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Author Topic: Clenched Toes on BD Foot!  (Read 328 times)
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Smitty
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« on: September 09, 2008, 12:28 PM »

Okay, this one is just bizarre.  I‘ve noticed that I clench the toes on my BD foot.  Curl the toes on your right foot into a semi-tight clench and you’ll have my BD foot.  I have no idea why I do this, but it must be wrong.  Embarrassed
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GiggingDrummer
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« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2008, 03:36 PM »

I do it too unless I consiously use the ball of my foot. I think your brain automatically thinks of it like your fingers to give that extra push on accents and more control. I'm curios to here some good medical knoledge behiind this too.
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Chris Whitten
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« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2008, 04:05 PM »

It's not so medical, it's absolutely about tensing up - which is always a bad thing.
* As usual, the best way to avoid tensing up is to take professional drum lessons and talk about it with your experienced tutor. *
If that's not possible, you should put to one side all the things you can play right now and go back to the simplest, slowest grooves and patterns. Play them with almost all your brain concentrating on how your body feels. If you feel ANYTHING, fingers, arms, feet, toes, tighten up, un-tighten them immediately or stop.
It could take days or months, but eventually you'll be able to play everything you can now, without tightening up or clenching your toes.
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Smitty
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« Reply #3 on: September 09, 2008, 05:19 PM »

It's not so medical, it's absolutely about tensing up - which is always a bad thing.

Thanks for the advice. Be assured that I’m not being sarcastic when I say the following: Notice how almost everything I bring up on this board could likely be remedied by good professional instruction.I think I see a pattern here. Self-taught drummers with bad habits, pay heed and get professional instruction.As soon as I resolve some financial issues, I'm going to get a good teacher.

Anyway, Chris, it sounds like you may be familiar with the clenched-toes phenomenon. Is this something you’ve experienced or encountered? I thought I was just weird! Wink
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bolweevil
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« Reply #4 on: September 09, 2008, 06:33 PM »

This sounds like a very uncomfortable way to play.  Does you leg get sore?  Your back? 

I never heard of playing with a "relaxed toe grip", but hey-- I haven't heard of a lot of things!
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Louis
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« Reply #5 on: September 09, 2008, 06:41 PM »

Proper instruction is well worth the money!?  Teaching yourself is hard on the student and harder for the instructor.?   Grin
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Smitty
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« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2008, 06:44 PM »

This sounds like a very uncomfortable way to play.?  Does you leg get sore??  Your back?

No on both counts. I know, it's pretty weird.
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Chris Whitten
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« Reply #7 on: September 09, 2008, 07:54 PM »

Yes, I've experienced it.
I probably would tomorrow if I suddenly found myself in Prince's band at Giants Stadium.
But at least I would know what was going on and how to remedy it.

I was personally taught for years.
I went to music school for four years but bunked off a lot of my drum set tuition.
My teacher was a jazzman through and through. He had no time for my rockin' ways.
In short we didn't get along.
The biggest thing he taught me was relaxation though.
I've thanked him ever since. You really can't play if you tighten up.
First thing he did was identify it as a problem with me.
Secondly he kept on at me, lesson after lesson, every time I played for him and hunched a shoulder or screwed up my face.
Eventually I could feel my body going into tension - and that was one awesome skill he taught me that's paid off my entire life since.
 Smiley
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Drum4JC (Todd)
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« Reply #8 on: September 09, 2008, 09:18 PM »

You're not alone!  I've found myself doing that too! 

As for tension, I've found that a few of my students will tense up their legs and even push back on the throne a bit.  One of my students was amazed and asked how I knew what was going on.  I said that his tensed legs moved the snare drum and when he stopped playing the snare moved back.  He doesn't do that anymore (much). 
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playinpearls
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« Reply #9 on: September 15, 2008, 07:36 AM »

wow, i've always done that, especially when doing faster double kick stuff. I wouldn't say they are curled, more so just firm. i've never tried playing with my toes totally relaxed. Doing it here at the desk, it seems that i used tension to give my foot the extra little bounce to come up and down again on the pedal...Kinda works with my ankle...


interesting topic... Smiley
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bongo
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« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2008, 03:28 PM »

Have you seen that 'Die Hard' movie where Bruce Willis takes his shoes off and works his toes into the carpet to relax? That's the secret, relax the toes and the body follows....one becomes toetally relaxed. Of course then the bad guys come and you run around the rest of the movie barefoot.


Seriously, for me tensing the toes becomes part of my foot technique. At times I struggle to relax, especially when playing new stuff, but it is separate from my toes dang it. For me, even when very relaxed I'll still clench and unclench my toes. It helps accenting and articulation on the pedal, kind of like using fingers on a stick.

Though I haven't worked it up beyond a slow pace, maybe one could learn to use toes and the ball of the foot to execute doubles similar to heel toe techniques.

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diddle
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« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2008, 04:17 PM »

Notice how almost everything I bring up on this board could likely be remedied by good professional instruction.

OK, then, let me suggest a nice glass of wine...  Wink
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Chip71
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« Reply #12 on: September 20, 2008, 09:20 AM »

maybe one could learn to use toes and the ball of the foot to execute doubles similar to heel toe techniques.
I've done that for years. I don't even pay attention to it.
I just "listen" and react to the music. What my "toes" are doing I could care less. But what's coming out counts!   Cheesy
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"When you quit learning you start dieing"-My Grandfather
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