How much does working out affect playing? [Archive]

beachmandolin

Jun-11-2008, 3:48pm

Since schools been out I've been spending more time than ussual on two things. The first is playing mandolin which I get at least an hour a day not including open mics and gigs, and going to the gym which is almost everyday now. I was wondering if anyone knew how this would affect my playing? I was thinking a little while ago that there aren't really any "buff" or "toned" (for lack of better words) instrumentalists at the festivals and shows I attend. I can already tell that my playing precision and endurance have gone up but I feel my speed is somewhat reduced. This is an odd question on here, but I was wondering if there was any way to build mass without affecting my playing?

Chip Booth

Jun-11-2008, 3:56pm

You wouldn't know it to look at me now but I was once an avid rock climber. After a few years of that I noticed a dramatic decrease in my dexterity as my hands and forearms bulked up (all those fingertip pullups). So the climbing had to go. I don't see how general fitness and muscle tone could hurt anyone, but I avoid things that I think may adversely affect my hands whenever possible.

Chip

Chris Biorkman

Jun-11-2008, 4:01pm

I've been a pretty religious gym rat for the last year or so. I do a lot of weight lifting as well as cardio and I don't think it affects my playing at all.

Brandon Flynn

Jun-11-2008, 4:17pm

I've wondered the same thing many times. #But then when I start to think about it I realize that I don't have enough motivation to workout so much that I would get to the point where I have built enough muscle that it may affect my playing. #So I stopped thinking about it.

Ken Olmstead

Jun-11-2008, 4:41pm

I have not done it for a long time but when I did work out with weights, I did notice that my dexterity and speed would suffer. However, I have seen some wicked guitar players who were also body builders. So maybe it does not have this effect on everyone. Or maybe it is while getting "toned" your resources are diminished but once there and in maintenance mode, it comes back. PURE SPECULATION based on personal observation so take it with a grain of salt!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Interesting question.

General exercising never has effected me other than positively!

Chip Booth

Jun-11-2008, 4:42pm

I don't want to lose any more speed, so I'm gonna go have a donut! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

Chris Biorkman

Jun-11-2008, 4:43pm

Ken Olmstead

Jun-11-2008, 4:45pm

mmmmmmm....doughnut! ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG....... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

beachmandolin

Jun-11-2008, 4:54pm

Thanks everyone! I think I can most relate to chip. It's my forearms that affect my playing speed the most. I can always tell that after a hard arm workout my playing really suffers. I tend to workout with some pretty big guys so it's getting to be a problem, I geuss I'm just going to have to keep my flexibility and dexterity as high as I can. Allthough I do like the doughnut idea http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Daniel Wheeler

Jun-11-2008, 4:57pm

I dont really know. It depends on the level of mass your talking about. If your getting "cut" then after the initial few weeks it seems to have no bearing really. But if we are talking giganto hulk Hogan or whoever type stuff I imagine speed and dexterity would suffer. Not to mention our little 8 stringed friend. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I'm coming off my freshman year in college of finally not having to do all the intense stuff from highschool sports. And I'm a wittle guy. I lost most (who am I kidding) all of the mass because all I have done is run and play basketball and work out in comparative extreme moderation. I said all the that to say This. I would consider myself quite fast on any stringed instrument and the mass thing to a point never really had an effect.

Chip Booth

Jun-11-2008, 5:08pm

I don't want to lose any more speed, so I'm gonna go have a donut! #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
Just make sure you wash your hands before touching the Gil. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif
It's alright it's about time for set of strings anyway http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

Brandon Flynn

Jun-11-2008, 5:28pm

That's got to be a Krispy Kreme glazed chocolate. It's probably a good thing that there's not one in my town yet.

Ken Sager

Jun-11-2008, 5:32pm

fredfrank

Jun-11-2008, 5:43pm

I only do one sit-up each day, so that hasn't been a problem. I do notice that mowing the lawn seems to adversely affect my playing. For a few hours, anyway. All that vibration buzzing in my hands.

