Question:

If you follow this advise:"practise till you cramp up", you risk permanent damage to your hand. Pain in not a good goal. to strenghten your hands,

Thank you for saving me the typing time…              "This is GREAT advice" B

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You might try that finger-flicking technique used before playing basketball etc. Basically you just flick your fingers out and snatch them in tight. It doesn’t do much for ’strength’ but it is a good warm up and makes me less inclined to cramp – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anyone know any good strength exercises for the right hand (plucking hand)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

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Anyone know any good strength exercises for the right hand (plucking hand)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Just keep playing. That’s enough. Jake "Why do you have a bone in your beard?" "I’m training it to like being where it’s put"

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In article Anyone know any good strength exercises for the right hand (plucking hand)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Just keep playing. That’s enough.

I disagree.  Get a "Gripmaster".  A specialist told me to get one to help with my CTS, and I think it’s helping my sound, too.  As a bass player you’ll probably want the "heavy" tension. Dan Jake "Why do you have a bone in your beard?" "I’m training it to like being where it’s put"

– <I need to get a signature file…

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Yeah, I saw one of these in the Interstate catalog.  They really work, huh? For $12, WTF.  Thanks for the tip on the tension. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – In article Anyone know any good strength exercises for the right hand (plucking hand)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Just keep playing. That’s enough. I disagree.  Get a "Gripmaster".  A specialist told me to get one to help with my CTS, and I think it’s helping my sound, too.  As a bass player you’ll probably want the "heavy" tension. Dan Jake "Why do you have a bone in your beard?" "I’m training it to like being where it’s put" — <I need to get a signature file…

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"Gripmasters" are a great exercise if you’re a walnut cracker. Muscle-bound hands and wrists are a detriment to guitarist. "Endurance’ is what counts. The only way to get that is to "play without ceasing."                            Hawkeye8th  "over the hill but still grabbin gears"

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"Gripmasters" are a great exercise if you’re a walnut cracker. Muscle-bound hands and wrists are a detriment to guitarist. "Endurance’ is what counts. The only way to get that is to "play without ceasing."                            Hawkeye8th  "over the hill but still grabbin gears"

I agree with you about the primary importance of endurance.  But I think the extra strength I’m building with the Gripmaster, as per the prescription of my repetitive motion injury specialist, helps me play with less tension, which improves my speed, flexibility, and endurance.  Plus it’s a decent substitute for a proper warmup in a pinch. As far as playing without ceasing, I tried it.  When I was a full time music student and playing 2-6 nights every week I had that covered.  I got CTS out of the deal, and the gripmaster hopefully will be part of the solution. Of course, if your hands don’t give you any trouble, I wouldn’t bother.  YMMV Dan — <I need to get a signature file…

Response:

If you follow this advise:"practise till you cramp up", you risk permanent damage to your hand. Pain in not a good goal. to strenghten your hands, squeeze a tennis ball.  do finger tip push-up (against a wall, feet about 12 to 15 inches from wall).  Don’t do them horizontal, that will put too much weight on your fingers.          I like the idea of working with the metronome, picking up the speed. But muscle memory is better built with, 10 to 15 minute practise sessions. I don’t mean only practise 15 minutes a day, I mean pick up your bass to do a drill for 15 minutes. Put it done, stretch your hands and arms and neck. Get up do something else for awhile, then pick your bass up and play some music for awhile.  Later do another drill for 10 or 15 minutes.         My advise is based on my experience as a massage practitioner and my experience as a beginning bass player.  my first month of practising on my bass caused me great hand and arm and shoulder pain (reminicient of massage school).  I started reading about repetitive motion injuries and stared using different learning behaviors.         My web site has some more info about taking care of our hands (can’t play bass without ‘em): www.servnet.com/~karrie (let me know if you have any trouble with links or have any suggestions. I need to tidy it up, but the lessons and links will provide some staring points regarding self-care).                            Karrie Dunning                         A Native Seattle-ite                                                                            *****     "None of your five-bar gate jumps and over sort of stuff." – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Just put on a metronome, and play 16ths, on a single string, until you cramp up… (go for 5 minutes non stop per string, once you are easy with a tempo, go up, by 5 or 10 bpm steps. Once you can play 16ths at 150 0r more, I am sure you will have strength and endurance…. good luck Ninn PS I am at 134BPM right now…. going for 160…

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STOP THAT!!! You’ll go blind! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anyone know any good strength exercises for the right hand (plucking hand)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. — Neil I got a grat little gadget from some Irish music shop that exercises your fingers – it’s like 4 little springs and fits in your hand. I think the Bass Lobster has the best guide to getting your right hand working – look in the bass bit on www.harmony-central.com for the address, but I think it’s www.basslobster.com (duh).  Anyway, strength exercises for the right hand? Use a little imagination… ;-) — David Foale Visit the Lawndogs’ website at http://www.foales.demon.co.uk.  We are now an Amazon associate.

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STOP THAT!!! You’ll go blind!

maybe we’ve found Stevie Wonder’s secret – keyboard players probably need ‘good right hand strength’ too, you know… — David Foale Visit the Lawndogs’ website at http://www.foales.demon.co.uk.  We are now an Amazon associate.

Response:

Just put on a metronome, and play 16ths, on a single string, until you cramp up… (go for 5 minutes non stop per string, once you are easy with a tempo, go up, by 5 or 10 bpm steps. Once you can play 16ths at 150 0r more, I am sure you will have strength and endurance…. good luck Ninn PS I am at 134BPM right now…. going for 160…

Response:

Anyone know any good strength exercises for the right hand (plucking hand)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. — Neil

I got a grat little gadget from some Irish music shop that exercises your fingers – it’s like 4 little springs and fits in your hand. I think the Bass Lobster has the best guide to getting your right hand working – look in the bass bit on www.harmony-central.com for the address, but I think it’s www.basslobster.com (duh).  Anyway, strength exercises for the right hand? Use a little imagination… ;-) — David Foale Visit the Lawndogs’ website at http://www.foales.demon.co.uk.  We are now an Amazon associate.

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Anyone know any good strength exercises for the right hand (plucking hand)? Any suggestions would be much appreciated. — Neil

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