Leg question

Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 139 Location: Perth, Australia

After taking a 1 week or so break from playing double bass, I've noticed something out of the ordinary ...

See, the reason I took a week off was to rest my legs and let my muscles rebuild/strengthen. My shins started to ache mildly and were rock-hard. Usually when something like this happens, I expect it to be gone in 2-3 days at the most. But this sensation continued for almost A WHOLE WEEK.

As I am writing this, the ache is pretty much gone, but my shins still feel tense. I can't even warm up anymore - my typical DB warm-up routine (5 mins of 16ths at 120, 130, 140, 145, 150 etc.) doesn't seem to be doing anything, I don't feel loose or warmed up or anything. I used to be able to play 210-220 reasonably well, now I can't even hold 200 that well.

Should I continue to let my legs rest if this is happening? Or just get back into it again?

Joined: 01 Nov 2005 Posts: 1219 Location: Germany

just relax a bit, it's not like that kinda skill just disappears.

Give yourself a little more rest and you will be fine.

Sometimes even 2-3 weeks off won't be a bad idea.

Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 1319

Stretching, stretching, stretching, and some massage too. Maybe some warm compresses?

Joined: 19 Nov 2006 Posts: 3950 Location: Minnesota, USA

I'm no doctor, but it could be shin splints.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_splints

though, I think it's just the overuse of a single muscle group that could be causing problems. And I'm not sure if it would help, but you could always just go check with a doctor. I normally don't because they just say to take some anti-inflammatory and rest it.

Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 139 Location: Perth, Australia

Well, the muscle tenseness is gone now, but the lack of a "warming-up" sensation and the inability to play 200+ for an extended period of time is still there, even after stretching thoroughly. I have to go back to 2-footing blasts again.

My feet have regressed BIG time. Seriously, this is fucked. Evil or Very Mad

Joined: 31 Oct 2005 Posts: 1319

You probably overtrained. Let it be a lesson for the future, give your body sufficient recovery time.

Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 20

Dude i feel your pain, you will get it back dont stress.

I quit my band about a year and a half ago due to wanting to join the army and peruse a career. I was so depressed and down about it i didnt play drums for about 3 or 4 months. Then i decided to start jamming again. My feet were fast! It was unreal, i felt like i had lost a little control and coordination, but my limbs felt really good in terms of being relaxed.

So then i rejoining the band because i didnt end up going to the army. The first week was good fun, jammed through the tracks and everything was good. Then something really bad happened, my feet just lost the plot. I couldnt even hold 140bpm in 16th notes. I was like this for a good 3 weeks i think. I was so down i wanted to quit again. I eventually regained the strength through rest and practice, and now i look back and i know what was going on. Basically my muscles still knew what to do through muscle memory, but they had lost all the stamina to do it in a band environment. Im experiencing this problem today, only on a much smaller scale, as you may have read in my other thread.

Just thought id share that experience...

Joined: 26 Jan 2007 Posts: 139 Location: Perth, Australia

It's all good now Smile

Just have to work back up from 210 again. Ohwell, could've been worse ...

Joined: 11 Jun 2006 Posts: 120 Location: Chicago Burbs

Stretching before playing usually helps keep muscles from being sore for more than a day