Ernest Kwame Adu Sorry you’re having to deal with that. I hope it does help. It’s helped me a lot
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Oh dang, I have my drums here that I've just installed right next to me now and you just reminded me of my own scoliosis. Can't wait for the pandemic to end so I can start swimming again. That worked wonders on my back.
Dude the explanation with not sitting on your tailbone is something I’ve never heard before, but when I tried it out it felt so good instead of slouching on my seat. Why is no one explaining proper posture with this detail?!
I agree. It's the step everyone skips. But if we don't have that firm foundation, it doesn't matter how straight you sit. You're still gonna have low back issues. The book I mention is the first place I ever began to learn about it years ago. Incredibly good read. Should be required for all modern humans lol
Oh my GOD I wish I had found this video sooner. Last week I was dying of back pain and I swear I took the advice from this video and it has saved me from the pain in less than a week. Had to come back and say that this advice is LEGIT
Makes my day to hear that man. Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me that. Back pains no joke, I've dealt with my fair share. Most of it came from my own lack of knowledge about how the body works though. So glad it helped you too my friend
@@StephenTaylorDrums man thank you for all this valuable information on TH-cam. I learn so much from your free videos. I can’t imagine how valuable your lessons can be. Thank you for your service!
Thank you for addressing the terrible posture in the country. Car seats cave your shoulders in, as well as most theatre, and "comfort seats." Highly recommend yoga to keep your back in shape
You are absolutely right. After a serious accident I'm left with over a dozen herniated/ crushed discs throughout my C, T, and L spine as well as a broken sternum, dislocated ribs, and all of the muscles on the right side of my spine were torn away from my spine. Basically, a big non-operable mess. It hurts to ride in a car or sit on any other type of seat with a back that pushes my shoulders forward but riding my motorcycle or playing the drums everyday is (comparatively) painless because of proper posture. Take notes people, Stephen is teaching you a lesson worth its weight in gold!
*Subscribe to my channel or I'll steal your cymbals:* bit.ly/2AyH1Fb Drum Throne Posture, Preventing Back Pain, & Increasing Performance: There are very few things that I'm extremely outspoken about in drumming...but posture and sitting correctly is one of them. Why? Because if you don't correct how you sit and your posture at the drums immediately, it WILL lead to back pain. No ifs, ands, or buts about that one. Don't wait until tomorrow or next week...you need to correct your posture at the drums quickly...as in NOW. This was taken from a livestream I did for the members of the Drum Better Daily program. Drumming with back pain is a topic I discuss often with drummers. It's a very common issue whether it's low back pain, mid back pain, or neck pain. If you plan on playing the drums, this is a topic every beginner drummer, intermediate drummer, and advanced drummer should put some thought in to. Good news though...a few simple adjustments to how you sit at the drums can have a MASSIVE impact on back pain that comes as a result of sitting at the drums for extended periods of time. Here's two must have books on this topic: 8 Steps To A Pain Free Back: amzn.to/2A4drKx The Anatomy of Drumming: amzn.to/2LmCP3y Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts on drumming and back pain!
Stephen Taylor been there! When i was in my 20's i slouched over and played a Neil Peart Style drum kit 9 Toms just a gigantic set now I'm almost 50 I don't slouch and I play a five piece kit I had to learn the hard way that I was killing my back!
Thanks Stephen..your videos really help me. Before this i just played for 5 minutes and my back really hurt. And i just try your method and i feel very comfort and there is no back pain anymore..THANK YOU SO MUCH
Thank you for taking the time to "dumb this down" for us. As I approach the half century mark, I'm now suffering with a bulging disc in my neck from years of lousy posture at the kit (and working at a desk hasn't helped, either). For those of you reading this, please adhere to this video, and if you're experiencing pain, don't ignore it. Again, thank you for taking the time.
Stephen, I came across your video regards back problems and sitting correctly on the drum stool, I’ve started teaching my self drums after 30 year break and recently been suffering hamstring and glut problems, so it was most informative and I’ll be definitely sitting different from now on. Thanks.
Thank you Stephen, this information is extremely important. If drummers watch this, they can spend money on drums and cymbals, and not on doctors and chiropractors.
Great video, man! I’m a practicing Physical Therapist Assistant and drummer as well. It’s good to see someone in the drumming community sharing helpful and accurate information on such a common issue. Props my dude! 💪🏼
Thank you, that was very helpful. I've spend countless hours feeling very anxious about whether or not I'm doing things right, or whether something I do when I play might cause injury years down the line, and just as long searching the internet for answers. This is the first video I have found that gave such a clear answer. No filler, no messing around, and you showed what not to do as well as what to do. Thank you so much! ❤️
I just started drumming (gotten more into it) and I have gotten back pain due to drumming. I have never felt it before but after I started drumming I felt it must times while drumming and doing other activities. I have gone to my pedeutrution and mentioned my pain at my yearly checkup and he told me how I brought my back pain on and taught me how to sit and prescribed a sports medicine doctor to me. Thankyou for making this video it helped me greatly
One of the best parts of my drum kit is my Ahead Spinal Glide drum throne. With that & correct posture, I’m able to drum for hours-and I’ve had back problems since the late 70’s.
This is very helpful Stephen! My drum teacher noticed I have problems with my posture and he said I'm young and my back and neck shouldn't hurt at all when I play. This will help a lot. Thank you Stephen.🥁
After watching, I feel silly for not having known this all along, or simply listening to my body while behind the kit. THANK YOU for the information, and in such a concise way!
