Guitar Playing and Weightlifting

[t-bonespurerockfury]

Hello Chris.

This is more of a lifestyle question than a music related one. I recently read an interview with you on Bladdermouth.net and the comment was made that you like to live a healthy lifestyle and hit the gym regularly, so I figured you would be the best person to answer this question for me. I love to lift weights and play the guitar. Sometimes, especially after a week of heavy lifting, my wrists can get pretty sore and my grip goes to hell. The problem is I almost feel that this limits my dexterity in both my left (fretting) and right (picking) hands. Have you ever come across this problem? What do you do to prevent this problem? Also, I used to use lifting straps for back workouts, but felt they put too much stress on my wrist and weakened my grip. I have had LESS of this problem since stopping.

As far as the music goes, your videos on youtube, especially "betcha can't play this" (which you are correct about!), inspired me to buy a 7 string guitar.

Thanks in Advance for even having a way to contact you!

 

[da.benson8r]

Even I'm curious about this, since I do this during the school year. When I'm lifting I know my picking technique is faster (presumably from the increase in blood flow), but I get worn out picking sometimes, usually in the wrists and forearm.

 

[Max Dread]

It's an interesting topic. Aside from the issue with the weights, I also find that when I'm picking fast and aggressively, my biceps and forearm ache. Interestingly, I've heard Chris (and others) say they pick more from the wrist than the arm. Well, I tend to pick from the wrist as well, but I still have to tense my forearm and upper arm which leads to the aching.

Do other people get this too?

 

[Mr.Sister]

I don't think that training helps your guitar playing a lot. The only difference I noticed, after I started to train a bit, was that I am warmed up a bit faster for playing, but this could be post hoc. The muscles you train with weight lifting are already powerful enough for guitar playing, you don't need more strength, but more control over them and this is more a brain thing imo.

But what surely helps is a healthy life style, definitely!

And for the "aching forearm problem": I've once had this, but as I got better and practiced more and more all my muscle movements got more relaxed, and so it stopped.

 

[Chris_Broderick]

Fortunately,

I haven't had that problem. I do remember being fatigued after working out and having to go to band practice feeling to tired to play the guitar, but I think my body has since acclimated to the work outs and I don't feel so spent after (either that or I'm slacking Ahahaha). Even though we both work out, it doesnt mean we have the same routine(I never got into power lifting or anything that stressful), that said if I felt pain in my wrists like you I would either alter my work out or try straps to cure the problem. Remember there are so many ways to hit a muscle group that there should be a way to accomplish your goals without sacrificing your wrists.

hope this helps.

 

[t-bonespurerockfury]

I appreciate your feedback! That is basically what I have done-switched away from power lifting type exercises and have been focusing on more volume work and bodybuilding type exercises. Haven't had much of an issue since I have done this!