congaplace.com

Got a question I was wondering , I have started wearing wrist weights when I practice to build up strength and endurance just wondering if it is a good idea ? I'm looking for other ways
to build arm strength and wrist strength.



Thanks
Cubop



Edited By CUBOP IN CALI on May 05 2003 at 21:44

They should sell in Guitar Center or any drum shop some stick weights called "diggits"....put a set of those on some marching sticks and you will be better off than over developing the muscle unless you are using the weights while playing congas.........but the diggits are good for controlling your wrist action and building up good toned muscles for those powerful strokes.......peace

I started wearing them when I practice I wear them for about an hour or so then take them off, man what a diffrence my arm's feel so much lighter and faster afterwards. And I get a lot louder tone which is cool especially on the tumba .But I just didnt know if it did more harm than good.
Thanks

Cubop

Ya know what I did once. I took nickels and taped them to the tops of my fingers,right on the knuckle line. Like 2 nickles then, 3 nickels. Actually there is a company in Ohio that makes "finger weights" for drummers. It's like 80 bucks for the set,both hands . Light, medium, and heavy weight. You can find them online. Wrist weights are ok to build some strength and can help to build speed. You will really feel the weight of the nickels if you try it out let me know how it went....At your Service....JC JOHNNY CONGA...............

hi ,

What about hand grip excersizes like the type shown here :

http://www.golfaroundtheworld.com/gmas.htm

I have a different type at work , which only suits the entire hand , but i found these one and it might be better ...

pini

Just looked up that page, Plini. But would it actually work the wrist?

Simon B

?

I dont know ?

I have this type of hand grip exerciser :

http://www.karatedepot.com/tr-ex-07.html

It built up strength thats for sure.
For coordination i take this equipment and rotate it on my finger and each rotatation i catch it with my hand ( as playing with key holder ) . Its easy for me. My problem is playing with my left hand mambo on the cowbell as i can do with my right hand. An advice I got from a timbalero is to do Flam's on a training pad.So now for like a month all I do is flams.
A bit frustrating not touching the timbales but doing that for an hour really makes u feel the arms and wrist.

pini

As mentioned in another thread, try the Dynaflex:

http://www.dynaflex-intl.com/

It is great for building forearm strength and overall coordination in the forearm to wrist area.

The best exercisers I have is this:

Cut the surface of a vinyl notebook to 9 inches in length, 6 inches wide. Cut two pieces, one for each hand.

Then buy a sofa cushion that is very soft, this is important: harder than a pillow but softer than regular sofa cushion. This cushion should not be more than 14 inches square.

Place the cushion in your lap with the two tops and begin to do heel-toe motion, over and over. This will exercise your wrists and forearm connected to the wrist. This motion is what produces a deep open tone that digs deep into the drum head. Use this for at least an hour a day, while you watch TV and you will see how deep your open tones will sound.

For slaps I recommend the soft balls that they sell as stress relievers. Use them throughout the day when you sit listening or watching something. They develop the grip strength on your last three fingers which are the most important when the slaps crack the drum.