Thank you so much! I'm returning to my drum kit after not playing for over 20 years, and my body is very different now. I'm hyper mobile and my sacrum unseats so making sure I play with proper form is very important. I'm doing PT but this specific info is incredibly helpful.
Really enjoyed the video, dealing with a lot of discomfort in the upper middle of my back too, it really sounds like it could be what you're talking about. I have always had a bad habit of working my chest more than my back and my shoulders roll forward, and the older I have got it seems like every time I work out again or start doing something physical it acts up. It doesn't hurt, it's just uncomfortable. Definitely will be checking out that book and these suggestions.
just curious if you have the time to answer, if not its ok. Did you just fallow things in the book to fix this or did you follow something more specific to help get the shoulders held back?
I know this is an old video, but the information is very informative. By comparison, there’s a favorite video of mine of Mike Mangini doing a drum solo during Dream Theater’s performance in Laguna Park from about 10 years ago and his posture is just like you say and he plays a phenomenal performance. Very sound advice.
Great stuff Stephen. I’ve been a Tae Kwon Do and boxing instructor for forty years. Have also coached people in the power lifts. The carryover from these disciplines to drumming is huge. A nice follow up to this lesson would be proper balance on the throne for optimal foot control. Maybe even kit setup for optimal playing and good ergonomics. Finally, if you could put out a lesson on pressure spots for foot control. I have never seen this addressed by anyone.
Oh wow thanks a lot. I really never thought about posture being that important while playing, but i definitely felt a difference when i actually fully sat on my butt. No wonder my back felt like crap lol. Cheers!
Thank you stephen. This is definitely going help me and my drumming on many levels. Specially for long hour of gigs. Great content. Keep up the good work
I play a lot of 3 hour shows myself a Wineries and such and house gigs and I drive a lot way more than the average person I found myself having back pain and developed a few stretches and pay close attention to my posture and my back pain is 10 times better most of time non-existent this topic is so important for drummers to be conscious of great topic
That's a great video Stephen! Recently I've been checking similar videos on youtube as I felt a lot of back pain, and ended up buying a quality throne which helped a bit but this videos is full of very useful information that I didn't come across in the other sources. Very helpful, thanks!
I've been through some of these setup vids before, but I like revisting them whenever I tweak my setup. Anyway, one thing I noticed too (and you can look at the horizontal wall boards behind Stephen to see it) is when you straighten up (from a slouch), you also gain 2-3 inches in shoulder/arm height, which will affect the way you hit the drums, so keep that in mind....may have to adjust the throne down, etc.
Great video I’ve been leaning backwards and now only noticed after not being able to get past 140 playing double bass.. so now I have to go back and learn how sit and strengthen my core . Very annoyed with myself for not correcting this a year ago
I bought a back brace on my throne and found out my back hurt more than without it. I am still trying to get comfortable on the throne and catch myself slouching. I am fairly new and you give a good explanation on why posture is so important. Thanks.
Hey man, great tips here-particularly for the sitting position. That’s something that I never really considered and something I can work on everywhere I sit down! I think the biggest problem for us as Americans (particularly in bigger cities) is how often we sit in cars. It’s really difficult to make car seats both comfortable and posture-accommodating. I have trouble with it anyways.
I'm excited to try this out. I've had some minor back problems over the years, mostly from either bad posture or being so thin that I don't have much padding.^_^ I also found that making minor changes to the ergonomics of my kit has gone a long way toward helping.
Man I have been searching a video for so long about sitting on drum thrones. Finally got a perfect video that explains so well. Thanks allot man. your're video was very helpful. I've been wondering why I have this massive pain in my tailbone.
I think a good follow up video to this would be in regards to throne height. For years I had lower back pain and fatigue while drumming. Turns out, having my throne height set to where my legs were parallel with the ground is what was causing it. Simply by raising my throne a few inches so my hips were above my knees helped out a ton. Brandon Green has a good video explaining it.
It's one of the things that's primary to great drumming for extended amounts of time and you'll hear drummers like Danny Carey and Matt Garstka mention proper upright posture so much because it's always important. Plus slouching and hunching over actually drain you of energy, stamina, and agility way quicker than sitting properly behind a kit. If it takes realigning your whole kit to be able to sit properly with correct posture, then please take the time to do it. It's worth it, no matter how long it takes to readjust!!!
I have a ton of muscle imbalances and issues to work out, many are opposite of what you suggested, but that's my case (anterior pelvic tilt and other issues). I just wanted to reiterate what you said about not using the backrest on the thrones. I have recently removed mine and it has forced me to sit better, or at least constantly readjust myself. Removing this might be the easiest way to get someone started with fixing their posture. And yes, sitting on your tailbone is brutal.
You should try watching yourself on camera grabbing your butt and then going "yea, let's use this one". The lesson got weird and went south quickly lol
I have a spinal fusion coming up next month. My posture has to be on, or I'll go into spasms, and lose all feeling in my R foot. Great advice here! Ya definitely don't want to keep your butt curdled under, especially if ya have lower lumbar problems. Bernard Purdie had amazing posture too. I went out and got a back rest....After about 15 min, I had to take it off. "The price of being upright "
I'll just throw an update out there, as I'm now almost 3 weeks post fusion. I'm dying to get back behind the kit. I was told as long as I can tolerate the pain, I can try to play. Gave it a shot yesterday, and TOO SOON. Anyway, for those with DDD, herniations, and all that. Look into the Charmicheal thone. I'm ordering one today, I've read nothing but rave reviews. I know I'm an extreme case. Just thought I'd throw that out, just incase anyone is having some surgical issues
Something I'm definitely working on... I have bad posture and it's something that o have to be conscious of right now. After long sets my back hurts because of it.
