No longer "in shape"!!

[coyote-1]

15 years ago, it would have been effortless.

 

Last night, after almost 2 hours' playing, we (I) decided to end the session with Rush's "Tom Sawyer". To my dismay, I could not keep up the 16ths on the ride hand, nor could I articulate the bassdrum properly. The bass drum was weak throughout, and my left arm locked up midway through the song.

 

Just goes to show... if you want to keep in shape as a drummer, you have to drum A LOT. I simply don't do enough drumming any more to do that; an hour's practice twice a week or so is enough to keep up (and even improve) chops, but not nearly enough to maintain stamina.

[MattACaster]

I have the same problem. My practice schedule is so inconsistent and all over the place that I feel pretty dead after 4 or 5 songs.

[Mr_Cobain]

yeah tell me about it, thats why i invested in an electronic, so i can practice at home, need to keep my drumming up to scratch!

[Zeromus-X]

I can't afford an e-Kit, so my only practice comes from shows. Fortunately we play a 4-hour show at least twice a week, so it helps keep things going. I've got a week-and-a-half break right now, and the first show back is at a pretty big place (I think... I don't even remember the venue, I was trashed).

[ulank]

Heck I used to have trouble playing 45 minutes straight through...lotsa struggle just to make it that long. As I learned to relax more and more, I can get through an hour now and still be ready to go, no problem. Don't really play much longer than that though.

[Wellhungarian]

 

15 years ago, it would have been effortless. Last night, after almost 2 hours' playing, we (I) decided to end the session with Rush's "Tom Sawyer". To my dismay, I could not keep up the 16ths on the ride hand, nor could I articulate the bassdrum properly. The bass drum was weak throughout, and my left arm locked up midway through the song. Just goes to show... if you want to keep in shape as a drummer, you have to drum A LOT. I simply don't do enough drumming any more to do that; an hour's practice twice a week or so is enough to keep up (and even improve) chops, but not nearly enough to maintain stamina.

 

 

Maybe play "Tom Sawyer" a little earlier in your set. Hell, even Neil Peart admits that it's getting harder for him to play. By the way, on the Rush in Rio DVD, they start with "Tom Sawyer". Now you know why. Neil's getting old too.