Change of technique

[JoeyM]

Hey WFD World,

As some of you have seen last year at the 2011 finals, I had a unique technique where my thumbs are completely of the stick. It worked well for me but I got to a point where scores stopped rising, so I decided to change my Technique and develop more speed and endurance that way allowing my hands to move in a different motion to what they're used to.

So I started with an "American grip" approach and had my thumbs resting on the stick, my scores were below the 1000 the first few weeks, this us because my fingers had to move in a different motion than the motion I use with my natural technique. I eventually started gaining speed with the new approach. After a few months, I slipped back to my natural technique and blasted a 1,084 PB. My fingers had definitely gotten stronger and faster.

So moral of this story, change things up when your scores and speed have peaked and are not budging. Try a new grip technique, or different sticks or practice surface for a while and things will improve. Just like a body builder, in order for his muscles to grow, he needs to change his routines and increase weight in order to grow. For speed drummers, its the same analogy, we need to surprise our tendons and arm muscles used ever few weeks into different movement and motion to make more gains, again this can mean by simply changing a stick size, increasing a tempo you practice at or simply changing your grip.


So this worked for me, a simple change of technique, it did slow me down and get me on the back foot but it payed off in the long run.

Good luck team WFD

JOEY the li-ell kanga.

[WFD Teamster]

JM, as we move closer to WFD World Finals 2013 can you give us an update on how this technique has advanced. AND are you by any chance scheduled to appear at WFD 2013? I have received several emails asking who's coming and specically the Champs.

[mattsmith]

Wow! what a great synopsis Joey Just now came across this one...
When it comes down to the technicalities involving the wrist, tendons, ligaments, proper warm-up, etc. I don't think anyone can break it down quite like my friend Joey.
I'm asked questions all the time about what I did to avoid wrist pains and just questions in general regarding the way muscles work and I never quite know what to say....at all
So in response, ill just give them Joeys email so they can ask him lol But luckily I never ran into serious pains or CT.
I totally agree with every bit Joey sais about switching up your warm up routine from time to time but to anyone else reading who hasn't been to a NAMM competition, make sure you have your routine down by the time you show up! I say this because you definitely don't want to change your routine 'on the day of'....or the day before. That'll just be disastrous.
Joey, I hope to see you at NAMM
....oh and what is li-ell kanga????