Look at that posture, your kit setup, and throne. That'll fix most drumming back pain unless you have a pre-existing injury or you are damaging it in other areas of life (working out, improper work posture, etc.)
My posture wasn’t great in the past and could probably be better now however it got a lot better very suddenly when I started singing backing from the kit. I found that having a mic in front of me 90% of the time forced me to stay in one place and the most comfortable position was with a better posture as I had been taught proper singing posture in the past and it didn’t feel comfortable singing hunched over. It was crazy how much better it felt. Granted I let loose a little more when not singing but most it’s actually getting better at those times too. On a side note I’ve noticed it helps with breathing too ( because this is what the singing posture is meant to do ) which allows me to stay more controlled and and not get out of breath etc. I highly recommend looking into breathing techniques for singers even if you don’t plan on singing.
I knew I was sitting wrong cause I would get tired really quickly but I thought I just needed to get used to the long sessions! I wouldn’t tuck my tailbone because of the pain but I would lounge when playing. I realize posture is everything and can make a great player if you don’t practice this correctly over time
Yea, get those shoulders back. That head forward posture is equivalent of hanging a 12 pound weight on your head and needing your neck to support that. There's a ton more to it, but posture is everything with this instrument. Just ask Buddy Rich...
Great video. I already ordered the book. My hams are notoriously tight, and my question is if I were to increase my core strength and stretch my hams more often, would that have the potential to make me a better drummer (as in give me more range/speed or less tension)? Thanks Stephen.
Don't worry...you're not alone lol. My posture was HORRIBLE for years. Funny how a few simple changes makes such a huge difference. Glad you're addressing it now.
Thanks for this. I haven't had back problems as much as my right (kick) foot just starts to lose strength and responsiveness, especially after playing songs with quick doubles throughout. I'm pretty sure it's coming from my front hip bone/groin area.
Hi Stephen, you said your chest muscles were stronger then the ones under your scapula. I’m pretty sure I have the same thing. I often get pain feeling like it’s coming from below the shoulder blade when drumming. Did you manage to solve this? If so how?? Cheers
I guess my main problem is my throne never able to stay in one position. I tight it so that it stand still but after 5min or so it's back to moving around. I then have to relay on my legs to support my weight. (300 pounds). I bought 2 thrones and still have the same problem. I cannot have a good posture while rolling on the bench.
What are your thoughts on strengthening the core? I've heard that helps your posture since those muscles are also responsible for holding you up? I was curious to know what you though. Thanks!! Always always great stuff from this channel.
Awesome Vid Steve. I’ve always had lower back problems since I was a kid. These days it comes and goes. I do stretch but not often. I want to ask though, I know I have to get some corrections, and massage due to tightness etc, and know I need to see professional help. As a previous PT do you think there is an order? I.e chiro, physio/osteopath? Any advice would help.
Is it common that the scapula gets over developed on one side as you drum over time? I have a little extra development in the middle back under the right shoulder blade, which would be my hihat arm, which seems to be holding tension. Been suggested that drumming is a possibility for this. Have had dry needling done last year on it which really helped relieve it (it was awfully painful to sleep with before that and very stubborn to shift fully). It’s more of a very mild pest than anything at worst nowadays thankfully, though it would be fantastic to relieve it fully.
talking of bad posture, I remember decades ago seeing Cozy Powel, and I thought then, he's gonna have some major back problems when he gets older. Sadly never happened
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I've been playing for almost 30yrs, but I recently started getting pain right in the middle of my back. Like 20 min into my first set. And my entire night sucks cause of it.
Yep...this was where my pain was. Couple things you can do...make sure your shoulders are back, you're sitting up straight, and you're not leaning forward with your head. Make sure you're not reaching for items on your kit for extended periods (bring them closer to you). Outside of playing, stretch your chest and shoulders (door way stretches work great. This is the muscle responsible for pulling your shoulder blades forward. It's much stronger than your scapulae or shoulder blades). Then find ways to strengthen the muscles underneath the scapulae (responsible for pulling the shoulder blades back in to place. Much weaker than the chest muscles). You may even want to have a few sessions with a quality physical therapist that can give you a protocol that will help with those specific issues. I'm def no doctor so consult the right peeps. I'm with you though...that pain sucks.
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Thanks a lot for your advice and the video. Do you know any good pre-show stretches or exercises to help strengthen those parts?
I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if you have any suggestions. I watched this because I have been playing drums in bands for, we'll just say MANY years. I have always had terrible posture when playing drums. I am 5 feet tall and I've never been sure how to use all the info about posture for someone so short. I was trying all the suggestions you were giving and brought my tractor style drum throne in front of my computer. When I sit the proper way, my feet are 6 inches off the ground and my toes don't even touch the floor. My thrones are all adjusted to their lowest height. About 10 years ago I went to a 20 inch bass drum which lowered my toms a bit and that helped. Maybe I should ask, how do kids overcome a height problem and have good posture at their drums. A lot of kids that are 10-12 years old are as tall as I am. Thankfully, I haven't had back problems, but it just looks bad in pics and videos I see of me playing.
They scoot forward on the throne. As well, I would look at some different thrones. I have a lot of kids play my drums and it’s never a problem getting the throne low enough for them. So you may want to look at a different throne setup.
