Watch Your Back, And Other Stuff

We drummers have a lot in common with athletes. We work hard, we play hard, and we occasionally push our bodies beyond their design specs. Also like athletes, we run the risk of injury, whether from over-use, traumatic stress or unfortunate mishaps.

The more we play -- and the more we age -- we have to expect a certain amount of wear on muscles, tendons, nerves, joints, and even bones. So to prolong our playing careers, we ought to make every effort to keep our bodies in shape and to make our playing environment as risk-free as possible.

Your kit set-up should be as ergonomic as you can make it. A lot of drummers started off by setting up their drums the same way as their current drum hero, and that's a good way to start. Drum set catalogues also provide a good model for setting up. Note that some setups put the instruments where they're difficult to reach or awkward to play, putting extra strain on body parts.

A Simple Exercise
Start with the stool. Ideally you should be sitting with your hips slightly higher than your knees. This minimizes the stress on your back and legs, and puts you up where you can reach things. It also gives you the proper foot angle for speed, control and reduced strain.

With your sticks in a comfortable position above the snare drum, watch how your arms move when you reach forward. They move higher as they move straight ahead. They do not move downward or off to the side. So mounted toms should be somewhat higher than the snare and angled so that your sticks hit the drum surface at about the same angle as on the snare.

Same goes for cymbals. Extend your arms out as far as you can in front and to the side. Wherever you can reach comfortably, that's where your cymbals should go. It’s OK to lean forward a little when you do this. When setting drum and cymbal distance, height and angle, pay attention to your movements and let your body tell you what's right.

Litmus Test
Dave Weckl recommends the Blind Fold Test, which he got from Freddy Gruber. Close your eyes and hit each drum and cymbal with one hand, then the other (with some exceptions). Each instrument should be exactly where you expect it to be. The true test is if you can reliably strike each drum and each cymbal without looking (I like to be able to do a rim shot on ALL my drums).

Don’t Forget Posture
Many drummers end up with back and neck problems because of poor posture. Sitting more erect with good support gives you a strong base and reduces stress on the spinal column. Some drummers find that a back rest can help relieve strain on the back.

Doin’ It Right
Proper technique is also good for your body parts, especially your hands. I read about a prominent drummer (name forgotten) who started having trouble with his hands. Rather than seeing a therapist, he booked some time with Jo Jo Meyer. Jo Jo is an authority on traditional grip and wrist movement, and he was able to correct the fellow’s grip and eliminate the problem, a problem that would only have gotten worse over time.

Prevention is the key, so, take care of your body. Find the most ergonomic place for everything in your kit and use proper technique. Your body will thank you.