Building your left hand

[juSe]

No one is happy with their left hand.  Even Dennis still wants to strengthen his left side.  Wanna make your left hand strong?  Use it.  You can build the dexterity and range of motion by simply doing day-to-day activities.  Here are some things to look for in building dexterity. 

What's the closest thing to playing drums that you do every single day?  Brush your teeth.  Your toothbrush is about the closest thing to a drum stick that you use daily.  Practice brushing your teeth to music.  Brush your teeth in an 8th note pattern.  Then in a triplet pattern.  Then in a 16th note pattern.  You'll notice that your hand contorts in different manners while holding the toothbrush.  All of which relate to playing. This is especially useful for matched grip players.   Do this everyday for a month and be amazed with the growth.

Want to build the range of motion on your weak side?  Get a yo-yo.  The proper technique for yo-yo will build your range of motion immensely.  The good thing about yo-yo is that you can essentially practice anywhere.  Yo-yo everyday for at least 30 minutes a day for a month.  You'll be amazed with the improvement.

These are a couple of ideas that I am using right now.  Try it.... I DARE ya!

*

[j_kay]

Ay, I love my left hand - I write with it everyday.   

[Da_Drumma]

Ay, I love my left hand - I write with it everyday.  

Hey man...that aint fair!!

No one is happy with their left hand.  Even Dennis still wants to strengthen his left side.  Wanna make your left hand strong?  Use it.  You can build the dexterity and range of motion by simply doing day-to-day activities.  Here are some things to look for in building dexterity. 

What's the closest thing to playing drums that you do every single day?  Brush your teeth.  Your toothbrush is about the closest thing to a drum stick that you use daily.  Practice brushing your teeth to music.  Brush your teeth in an 8th note pattern.  Then in a triplet pattern.  Then in a 16th note pattern.  You'll notice that your hand contorts in different manners while holding the toothbrush.  All of which relate to playing. This is especially useful for matched grip players.   Do this everyday for a month and be amazed with the growth.

Want to build the range of motion on your weak side?  Get a yo-yo.  The proper technique for yo-yo will build your range of motion immensely.  The good thing about yo-yo is that you can essentially practice anywhere.  Yo-yo everyday for at least 30 minutes a day for a month.  You'll be amazed with the improvement.

These are a couple of ideas that I am using right now.  Try it.... I DARE ya!

*

Thats some sweet advice!!!

[j_kay]

Hey man...that aint fair!!

Considering that this world is dominated by right handers, I'd say that it's more than fair.  The only thing that I do with my left is write, eat, wear a baseball glove to catch and shoot hoops with it.  Everything else is with my right hand (i.e., throwing a baseball, football, bowling, I kick with my right, I lead with my right when I run, I play on a right handed drumset, etc.).

Oh, and I bat lefty.

You just have to work on getting the weaker hand on par with the stronger, just like I (and possibly many others) had to...

[SabianKnight]

Nice way to spark up the Left-Hand renwal topic Juse!

Cherri has a ton of info on this....
Taking from her information start a left-handed note book/journal. Write in it everyday for at least 10 mins. This will build the nerves and the fine control muscles in your hand, forearms and spinal cord etc. The more you write the better your get using/controlling your left hand

The yo-yo or a tennis/raquet/hi-bounce ball will do wonders for your rotation/stroke rhythm muscle and form development.

With CONTROL comes STRENGTH and SPEED which leads to POWER.

Jojo Mayer's DVD and Joe Morello's MASTER STUDIES I & II used on a E-PAD brand practice pad works amazingly well... My testimonial to that fact.

Mark Wessel's Rudimental Techniques section is great for this as well...
http://www.vicfirth.com/education/technique/wessels.html

[sugabear]

Considering that this world is dominated by right handers, I'd say that it's more than fair.  The only thing that I do with my left is write, eat, wear a baseball glove to catch and shoot hoops with it.  Everything else is with my right hand (i.e., throwing a baseball, football, bowling, I kick with my right, I lead with my right when I run, I play on a right handed drumset, etc.).

Oh, and I bat lefty.

You just have to work on getting the weaker hand on par with the stronger, just like I (and possibly many others) had to...

This is a cool thread. I think I'm like you but only completely opposite. The only things I do right handed is write and play drumset. Everything else I do left handed (basketball, football, etc.). I also stand south paw when I'm holding up my guard.

[j_kay]

Yeah, man...  So that means that you're even?

[Jedi3]

Ay, I love my left hand - I write with it everyday.   

I write with mine everyday too.  But strangely, while I am naturally left handed I also happen to be naturally right dominant...go figure.  Puts me right back in the weak left hand boat.

[Jedi3]

This is a cool thread. I think I'm like you but only completely opposite. The only things I do right handed is write and play drumset. Everything else I do left handed (basketball, football, etc.). I also stand south paw when I'm holding up my guard.

I'm the same way but on the other side.  I write left, but I throw, dribble/shoot, stand in guard, and swing a bat and golf club right.

[diligent-hands]

great post JUICE....

[Audiocr381ve]

Amazing advice, will put it to work immediately!

[VokalBeatz]

No one is happy with their left hand.  Even Dennis still wants to strengthen his left side.  Wanna make your left hand strong?  Use it.  You can build the dexterity and range of motion by simply doing day-to-day activities.  Here are some things to look for in building dexterity. 

What's the closest thing to playing drums that you do every single day?  Brush your teeth.  Your toothbrush is about the closest thing to a drum stick that you use daily.  Practice brushing your teeth to music.  Brush your teeth in an 8th note pattern.  Then in a triplet pattern.  Then in a 16th note pattern.  You'll notice that your hand contorts in different manners while holding the toothbrush.  All of which relate to playing. This is especially useful for matched grip players.   Do this everyday for a month and be amazed with the growth.

Want to build the range of motion on your weak side?  Get a yo-yo.  The proper technique for yo-yo will build your range of motion immensely.  The good thing about yo-yo is that you can essentially practice anywhere.  Yo-yo everyday for at least 30 minutes a day for a month.  You'll be amazed with the improvement.

These are a couple of ideas that I am using right now.  Try it.... I DARE ya!

*

I think this is some really good advice.  I'm a right handed drummer myself, and I too believe that I could use some work on my left hand in some areas.  Another thing that I heard about to strengthen your left is to set your kit up as if you were a left handed drummer and practice on it that way.  Put your ride on the left side and play your hats with the left.  I haven't done this yet, but I often experiment with playing my hi-hats with my left hand just to see where I am.

[juSe]

I think this is some really good advice.  I'm a right handed drummer myself, and I too believe that I could use some work on my left hand in some areas.  Another thing that I heard about to strengthen your left is to set your kit up as if you were a left handed drummer and practice on it that way.  Put your ride on the left side and play your hats with the left.  I haven't done this yet, but I often experiment with playing my hi-hats with my left hand just to see where I am.

I have done this on occasion (set up completely lefty) and I am here to tell you that it can be a really frustrating thing.  But its definitely worth the trouble.  Your brain will freak out on your body at first, but its 100% worth the fight.  What I have been doing most recently is setting my ride cymbal on the left next to my hats.  Going with the Gorden Campbell approach.  Again, you're not going to build Rome in a day, but you'll feel the changes taking place in your thinking and playing.

[dude-on-drums]

Very good post!!!