@@StephenTaylorDrums Thanks Stephen. I've been looking at my thrones today. I realized a couple of them have memory locks on them I took off and they will go down to 19", but I have one will go down to 17 inches, which allows me to sit with better posture and put my feet comfortably on the pedals. I do require more than one throne, to leave at rehearsal studios, so I will be looking at some others that go lower. Even at that, it will take some work to remember to sit up straight, but it actually feels better Thank you for your reply!
Hi Stephen You discussed some interesting points here however, posture is very individual and any one size fits all approach will simply not work for everybody There are many myths surrounding this topic and current research has really moved away from the type of things you describe I am a spinal specialist physiotherapist in the UK and it is impossible to give general advice because we are also different Posture whilst doing any activity needs to be assessed for the individual If you would like to discuss MOORE please let me know thanks
First off, great video, Stephen. This stuff is really important. Second off, my legs sometimes go numb under my thighs during long sessions on the kit. Does this have anything to do with the sitting on tailbone? How do you prevent this? My throne is a great throne so it's not that. Thanks!
They may be falling asleep. Getting up every half hour or so should help. They could be going numb from too much sitting. Again, getting up every so often helps. You could be sitting on that tailbone. And you could have your throne too low. I would trouble shoot those. Movement usually takes care of this though.
sometimes sitting for too long causes the piriformis muscle in the buttocks to irritate the sciatic nerve, which radiates down your back of thighs. Solution is of course not to sit for too long, get up and walk about every half hour. Search up on some stretches for your glutes and piriformis as well
Well...except he suffered from debilitating back pain at the end of his life that often kept him from playing. Sure, his playing was insane...but quality of life sucked with the pain. And yes, I'm in the same boat. I go stretch after every video I watch of him lol
Definitely know that, I first went to physical therapy and didn't see any improvement with my disc herniation.. when I switched to my chiropractor they did a few large adjustments in the beginning for pain relief, followed with many small adjustments over time to promote physical change. Anyone should inquire with multiple chiropractors/physical therapy places (if not directly/indirectly spine related) before committing, because a good one can save your quality of life and a bad one can ruin it.
Awesome got a reply from the great Stephen Taylor!!😎. I love what you are doing here and I agree about leaning forward because it wrecks my back. I've been working on posture and I have been studying the greats and all have different positions with throne height and posture. Anyway you are great man and I enjoy your videos, they are both helpful and very informative and your humor makes it fun
Bill Brinkmoeller Oh man, I wish I had a chance to tell Buddy about proper posture. Someone needed to! I probably would have been to taken with his playing to bring it up though!
Thanks Stephen! Just that tip on pushing dat a$$ out is the million dollar tip here... Check into the Obliques. They are muscles on the sides of the abs that are like pillars that hold up the upper body. Legitimately, they can increase your height a little when properly exercised - but anyway, if interested, check out what those muscles do
"I don't want to turn this into a anatomy lesson"
proceed to give anatomy lesson and it's one of the best I've seen
As a person with scoliosis, this is going to be useful - thanks!
Ernest Kwame Adu Sorry you’re having to deal with that. I hope it does help. It’s helped me a lot
Oh dang, I have my drums here that I've just installed right next to me now and you just reminded me of my own scoliosis.
Can't wait for the pandemic to end so I can start swimming again. That worked wonders on my back.
Dude the explanation with not sitting on your tailbone is something I’ve never heard before, but when I tried it out it felt so good instead of slouching on my seat. Why is no one explaining proper posture with this detail?!
I agree. It's the step everyone skips. But if we don't have that firm foundation, it doesn't matter how straight you sit. You're still gonna have low back issues. The book I mention is the first place I ever began to learn about it years ago. Incredibly good read. Should be required for all modern humans lol
Oh my GOD I wish I had found this video sooner. Last week I was dying of back pain and I swear I took the advice from this video and it has saved me from the pain in less than a week. Had to come back and say that this advice is LEGIT
Makes my day to hear that man. Thank you for taking the time to come back and tell me that. Back pains no joke, I've dealt with my fair share. Most of it came from my own lack of knowledge about how the body works though. So glad it helped you too my friend
@@StephenTaylorDrums man thank you for all this valuable information on TH-cam. I learn so much from your free videos. I can’t imagine how valuable your lessons can be. Thank you for your service!
Thank you for addressing the terrible posture in the country. Car seats cave your shoulders in, as well as most theatre, and "comfort seats."
Highly recommend yoga to keep your back in shape
Yoga is great...anything that involves deep stretching I love
You are absolutely right. After a serious accident I'm left with over a dozen herniated/ crushed discs throughout my C, T, and L spine as well as a broken sternum, dislocated ribs, and all of the muscles on the right side of my spine were torn away from my spine. Basically, a big non-operable mess. It hurts to ride in a car or sit on any other type of seat with a back that pushes my shoulders forward but riding my motorcycle or playing the drums everyday is (comparatively) painless because of proper posture. Take notes people, Stephen is teaching you a lesson worth its weight in gold!
Stephen Taylor I love yoga.
And that's why you're one of the best channels out there. No other videos went into detail like you and it made it easy to understand.
Glad it hit the nail on the head for you
*Subscribe to my channel or I'll steal your cymbals:* bit.ly/2AyH1Fb
Drum Throne Posture, Preventing Back Pain, & Increasing Performance: There are very few things that I'm extremely outspoken about in drumming...but posture and sitting correctly is one of them. Why? Because if you don't correct how you sit and your posture at the drums immediately, it WILL lead to back pain. No ifs, ands, or buts about that one. Don't wait until tomorrow or next week...you need to correct your posture at the drums quickly...as in NOW.
