soon as it kicks in shift to something else and then come back to it. No need to torture yourself, most things are pretty easy & chill when done correctly.
 
When developing something new, muscles will naturally burn a little bit as they're not used to the new function. A tiny bit of burn is OK, but as soon as it kicks in shift to something else and then come back to it. No need to torture yourself, most things are pretty easy & chill when done correctly.

I agree for the most part.

My approach is similar in that when I begin to get muscle pain, or numbness (hand starts to fall asleep), I know that something is wrong. Either my technique is broken, something is too far away on the kit, dehydration, carpel, etc. When this happens I change gears into fix-it mode and will typically spend some time sorting it out. If I can't find a solution, I'll record some video of myself and compare it to a more skilled/experienced drummer. If I'm totally lost, I'll make a note and show the problem to the instructor/coach I see once a month.

In a number of cases, playing through the discomfort while remaining consciously aware that I'm doing it wrong has forced my intuition to find a more efficient manner of playing (Heal-Toe on the hat for example)
 
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