Conga-hands: tips for fitness?

[OLD FORUM RESTORE]

Often, after practising, my fingers , esp. my index fingers hurts. Any ideas for a) taping and stuff or b) what I do wrong ??
P.S.: A pretty good deal of hurt is OK, but I´m just eager to keep my hands fit for drumming- even as an óld´conguero :(


Mike
Email: vethake@hotmail.com

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Hello im knew to congaplace and just answering questions in the forum, as to the hands if you develop cuts you must play through the cut and pain if you tape up the finger the cuts will always come back. For bruises use a lquid called ARNICA TINTURE N.F. you ca get it in a drugs store in the spanish community this is a product of Dominican Republic. ARNICA is use for healing inner bruises, the Chinese uses something similar for curing buises. Good Luck

handsoffire mike
Email: handsoffire@juno.com

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Take care of your hands. Had the same problem. ANSWER>STUDY TECHNIQUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
:biggrin:

Kingguaguanco
Email: kongavibe@aol.com

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This may sound a bit off the wall and disgusting, but urinating - yes peeing!! :o - on your hands will help cure the soarness, blisters, cuts, etc.... After playing, do the deed and let it sit for 15-20 minutes..... don't forget to wash after. best of luck.

Mafarefun
Aryam
Email: AVtumbador@aol.com

[OLD FORUM RESTORE]

Urinating on the hands is an old school cuban method. If not done right, it can prove to be dangerous to the hands. :angry: STUDY TECHNIQUE and your hands won't wear and tear

Kingguaguanco
Email: kongavibe@aol.com

[OLD FORUM RESTORE]

For me the best method has allways been the mixture of a plain hand lotion and some coconut-oil. It really does the trick!! See you out there.

Erik Atzen
Email: hestehovhov@hotmail.com

[Andyf]

Hi
I read recently on the web that a traditional cuban remedy for 'conga hands' is a lotion containing urea, which is the naturally occuring moisturiser in healthy skin. I live in the uk, and here we can buy something called Eucerin, a 10% urea solution, which is recommended for eczema, and other dry skin conditions. It also prevents moisture loss, and creates a protective layer for the skin. I've been playing for about 3 months, and use it once or twice a week to keep the skin supple and oiled.
Hope this info is of some use.
regards
Andy

[congabebe]

Hi I am new to the conga playing, I started about a year ago. I have learned my techniques from watching videos. I have found that technique prevents injury. I have small hands so I have learned that the wrong technique gets the less sound. I have been playing in a rock band and I have found I can't play 2 nights (3 hours) without feeling like my hands have been slapping bricks. When I practice at home, I can play hours non stop and not feel so much pain in joins. I am mic'ed when I play inthe band. I do I do not tape my hands, I see others use tape and I wonder if I should. So far lotion keeps my hands soft but the joints are tender. So tender, I don't want to play for a few days. I am wondering should I tape my hands, or is this just cause I haven't built up my chops enough to play longer?? ???

[JohnnyConga]

Hey guys I'll say this again Pissing on one's hands is an old wives tale. It was a joke on the upcoming drummers back in NYC when I was coming up in the 60's. To take care of one's hands first use lotion before playing to keep from drying and cracking your skin from the beating on the skin. Second, if there is swelling just go put your hands in a bucket of ice,it won't hurt it helps. trust me I have been doing this a long time. Now when it comes to bandaging,bandage evenly on both hands 2 to 3 bandaids per finger is what I use, when I need to.Always leaving my fingertips slightly exposed, still gotta feel the drum. Use Nexus bandaids not white tape,that tape is bad for the skin, it can create openings in your fingers. If you develop callouses get a Pumus stone and rubb them down till there soft. I hope your prescription is filled...Dr. Conga, I presume?,.....At your Service....JC JOHNNY CONGA.....