This was taken from a livestream I did for the members of the Drum Better Daily program. Drumming with back pain is a topic I discuss often with drummers. It's a very common issue whether it's low back pain, mid back pain, or neck pain. If you plan on playing the drums, this is a topic every beginner drummer, intermediate drummer, and advanced drummer should put some thought in to.
Good news though...a few simple adjustments to how you sit at the drums can have a MASSIVE impact on back pain that comes as a result of sitting at the drums for extended periods of time.
Here's two must have books on this topic:
8 Steps To A Pain Free Back: amzn.to/2A4drKx
The Anatomy of Drumming: amzn.to/2LmCP3y
Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts on drumming and back pain!
thanks for this video, this is very helpful!
You bet!
Stephen Taylor been there! When i was in my 20's i slouched over and played a Neil Peart Style drum kit 9 Toms just a gigantic set now I'm almost 50 I don't slouch and I play a five piece kit I had to learn the hard way that I was killing my back!
I learned that way as well unfortunately. Live and learn...
Thanks Stephen..your videos really help me. Before this i just played for 5 minutes and my back really hurt. And i just try your method and i feel very comfort and there is no back pain anymore..THANK YOU SO MUCH
Thank you for taking the time to "dumb this down" for us. As I approach the half century mark, I'm now suffering with a bulging disc in my neck from years of lousy posture at the kit (and working at a desk hasn't helped, either). For those of you reading this, please adhere to this video, and if you're experiencing pain, don't ignore it. Again, thank you for taking the time.
More people need to talk about this! Thanks Stephen, good lesson.
aron salomaki You bet Aron
Stephen, I came across your video regards back problems and sitting correctly on the drum stool, I’ve started teaching my self drums after 30 year break and recently been suffering hamstring and glut problems, so it was most informative and I’ll be definitely sitting different from now on. Thanks.
Thank you Stephen, this information is extremely important. If drummers watch this, they can spend money on drums and cymbals, and not on doctors and chiropractors.
Agreed
Great video, man! I’m a practicing Physical Therapist Assistant and drummer as well. It’s good to see someone in the drumming community sharing helpful and accurate information on such a common issue. Props my dude! 💪🏼
Thank you, that was very helpful. I've spend countless hours feeling very anxious about whether or not I'm doing things right, or whether something I do when I play might cause injury years down the line, and just as long searching the internet for answers. This is the first video I have found that gave such a clear answer. No filler, no messing around, and you showed what not to do as well as what to do. Thank you so much! ❤️
Glad it helped Jessica!
@@StephenTaylorDrums thank you! 😄
I just started drumming (gotten more into it) and I have gotten back pain due to drumming. I have never felt it before but after I started drumming I felt it must times while drumming and doing other activities. I have gone to my pedeutrution and mentioned my pain at my yearly checkup and he told me how I brought my back pain on and taught me how to sit and prescribed a sports medicine doctor to me. Thankyou for making this video it helped me greatly
So glad it helped you!
One of the best parts of my drum kit is my Ahead Spinal Glide drum throne. With that & correct posture, I’m able to drum for hours-and I’ve had back problems since the late 70’s.
This is very helpful Stephen! My drum teacher noticed I have problems with my posture and he said I'm young and my back and neck shouldn't hurt at all when I play. This will help a lot. Thank you Stephen.🥁
100% truth and aligns with everything I've ever been taught about good posture. Well done.
Great points here, never thought of this...
After watching, I feel silly for not having known this all along, or simply listening to my body while behind the kit. THANK YOU for the information, and in such a concise way!
Thank you so much! I'm returning to my drum kit after not playing for over 20 years, and my body is very different now. I'm hyper mobile and my sacrum unseats so making sure I play with proper form is very important. I'm doing PT but this specific info is incredibly helpful.
So glad it helped!
Really enjoyed the video, dealing with a lot of discomfort in the upper middle of my back too, it really sounds like it could be what you're talking about. I have always had a bad habit of working my chest more than my back and my shoulders roll forward, and the older I have got it seems like every time I work out again or start doing something physical it acts up. It doesn't hurt, it's just uncomfortable. Definitely will be checking out that book and these suggestions.
just curious if you have the time to answer, if not its ok. Did you just fallow things in the book to fix this or did you follow something more specific to help get the shoulders held back?
I know this is an old video, but the information is very informative. By comparison, there’s a favorite video of mine of Mike Mangini doing a drum solo during Dream Theater’s performance in Laguna Park from about 10 years ago and his posture is just like you say and he plays a phenomenal performance. Very sound advice.
Ste.. this is a game changer taking the back rest off my throne... played in rehearsal for 2 hrs and played better thanks to this... peace bro 🤘
Joelf Kaydrums So Glad it helped my friend
Stephen Taylor big fan... keep them vids coming
Great stuff Stephen. I’ve been a Tae Kwon Do and boxing instructor for forty years. Have also coached people in the power lifts. The carryover from these disciplines to drumming is huge. A nice follow up to this lesson would be proper balance on the throne for optimal foot control. Maybe even kit setup for optimal playing and good ergonomics. Finally, if you could put out a lesson on pressure spots for foot control. I have never seen this addressed by anyone.
Oh wow thanks a lot. I really never thought about posture being that important while playing, but i definitely felt a difference when i actually fully sat on my butt. No wonder my back felt like crap lol. Cheers!
