Drummers require strength mainly for hauling and lugging gear.  Drums can be awkward to lift and position while setting up especially in tight spaces.  Proper lifting techniques are very important to reduce your risk of injury.  Hardware is especially heavy and may require the most strength to haul, use a bag/case with wheels to reduce the load when at all possible.  Over time many drummers tend to bring less to gigs in order to reduce the strain on their bodies.   

  Playing drums requires much more technique and coordination as opposed to actual strength.  Training away from your kit to fight the forces of gravity and aging are a must to ensure longevity behind your kit.  Lifting weights does strengthen your muscles but the specific type of lifting you do affects your performance, functional training and corrective exercise are what we use in the Drummer’s Rx programming.  

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  Good posture is essential to both performance and longevity for all drummers.  Whether you are sitting on your throne or simply standing, efficient body mechanics are crucial. 

  There are two main types of posture; Static & Dynamic while sitting and standing.  As a drummer sitting on a throne is mainly dynamic sitting posture as we play.  If you have poor posture and mechanics away from your kit, sitting on a throne will only make things worse.  Training your back/core away from your drum kit will enhance endurance, coordination and longevity for life.  Poor posture is very common in our population especially in the senior and now youth populations.  Performance stems from a solid foundation especially in drumming.  Most other instruments do not require the force and dexterity involved in playing a drum kit. 

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  We all have daily aches and pains based on our careers which are accelerated by aging, add drumming to the mix and expect an overload.  How do we sleep in a soft bed at night and wake up sore and stiff?  Proper movement does wonders to reduce pain and swelling that inactivity will only compound.  “Use it or LOSE it” applies to your ability to function in whatever role you choose, atrophy is the loss of muscle due to inactivity.  Back breaking work is sitting at a desk, NOT digging ditches!  We have more and more chronic health/pain issues in our modern society due to lack of movement.  Chronic pain is likely one of the worst factors in degrading your health & well-being and should never be ignored.  Acute pain from a known injury is a sign to stop and allow healing time.  Many drummers with nagging (Chronic) injuries play through the pain or cover it up with pain-killers rather than fixing the problem, often leading to referred pain in surrounding areas until you lose total function.  Drummers experience many joint problems (RSI - repetitive stress injuries) commonly in their wrists, hands, elbows, shoulders, knees, ankles and feet.  Fixing the cause of the pain or dysfunction is key, masking the pain with painkillers or braces simply does not work to correct these issues long term. 

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My name is Jared Byer. I have been a Health & Wellness coach since 1992 and a drummer since 1995.  Drummer’s Rx is the combination of my 2 passions (Drumming & Wellness) and the culmination of my years helping others boost performance and longevity in their lives.  I have been developing and researching ways to prevent and treat drumming related injuries over the past several years as a sport/drummer-specific program.  My approach is designed to improve posture, alignment, ergonomics, endurance, flexibility and performance through easy to follow videos and ebooks for Beginner to Pro level players. 

  I had originally started college as a Physical Therapy major in Buffalo NY but began working in a gym my freshman year of college in 1992.  My experience helping others improve their well being turned into a full-time job and eventually my career path.  All these years later I have gained a world of hands-on experience working with thousands of clients from pro athletes to soccer moms and everyone in between.  I have been fortunate to have had amazing clients that have really taught me what works and what does not.  While gaining valuable work experience I also continued my education through many health & fitness certifications and specializations (ACSM, NASM, ISSA, NETA, plus special populations training).  My first role in the fitness industry was as a Personal Trainer, I moved up to Program Director, taught group classes and seminars, became a Club Manager, and eventually became my own boss as an entrepreneur with my own company named “Made 2 Move Fitness”.  As the industry has changed so has my direction in developing specialty programming for specific populations; Drummers.  My experience working with athletes and the training/injuries made me look at what drummers experience practicing and playing to create Drummer’s Rx (Drummer’s Prescription).  Athletes typically have a short time span of “playing years” and deal with lingering injuries for the rest of their lives often opting out of activities due to old “sports injuries”.  Drummers have a much longer time span of playing years and need to take care of their bodies for the long haul.  This is why I created Drummer’s Rx, there is not much out there on prevention and treatment to keep drummers healthy so I began my research.  I have read and watched unlimited amounts of information for the past several years to create an evolving program to help drummers boost performance and longevity.  Like most of our population drummers are not a health conscious group, they ignore issues and play through the pain and are typically more reactive than proactive.  Much of my program is designed to correct issues rather than to prevent them as PAIN is a great motivator.  My hope is that my research and programs give you insight into ways to play more efficiently, reduce wear and tear and to enjoy playing drums for your entire life!

"Before you SIT & HIT" - perform these 6 stretches >>>

These 6 standing stretches are meant to improve mobility for drummers before they practice or perform.

A general body warm-up should always come before a technical warm-up of hands and feet on your kit. 

Stretching tight muscles before playing is essential to performance & longevity.