[congabebe]

First, I must say. I love this web site. Second, I tried the Nexus bandaids, every kind they made. The 1 inch were too wide for my little hands, but they worked, the water proof clear were light but left lots of glue on my skin. I will say the 1 inch were better cause they are stretchy and came off without taking skin or leaving glue. Plus, my hands felt great. I played Thurs night, Saturday and Sunday and I was fine. I was able to play hard without hurting myself and I made it through all 3 gigs without loosing my sense of touch. It was great. Thank you Johnny Conga for sharing your wisdom and insight. My next question. Do you do stretching exercises to limber up before a gig?
Thank you,
congabebe

[Johnny Conga]

HI Yes I am always streaching my hands out and in, constantly bending my wrists and have a shaking method for my hands, like wipping my hands in the air like I'm playing, then sides then palms up. If your hands swell up after playing just put them in ice water for a bit ,or until you can't take it anymore then pull hands out, put hands back in, until swelling goes down. My hands still swell up after 35 years of playing I have to tape my fingers now because I don't want any hairline fractures in my fingers due to "punching" when I studied Karate as a teenager. so it's affecting my hands now. Other than that I never feel any pain before or during. I still play the only way I know how and that is hard. In "MY DAY" we didn't have microphones(beleive it or not) the early 60's, that is another reason why congas and timbales were moved up front of the band so people could hear them over the horn section, who also had no mic's, only the singer of the band had one. If you can imagine that. So don't punch anything, and take special care of those hands. And don't PISS on them either!......At your service....JC JOHNNY CONGA.....

[limberic]

Hey, Johnny Conga et al:

I imagine that a good quality hand lotion/cream is good for softening and healing busted skin on your hands - but for a loong time, human's haven't been able to pop down to the grocery or drug store for hand lotion. What did they do for painful split hands?

Honestly, I don't think pissing on your hands is an old wive's tale. My 88 year old uncle (America-born of German immigrants) has always said that the best treatment for chapped and split skin on your hands is peeing on them. They used to do that as kids ('10s, '20s) during the dry, cold winters when their only heat was in the kitchen with a wood-burning stove.

And when I worked in Tibet a couple years ago, people would joke sometimes about not shaking "so&so's" hands, 'cause his hands "smelled" - referring to him pissing on them.

Urine has a lot of Urea or Uric acid in it, which is high in amino acids and protein. I really think this does the healing. And if we lived like our ancestors, we'd do the deed, too, when needed.

With Respect,
Eric

P.S. BTW - Urine is not necessarily the evil fluid that you might think it is - in a healthy individual, it is a sterile solution, as sterile as one's blood. I would bet it figures into the Folk Medicine of many cultures.



Edited By limberic on April 27 2002 at 15:49

[Johnny Conga]

Hi Eric....what you say is somewhat true. I have also heard of certain peoples who even "drink" their own urine. Everyone's skin is different when it comes to drumming. I have a friend whose palms perspire profusly while playing ,never saw anything like it. And his hands feel slippery when he plays so he has to use baby powder on them to keep them dry. It's also about "Technique" and "Style". in one's playing, which both come together as you progress in your playing and practicing. It's not about "Beating" the drum it's about "Playing" the drum. thank you Eric for your rebuttel, I LOVE THIS CLUB!....At your Service the OLD NEWBIE...JC JOHNNY CONGA.....

[congabebe]

I want to add that the Nexcare band aids are great, but I found that the comfort style type is not as good. They came off, unwrapped, wringled and were not good. Use the rubbery ones. And I tried just the tape and hurt myself, it doesn't protect your joints and it feels like it should.

I am so glad I started using them. It has really helped.

THANK YOU Johnny Conga!

congabebe

[JohnnyConga]

Hi Yes I warm up my hands by "whipping" my hands from up to down back and forth,to strenthen hands take a newspaper fromthe corner of the page ,and with your arm strectched out,try and roll the paper into a ball without any help,and see how many you can do that with in both hands.I prefer the larger sunday newspaper.It's harder to roll into a ball ,and I mean a ball in your hand when it:s done then see if you can do another. Also push ups or light weight training. Other than that technique is very important. There is a threshold of pain that is unavoidable. I played 3 hours with a DJ saturday night and my hands were bothering me the next day, but then again I always played hard. Comes from the days when we played without microphones.Anybody remember that? hahahahahah, I doubt it, you would have to be older than me. The players today, in my opinion, are "soft" electronics has made it easy. A conga player should always play hard and strong .That is what the instrument calls for. Mind you ,once again "technique" is very important for longevity. Mine has allowed me to still be playing after 30 years,professionally. If your hands are sore ,just put them in ice for a bit to get the swelling down. I recomend Bandaids not white tape. The glue on the white tape sticks to the skin and doesn't allow it to breath or move. I use one inch Nexus waterproof bandaids, when I need them. At your Service...JC JOHNNY CONGA.....