Thank you stephen. This is definitely going help me and my drumming on many levels. Specially for long hour of gigs. Great content. Keep up the good work
OMG thank you so much! I can already see this working! Can't wait to do this and not be so tired after playing drums
Thanks Stephen! It was a brilliant live stream, by the way.
Leon van Zyl It was a brilliant question 👊🏻👍🏻 and thanks!
Thx, I have a gig coming up that will be a couple of hours and just running through the set list at home was making my back hurt so thank you!
I play a lot of 3 hour shows myself a Wineries and such and house gigs and I drive a lot way more than the average person I found myself having back pain and developed a few stretches and pay close attention to my posture and my back pain is 10 times better most of time non-existent this topic is so important for drummers to be conscious of great topic
That's a great video Stephen! Recently I've been checking similar videos on youtube as I felt a lot of back pain, and ended up buying a quality throne which helped a bit but this videos is full of very useful information that I didn't come across in the other sources. Very helpful, thanks!
I've been through some of these setup vids before, but I like revisting them whenever I tweak my setup.
Anyway, one thing I noticed too (and you can look at the horizontal wall boards behind Stephen to see it) is when you straighten up (from a slouch), you also gain 2-3 inches in shoulder/arm height, which will affect the way you hit the drums, so keep that in mind....may have to adjust the throne down, etc.
For sure you do. Great observation
Great video I’ve been leaning backwards and now only noticed after not being able to get past 140 playing double bass..
so now I have to go back and learn how sit and strengthen my core .
Very annoyed with myself for not correcting this a year ago
I bought a back brace on my throne and found out my back hurt more than without it. I am still trying to get comfortable on the throne and catch myself slouching. I am fairly new and you give a good explanation on why posture is so important. Thanks.
You bet William...and I'm the same way. My back hurts more with a back rest (because my posture goes to crap).
My back started to hurt so I took a break and then you flashed on. What great timing
honestly the best video on posture!
Hey man, great tips here-particularly for the sitting position. That’s something that I never really considered and something I can work on everywhere I sit down! I think the biggest problem for us as Americans (particularly in bigger cities) is how often we sit in cars. It’s really difficult to make car seats both comfortable and posture-accommodating. I have trouble with it anyways.
I'm excited to try this out. I've had some minor back problems over the years, mostly from either bad posture or being so thin that I don't have much padding.^_^ I also found that making minor changes to the ergonomics of my kit has gone a long way toward helping.
Absolutely...having a drum set ergonomically laid out is so important.
Dude You are Awesome ☺💖
Man I have been searching a video for so long about sitting on drum thrones. Finally got a perfect video that explains so well. Thanks allot man. your're video was very helpful. I've been wondering why I have this massive pain in my tailbone.
lolling at "that's a weird thing to notice about Antonio." Thanks for the tips!
This is probably the most important drumming video I've ever seen.
I think a good follow up video to this would be in regards to throne height. For years I had lower back pain and fatigue while drumming. Turns out, having my throne height set to where my legs were parallel with the ground is what was causing it. Simply by raising my throne a few inches so my hips were above my knees helped out a ton. Brandon Green has a good video explaining it.
I'll see what I can do
It's one of the things that's primary to great drumming for extended amounts of time and you'll hear drummers like Danny Carey and
Matt Garstka mention proper upright posture so much because it's always important. Plus slouching and hunching over actually drain you of energy, stamina, and agility way quicker than sitting properly behind a kit. If it takes realigning your whole kit to be able to sit properly with correct posture, then please take the time to do it. It's worth it, no matter how long it takes to readjust!!!
Thanks for this video and your advice. I'm new to drums and want to avoid problems if possible.
I have a ton of muscle imbalances and issues to work out, many are opposite of what you suggested, but that's my case (anterior pelvic tilt and other issues). I just wanted to reiterate what you said about not using the backrest on the thrones. I have recently removed mine and it has forced me to sit better, or at least constantly readjust myself. Removing this might be the easiest way to get someone started with fixing their posture. And yes, sitting on your tailbone is brutal.
Great video but the 5 year old inside of me couldnt help but giggle a bit everytime you grabbed your butt
You should try watching yourself on camera grabbing your butt and then going "yea, let's use this one". The lesson got weird and went south quickly lol
Great video, thank you for the education!!!
Very helpful lesson. I honestly thought I was the only one who got tired of sitting on the throne for a while.
Thanks Stephen, excellent job.
Protect your back!!!!! Great drumming advice think like an athlete !!
It is a physical instrument...
Great advice, timely to my needs. Thank you, Stephen.
You bet Stephen!
Thanks for this Stephen. Good reminders!
You bet Spencer
I have a spinal fusion coming up next month. My posture has to be on, or I'll go into spasms, and lose all feeling in my R foot. Great advice here! Ya definitely don't want to keep your butt curdled under, especially if ya have lower lumbar problems. Bernard Purdie had amazing posture too. I went out and got a back rest....After about 15 min, I had to take it off. "The price of being upright "
I'll just throw an update out there, as I'm now almost 3 weeks post fusion. I'm dying to get back behind the kit. I was told as long as I can tolerate the pain, I can try to play. Gave it a shot yesterday, and TOO SOON. Anyway, for those with DDD, herniations, and all that. Look into the Charmicheal thone. I'm ordering one today, I've read nothing but rave reviews. I know I'm an extreme case. Just thought I'd throw that out, just incase anyone is having some surgical issues
Dude, thanks for this video!!!
Something I'm definitely working on... I have bad posture and it's something that o have to be conscious of right now. After long sets my back hurts because of it.
