In this short video lesson, I’m going to go over some quick tips regarding posture at the drum set. You might be wondering why is posture so important. Does it really matter?
Well I believe proper posture behind the kit can benefit you in many ways. First, it can greatly improve stamina for longer drumming sessions. Secondly, it can prevent a lot of simple injuries including back or shoulder pain that can ultimately keep you away from the kit. And finally, good posture can really get you in the mood for great drumming.
I can’t tell you how many times something simple like sitting up straight can immediately affect the way I play. Sometimes, I’ll be slouching a little and be a little unfocused. And just changing my posture can immediately get me in the mood for better drumming.
So what can you do to improve posture? Well, it all starts with sitting up straight and resting your arms at your sides. See how both of my arms are just hanging? Now I move both of my hands up into position. It’s best if my elbows don’t have to move a great deal. If they are moving, it means I’m using muscles in my arms to hold them in those adjusted positions. So ideally, I want to have my elbows resting at my sides. Now, I know what some of you might be thinking. Maybe your favorite rock star drummer keeps his elbows out and flails his arms around for visual effect. That’s perfectly ok and it’s for an entirely different goal than we’re trying to accomplish here.
So if you’re playing a simple set and want to focus on showmanship over relaxation, playing like that may be fine for you. However, the information I am giving you here is best for long practice sessions or for longer gigs, and it ultimately reduce your risk of injury and allow you to play more often for longer periods of time.
Give these tips a try the next time you’re at your kit. Hopefully, they will allow you to relax and get more enjoyment at the playing the drums.
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