Ted Eschliman

Jun-11-2008, 5:54pm

I commit to 40 minutes of rigorous cardio activity (run/swim) a day. I feel it helps me mentally, thinking more clearly and that works its way into my playing, too.

terrierguy

Jun-11-2008, 5:56pm

I do some gym climbing and I notice that after a long hard climbing session my dexterity is definitely affected. However, it is only for that day. If I take a day off at the climbing wall or don't push it, I don't see a change either on the guitar or on my feeble skills on the mandolin. The same goes for a long day on the bike a tough day on the golf course, etc. I really think that once you get to where you aren't pushing yourself on the forearm stuff you will notice that your speed comes right back. Just my $.02.

groveland

Jun-11-2008, 7:12pm

I used to work out but it became a problem when I accidentally tore the neck of a Les Paul clean off during a particularly inspired solo.

No, that didn't really happen. I am pretty sure that the worst that can happen is you won't keep your dexterity up because you don't practice as much to stay limber - Fatigue after working out can make me a weak player for the rest of the evening. At least that's the way I remember it. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Chris Biorkman

Jun-11-2008, 7:24pm

I saw Chris Thile jogging on Sunset Blvd. right before a Nickel Creek show last year.

groveland

Jun-11-2008, 8:02pm

On the other hand, several friends of mine practice a form of Jujitsu. #One interesting observation they all made was that it is far easier to neutralize a musclebound assailant with a simple thumb twist than using the same move on a limber opponent. #That would suggest to me that for mando players, it might be best for the player's technique to only bulk up in moderation.

JEStanek

Jun-11-2008, 8:10pm

Read in Hans and Franz voice (video for the young folks (http://video.aol.com/video-detail/saturday-night-live-pumping-up-with-hans-and-franz/1690743091))

"Ja, you go to the gym und build mighty muscles you can whip a mule in fewer strokes. We are here to chop, you up. Ja. I would imagine that when you first come home from the gym and you are fully pumped your speed and dexterity will take a hit but when your muscles relax and dis-engorge later you'll be ok. Just like the girlie-man dobro player."

The only time I avidly went to a gym was in college when I could barely afford to eat. I would do a full weight regime and cardio (stairmaster or bike), then go home and proceed to eat my weeks food in 3 days. All getting stronger did was make me more attractive to help my friends move! Crazy!

I definitely feel bad effects from running the weed whacker for 45 minutes on my picking for a couple hours afterwards. Can anyone think of any really buff, big guitar or instrument players... Glen Danzig and Henry Rollins both sing. I thought skinny guys like me took up instruments to appeal to the ladies instead of being a jock! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Jamie

Rick Lindstrom

Jun-11-2008, 8:31pm

Maybe you're doing the wrong kind of workout.

Instead of going for bulk (which most men tend to want) with high weight and low reps, why don't you try doing strength workouts with low weight and high reps? It's probably the pumped muscles you get from lifting big weights that is slowing you down.

Who knows- a strength routine might make your playing even better.

Rick

sgarrity

Jun-11-2008, 8:41pm

On the whole, bluegrass pickers aren't exactly a skinny lot. So I've never posed this questions before. But I'm glad you brought it up. I've been an avid gym rat for going on 10 years. I usually lift 4x a week and do cardion the other three days. I purposely don't do a lot for my forearms due to playing. I notice when my forearms start getting bigger, my pickin' speed suffers. And if I'm playing that night, I definitely avoid an arm workout. If your muscles are tense, you won't be able to play as fast. But don't let your workouts suffer for pickin'. Chicks dig buff mandolin players!! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

piknleft

Jun-11-2008, 8:49pm

I find that if I can swallow alcohol without the introduction of air, I thereby elimininate the addition of any any unwanted nitrogen which tends to collect in my joints and really stiffens up my fretting hand. It also loosens my schfincter muscles which makes for glorious morning-afters. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif

james condino

Jun-11-2008, 9:43pm

I started the day off with with a six mile uphill bicycle crank to the "office" in downtown Asheville in near 90s heat, spent the morning carving red spruce, took a picking break over at another builder's shop a lunch, went back to finish carving the spruce and got a head start on carving a Michigan red maple back, finished up and got back on my bike, rode to the gym for an hour of lifting useless metal things, and then returned home via a different 5 mile uphill route.