Look at that posture, your kit setup, and throne. That'll fix most drumming back pain unless you have a pre-existing injury or you are damaging it in other areas of life (working out, improper work posture, etc.)
Very useful video. Thx.
My posture wasn’t great in the past and could probably be better now however it got a lot better very suddenly when I started singing backing from the kit. I found that having a mic in front of me 90% of the time forced me to stay in one place and the most comfortable position was with a better posture as I had been taught proper singing posture in the past and it didn’t feel comfortable singing hunched over. It was crazy how much better it felt. Granted I let loose a little more when not singing but most it’s actually getting better at those times too.
On a side note I’ve noticed it helps with breathing too ( because this is what the singing posture is meant to do ) which allows me to stay more controlled and and not get out of breath etc.
I highly recommend looking into breathing techniques for singers even if you don’t plan on singing.
Jon G I was gonna say...one of the reasons is because it’s naturally easier to sing sitting up. It’s hard to get a full diaphragm of air slouching.
OMG!!!!!!!!THANOS making drum videos😱😱😱😱
Great info to be aware of!
I needed this so bad. I tend to slouch big time in the throne.
I knew I was sitting wrong cause I would get tired really quickly but I thought I just needed to get used to the long sessions! I wouldn’t tuck my tailbone because of the pain but I would lounge when playing. I realize posture is everything and can make a great player if you don’t practice this correctly over time
Yea, get those shoulders back. That head forward posture is equivalent of hanging a 12 pound weight on your head and needing your neck to support that. There's a ton more to it, but posture is everything with this instrument. Just ask Buddy Rich...
Great video. I already ordered the book. My hams are notoriously tight, and my question is if I were to increase my core strength and stretch my hams more often, would that have the potential to make me a better drummer (as in give me more range/speed or less tension)? Thanks Stephen.
Wow, I can immediately tell the difference from that one tip.
Glad to hear it Levi!
THE CHIROPRACTOR HATES THIS GUY!!!!!!!. SEE HOW HE BEAT BACK PAIN WITH THIS 1 SIMPLE TRICK!!!
Great video Stephen! 😁 Currently rehabing my back at the moment by changing my posture wich was really wrong!
Don't worry...you're not alone lol. My posture was HORRIBLE for years. Funny how a few simple changes makes such a huge difference. Glad you're addressing it now.
It´s getting better by the day, have started to jogg and stretch some and really thinking about my posture because I´m sitting alot!
4:50 check out David Diepold's posture
Leg raises are the best and rowing machines are the best exercises a drummer can do
Thanks for this. I haven't had back problems as much as my right (kick) foot just starts to lose strength and responsiveness, especially after playing songs with quick doubles throughout. I'm pretty sure it's coming from my front hip bone/groin area.
Huge help thanks!
You bet Tom
Very helpful
Hi Stephen, you said your chest muscles were stronger then the ones under your scapula. I’m pretty sure I have the same thing. I often get pain feeling like it’s coming from below the shoulder blade when drumming. Did you manage to solve this? If so how?? Cheers
Stephen I’m wondering how tall you are and what is your drum throne height?
I guess my main problem is my throne never able to stay in one position. I tight it so that it stand still but after 5min or so it's back to moving around. I then have to relay on my legs to support my weight. (300 pounds). I bought 2 thrones and still have the same problem. I cannot have a good posture while rolling on the bench.
What are your thoughts on strengthening the core? I've heard that helps your posture since those muscles are also responsible for holding you up? I was curious to know what you though. Thanks!! Always always great stuff from this channel.
Urie Kline The core should be the first thing you strengthen. I mention that in the video as well. Huge benefits to a stronger core.
Oh whoops! Sorry, must have missed it. Thanks :)
Facts! Facts everywhere! Also, yoga and pilates!
Adam Block 100%
Awesome Vid Steve. I’ve always had lower back problems since I was a kid. These days it comes and goes. I do stretch but not often. I want to ask though, I know I have to get some corrections, and massage due to tightness etc, and know I need to see professional help. As a previous PT do you think there is an order? I.e chiro, physio/osteopath? Any advice would help.
Phill Collins bad posture also ?
Is it common that the scapula gets over developed on one side as you drum over time? I have a little extra development in the middle back under the right shoulder blade, which would be my hihat arm, which seems to be holding tension. Been suggested that drumming is a possibility for this. Have had dry needling done last year on it which really helped relieve it (it was awfully painful to sleep with before that and very stubborn to shift fully). It’s more of a very mild pest than anything at worst nowadays thankfully, though it would be fantastic to relieve it fully.
talking of bad posture, I remember decades ago seeing Cozy Powel, and I thought then, he's gonna have some major back problems when he gets older. Sadly never happened
I've been playing for almost 30yrs, but I recently started getting pain right in the middle of my back. Like 20 min into my first set. And my entire night sucks cause of it.
Yep...this was where my pain was. Couple things you can do...make sure your shoulders are back, you're sitting up straight, and you're not leaning forward with your head. Make sure you're not reaching for items on your kit for extended periods (bring them closer to you). Outside of playing, stretch your chest and shoulders (door way stretches work great. This is the muscle responsible for pulling your shoulder blades forward. It's much stronger than your scapulae or shoulder blades). Then find ways to strengthen the muscles underneath the scapulae (responsible for pulling the shoulder blades back in to place. Much weaker than the chest muscles). You may even want to have a few sessions with a quality physical therapist that can give you a protocol that will help with those specific issues. I'm def no doctor so consult the right peeps. I'm with you though...that pain sucks.
