Playing Guitar And Bodybuilding? Options

[MirkoSchmidt]

Hey friends, i have a question.

I love playing the guitar and also i like doing sports. Today I was in the gym and now after that im playing the guitar.

everytime i did these two things together my fingers are really slow! Thats why im asking me if i should stop weight training.

it isnt a problem for me to be slow the next two ours after my workout.
but somebody told me that a guitar player shouldnt go to gym and train hard!

what do you think about it?

[Tolek]

I had the same issue. I´ve been doing Judo for 9 years, but I stopped because of music (and time issues). My fingers were always damaged and my nails (which I need to play classical guitar) broke off. Now, I sometimes do some weight training in my bedroom and sports at school. That´s it!

[Marc_Maiden]

Mikro, give it some time, this will stop.

the reason why your fingers move slower is because the muscles and tendons that you work out on your arm are probably sore or a little stiff


what you need to do is the following:

alternate work out routines- you need to let each part of the body you work out rest for a day or so, so one day is lower body, one day is upper.

STRETCH STRETCH STRECH! this is what will make your muscles loose and not stiff after working out!


those two things will help in body building and guitar playing together

This post has been edited by Marc_Maiden: Nov 12 2009, 09:19 PM

[Sollesnes]

Just be sure to strech and you'll be fine

[Artemus]

Take up Wing Chun - it will actually improve your guitar playing by developing supple joints, flexibility and strengthening your tendons and wrists (and in later stages your fingers)

[superize]

I dont ave any problems combinng them both.....

I am a floorball goalie and gets lots of bruises in my hands but just give it a days rest and you will be fine

[djohnneay]

I also do both, and no problems. I train 4-5 times a week, weightlifting, running, cycling and swimming(in no particular order).
Although when I come home from the gym, every muscle in my body wants to sleep So I cannot say if my 'guitar muscles() are 'stiff' after gym training. But if you stretch enough, you don't have to give up either (if you have enough time to do both). Also, guitar playing can benefit from gym training. Try training your underarms as well, you'll become stronger in hands, and fretting will be easier !

[Shadow21]

I do bodybuilding, and I allways try to play guitar before going to the gym.
The first reason is, what you just mentioned.
The second, is that when I have a shower after the gym, my fingertips go soft, and it hurts while playing, so I've got to wait untill they turn hard again.

My advice is... Play guitar before you start weightlifting (:

[Vasilije Vukmiro...]

I used to go in gym alot! It doesn't affect that much, just take care of our hands!

[ZakkWylde]

I am lifting weights up to three times a week if I can find the time and ofcourse you're muscles and fingers are a little tired and slow right after the training but an hour of resting and a good meal should regenerate you enough to play guitar even on a training day.
I am the living proof as I work out and go to rehearsals afterwards^^

[Santiago Diaz Ga...]

Don't worry. All the famous guitar players go to gym too. Look at Petrucci right now!!

[Caelumamittendum]

I think I'm taking the other route. BB King, Shawn Lane... who have we got? I'm not doing any gym work, to be honest. Haha, though I ride my bike 25 km when going to work and generally walk and ride a lot - but not really in the sense of working out in any way.

[mhskeide]

Don't worry. All the famous guitar players go to gym too. Look at Petrucci right now!!

Petrucci has become a beast

When I met him, he was a bit shorter then I imagined, but even wider (and I expected him to be pretty wide after seeing the last dvd)

[CathShadow]

Yeah I see nothing wrong with doing both. I do Shukokai, and go to guym and play guitar ... stretch, assign some time to rest and you'll be fine

[Bogdan Radovic]

I guess this is urban myth among guitar players. You should just make a schedule and practice before gym and take care afterward gym (stretching and everything). You should be fine.

[sted]

Conrad Harpham does both of these too, hes an instructor here if you didnt know.

[Conrad Harpham]

I'm glad this topic came up, as its fairly close to my heart! Ive been weight training for almost as long as ive been playing the guitar, and have competed at amatuer bodybuilding shows at a local level. Ive often wondored wether or not its adversly affected my playing...Doing weights does make you hands more muscular, and can lead to them, like any body part becoming less mobile. Having said that, if you stretch your hands regularly, and keep them supple, there should be no problem. For me, the only time it has affected my playing, is when i spend too much time down the gym and not enough on the guitar! So, i reckon going to the gym is fine, as long as you keep your hands supple, and on the guitar!
(For those who are interested in this sort of thing, my bodybuilding alter ego Darran Mcphaoh...(an anagram!!), has just started a new my space site at www.myspace.com/darranmcphaoh)

[Evil_Invader]

It's true that after going to the gym guitar is not the best thing. I used to feel wierd on the neck also. Now i stopped exercising to play guitar...



Not really!!! hahaha... should definatly go back to the gym though!

Look at BLASPHEMY or MANOWAR: Powerlifting and metal sure matches well! hahaha

This post has been edited by Evil_Invader: Nov 13 2009, 11:47 PM

[Daniel Realpe]

Try to have the two things a little separated but I´don't think there's a problem with it. Yeah, look at Petrucci, he got bigger and better at guitar

[Artemus]

It's true. If Petrucci gets any larger he'll look like he's playing a ukelele

You could do as I had with my first guitar building efforts and get a work out whilst playing guitar! I was obsessed with using all quality, dense heavy woods and I ended up with a guitar that I could hardly lift! It was like playing a coffee table. Still, the tone was great