All of the exercise has been a regular part of life since I can remember. Bike commuting makes me a bit frustrated some days, but being stuck in traffic in a hot car pushes me over the edge...

Either way, undoubtedly at one of the fierce local jams this weekend, some unbelievably overweight pork fed picker with his mandolin resting sideways summiting his giant muffin top will blow the doors off my chops and send me crawling away into the corner with my mandolin, and it will have nothing to do with his fitness plan....

j.
www.condino.com

Pen

Jun-11-2008, 10:20pm

I was big into the weights for years. The more bulked up I was - the more it negatively impacted my playing (speed and dexterity). I can't imagine straight cardio work doing anything but possibly helping though.

beachmandolin

Jun-11-2008, 10:30pm

I figure that once I get to a point I'll stop pushing myself and I know that I will always keep my playing first. It can get to the point where it's another hobby to some people. I have noticed that cardio has helped not only my playing but basically everything else in my life so I'll definately always keep that up. Thanks for all the feedback!

man0mando

Jun-12-2008, 9:16am

i started mountain biking for some very much needed exercise - at the beginning, my wrists bothered me both riding and playing - at first i wondered if i should stop biking thinking it might be making my wrists worse - after a while, the pain went away and i don't have that particular problem playing any more - i think moderate weight training is probably a good thing

Chris Biorkman

Jun-12-2008, 9:55am

I find that if I can swallow alcohol without the introduction of air, I thereby # # # # # #elimininate the addition of any any unwanted nitrogen which tends to collect in my joints and really stiffens up my fretting hand. It also loosens my schfincter muscles which makes for glorious morning-afters. # http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif
Omg! Haha.

fishdawg40

Jun-12-2008, 10:01am

Great question. I've often thought about it myself. I work out but I do the high reps (3 set of 12-15) and lower weight. Cardio is also a must. I don' think it has affected my playing but sometimes I wonder why I didn't play as good as the day before, etc. I chalk that up to other variables. In general a good balanced exercise regimen will imho make you a better musician. But what do I know, Dawg doesn't exactly look like he hits the treadmill everyday... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

JEStanek

Jun-12-2008, 12:25pm

Threadmills make nice coat hangers.

Jamie

Mark Seale

Jun-12-2008, 12:45pm

I used to bicycle a lot but started feeling the affects in my playing in my wrists. After a few hours on a bike I couldn't play anything at all. Now if I bike it's a recumbent stationary exercise bike where there is no pressure put on my wrists or hands.
Ken -

If cycling put that much pressure on your wrists and hands, then your bike wasn't setup correctly or it was the wrong size. I spend a lot of time working out swim, bike, running and overall it just gives me a better peace of mind and a healthier body. As to the original poster, tight forearms will affect your hand dexterity, so you might tone down that area of your workouts.

fishdawg40

Jun-12-2008, 4:50pm

Threadmills make nice coat hangers.

Jamie
What exactly is a threadmill Jamie http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

Sounds like the Mandolin Cafe could be considered to be one...

JEStanek

Jun-12-2008, 4:56pm

Joe,

Message boards certainly seem cyclical sometimes, huh? Better a tread mill than a boxing ring though, I guess...

Jamie

fishdawg40

Jun-12-2008, 8:29pm

Joe,

Message boards certainly seem cyclical sometimes, huh? Better a tread mill than a boxing ring though, I guess...

Jamie
Ha Jamie, you don't get it. You wrote threadmill instead of treadmill. Funny how you made the cyclical interpretation. Must've been a long day...

Anyways.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/mandosmiley.gif