Thanks a lot for your advice and the video. Do you know any good pre-show stretches or exercises to help strengthen those parts?
Currently seeking help!!
Have you read "The Anatomy of Drumming"? It has a lot of tips about posture and grip and everything in there.
Rebecca Dillon absolutely...it’s an incredible book!
I know this is an old thread, but I was wondering if you have any suggestions. I watched this because I have been playing drums in bands for, we'll just say MANY years. I have always had terrible posture when playing drums. I am 5 feet tall and I've never been sure how to use all the info about posture for someone so short.
I was trying all the suggestions you were giving and brought my tractor style drum throne in front of my computer. When I sit the proper way, my feet are 6 inches off the ground and my toes don't even touch the floor. My thrones are all adjusted to their lowest height.
About 10 years ago I went to a 20 inch bass drum which lowered my toms a bit and that helped.
Maybe I should ask, how do kids overcome a height problem and have good posture at their drums. A lot of kids that are 10-12 years old are as tall as I am.
Thankfully, I haven't had back problems, but it just looks bad in pics and videos I see of me playing.
They scoot forward on the throne. As well, I would look at some different thrones. I have a lot of kids play my drums and it’s never a problem getting the throne low enough for them. So you may want to look at a different throne setup.
@@StephenTaylorDrums Thanks Stephen. I've been looking at my thrones today. I realized a couple of them have memory locks on them I took off and they will go down to 19", but I have one will go down to 17 inches, which allows me to sit with better posture and put my feet comfortably on the pedals. I do require more than one throne, to leave at rehearsal studios, so I will be looking at some others that go lower. Even at that, it will take some work to remember to sit up straight, but it actually feels better
Thank you for your reply!
Hi Stephen
You discussed some interesting points here however, posture is very individual and any one size fits all approach will simply not work for everybody
There are many myths surrounding this topic and current research has really moved away from the type of things you describe
I am a spinal specialist physiotherapist in the UK and it is impossible to give general advice because we are also different
Posture whilst doing any activity needs to be assessed for the individual
If you would like to discuss MOORE please let me know thanks
I stand behind the drums
My throne cuts into my hamstring when I play. Lately, I can't play for more than 20 mins without pain but any other height doesn't work for me.
You sit low or high? You may need a new throne
First off, great video, Stephen. This stuff is really important. Second off, my legs sometimes go numb under my thighs during long sessions on the kit. Does this have anything to do with the sitting on tailbone? How do you prevent this? My throne is a great throne so it's not that. Thanks!
They may be falling asleep. Getting up every half hour or so should help. They could be going numb from too much sitting. Again, getting up every so often helps. You could be sitting on that tailbone. And you could have your throne too low. I would trouble shoot those. Movement usually takes care of this though.
sometimes sitting for too long causes the piriformis muscle in the buttocks to irritate the sciatic nerve, which radiates down your back of thighs. Solution is of course not to sit for too long, get up and walk about every half hour. Search up on some stretches for your glutes and piriformis as well
Matt Greiner also has incredible posture
He absolutely does. Good guy to boot
I havent been told to sit down this much since high school
watch Cozy Powell's posture in his 1977 drum solo with Rainbow in Munich, terrible posture
rerebah A lot of the old cats had horrible posture. Not really their fault though. People weren’t connecting the issues at that time.
Having good posture helps my independence too. Have no idea why, but it does
If you’re Buddy Rich the posture thing doesn’t matter haha. Check out his 1974 drum solo. Just looking at him playing hurts my back.
Nair Bas Yeah, and his gigs were hours long.
Well...except he suffered from debilitating back pain at the end of his life that often kept him from playing. Sure, his playing was insane...but quality of life sucked with the pain. And yes, I'm in the same boat. I go stretch after every video I watch of him lol
Thanks Conor McGregor 😂
Anyway it helped em a lot 😅
Chiropractic has saved my ability to walk, drum, and work. Try going before you experience pain
Frank L. Depends on the chiropractor. Some will just "pop" your back and send you on your way.
Definitely know that, I first went to physical therapy and didn't see any improvement with my disc herniation.. when I switched to my chiropractor they did a few large adjustments in the beginning for pain relief, followed with many small adjustments over time to promote physical change. Anyone should inquire with multiple chiropractors/physical therapy places (if not directly/indirectly spine related) before committing, because a good one can save your quality of life and a bad one can ruin it.
John Bonham sat leaning forward?
Many drummers sit different ways. Doesn't make it the most ergonomic way to sit for the health of your back.
Awesome got a reply from the great Stephen Taylor!!😎. I love what you are doing here and I agree about leaning forward because it wrecks my back. I've been working on posture and I have been studying the greats and all have different positions with throne height and posture. Anyway you are great man and I enjoy your videos, they are both helpful and very informative and your humor makes it fun
TELL THAT TO BUDDY RICH...LOL!!!
I endorse what you're saying here. It's a good thing you never had the chance to say this to Buddy Rich, though!!
Bill Brinkmoeller Oh man, I wish I had a chance to tell Buddy about proper posture. Someone needed to! I probably would have been to taken with his playing to bring it up though!
Thanks Stephen! Just that tip on pushing dat a$$ out is the million dollar tip here... Check into the Obliques. They are muscles on the sides of the abs that are like pillars that hold up the upper body. Legitimately, they can increase your height a little when properly exercised - but anyway, if interested, check out what those muscles do
"You want some junk in the trunk"😏👌😏
Tell that to gene krupa.