Drummer's Rx #drums, #drummer, #wellness #drumming

Here is a PDF link to print and share: Google Drive PDF

Tinnitus Help for Drummers:

If you suffer from this disorder, there are several options to look into. 

Number 1. Start with prevention, always practice safe "Playing & Listening"!  Get a good pair of ear plugs, filters, in-ear monitors or noise canceling headphones to reduce the pressure (dBs) on your ear drums.

Number 2. Try to identify the source of your issues, aside from drum and cymbal pressure - what other loud noises are you around?  Firearms, Factories, Power Tools and more cause damage aside from simply aging.  There are over 200 drugs associated with Tinnitus as well!  Speak with your Doctor regarding any medical issues which may be affecting you, ask for a referral to an Audiologist.

Number 3. Clear Ear Wax!  Excess may create pressure against your ear drum and affect it's function.  There are several ways to safely clear ear wax, q-tips tend to push wax in more than remove it and you need to be careful not to go too deep.  There are several over the counter ear wax rinses that work quite well.  Wearing headphones is known to increase the production of ear wax as well.

Number 4. Test the volume of your drums/cymbals with a Decibel/Sound Meter App.  It is amazing at the volume (pressure in dBs) that drums and cymbals produce which are all typically well above the safe range!  This should reinforce the need for hearing protection.

Number 5.  Reduce Stress and get proper REST!  Exercise is a great way to reduce stress and increase circulation inexpensively.  Restful Sleep is the number one most overlooked factor that affects your health & longevity, work on factors which affect your ability to get consistent rest.  A few ways to get a better night's sleep are; reduce artificial light exposure 2-hours prior to bed (Cell, TV, Tablet, LED lights), set a daily sleep/wake schedule, and sleep in a cool/dark room to avoid stimulating a wake response.

Here is a more detailed article from Dr. Andrew Weil: Click HERE

Attention: Drummers with Low Back Pain :(

Low Back Pain can have serious effects on your ability to play your drum kit.  If you have a weak back/core, sitting behind or hauling/setting up a drum kit will only make it worse.

Learn effective methods to reduce and correct chronic low back pain affecting your ability to play your Drums.

Drummer's Rx focuses on corrective exercises and stretching in combination with proper ergonomics to relive these issues to boost performance and longevity behind your kit.

Virtual Coaching sessions and Custom Programs available NOW!

Contact Us to schedule a 30-min. Virtual Consult >>>

Hand + Wrist Pain typically starts in your "Neck & Shoulders".

Having poor posture as a drummer leads to dysfunction down the arm affecting your hands and wrists as well as your elbows.

Many of these issues are "chronic" meaning they build over time as repetitive stress builds inflammation.

The pain may be in your wrists and hands but the issue may be pressure on the nerves which control muscle function, like pinching a garden hose to disrupt flow.

Surgeries unfortunately rarely help, the best method is to correct posture and improve ergonomics on your kit.

Contact Us if you are having these types of issues >>>

@Drummer's Rx #drummer, #drums, #drumming

Choosing the right drum throne can either make or break your performance.  There are many choices on the market and finding the right one that best suits you is key.  Your throne is you balance point behind your drum kit, so it must be comfortable, supportive, stable and setup properly.  Many drummers I work with complain of back problems and I always tell them that an expensive throne will not fix your back issues.  A good quality throne set at the right height and distance from your snare is the best place to start.  

Here are the main types of thrones:

- Round

- Saddle/Tractor Seat

- Domed

- Bench

- Scooped (Roc n Soc)

* Backrests: Some thrones offer the option of having a backrest, it seems like a good way to support your back but it will actually make your back weaker.  Backrests are braces which take on the role your core muscles should be doing, this causes atrophy of your muscles.  I DO NOT RECCOMMEND any Backrests on drum thrones.  If you have a weak CORE, train it away from your kit to boost endurance and longevity.

The position you sit on your throne makes a huge difference as well.  Do you site towards the FRONT (Dime), MIDDLE (Nickel) or BACK (Quarter) in this pic?  Note the smaller the coin, the less of your hips are on the throne...(The DIME is closest to your Kit).

Unlike sight which we can correct with glasses or contacts, hearing unfortunately cannot be corrected - only amplified.  Prevention is key to preventing hearing loss especially in drummers.  Protection comes in many forms but must be used when playing, practicing, listening to music, going to hear bands play and any other times you may be around loud noises (Lawn Mowing, Firearms, Power Tools...).  

There are many devices Drummers can choose from:

- Foam Ear Plugs 

- Ear Plugs with Filters

- Over the Ear Mufflers

- In-Ear Monitors

- Over the Ear Headphones (Vic Firth are GREAT!)

Start at an early age and stay consistent, hearing loss is the main complaint I hear from older drummers who wish they had protected their hearing at a young age.  Again PREVENTION is key!

Try using a Decibel App while playing to see the real pressure your drums and cymbals create >>>