# How weight lifting relates to guitars



## Charles

Just trying to throw some food for thought out, gentleman.

I read an interview with George Lynch where he claims that weight lifting ruined the muscles in his hand and killed his dexterity. Now, while he was referring to the period in the 80s where he looked like Rambo, I wonder if there's any truth to this. It would seem that when muscles enlargen, they become less flexible (George Lynch described a cramping-like feeling when he tried to play fast) and it would seem harder to move your fingers at a high speed.

Currently, I'm on the second week of a work out plan constructed for me. There seems to be no difference in my playing, but then again I'm sure Vern Troyer could do the lifting that's part of my program.

Yes, yes, "look at Petrucci" and all that, but there are exceptions for every rule, and I wonder, will lifting REALLY hurt your guitar playing?


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## mlp187

No. Not if you stretch daily. Don't worry about all that hype. I used to be crazy rambo buff too and it never affected manual dexterity. 

I can see some people suffering setbacks w/out stretching though. 

And as far as large muscles = less flexible, again, that's not really true. Some people who never stretch perhaps will become less flexible, especially if they are putting on fat w/ their muscle. I wasn't able to touch my toes until I was repping w/ 700lbs leg press and squatting 350lbs (believe me I'm not even attempting to brag, neither were really that impressive for my size). I started at squating 45lbs and leg pressing 90lbs. 

Ive had two competive body builder friends both capable of turning into a pretzel and both who arnold sized. I'm pretty sure the rest at the competions can do the same thing.


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## jimmyshred

Definately not true, 
Having large muscles doesnt ruin flexibility, 
The only advice I have to give is to stretch, constantly.
Its always going to slowly increase or at least maintain the flexibility you do have. 



> Ive had two competive body builder friends both capable of turning into a pretzel and both who arnold sized.



There you go, I wouldnt worry too much
Just make sure you have a light stretch after weights. Maybe even again later on.


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## xiphoscesar

ive actually heard that when you weight lift, it makes your playing more relaxed


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## Arminius

xiphoscesar said:


> ive actually heard that when you weight lift, it makes your playing more relaxed



It's definitely helped me. I think I remember hearing somewhere that a lot of the motion for playing guitar comes from the forearms. Plus it makes setting up for shows easier


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## guitarplayerone

helps you carry around tube amps


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## xiphoscesar

Aysakh said:


> It's definitely helped me. I think I remember hearing somewhere that a lot of the motion for playing guitar comes from the forearms. Plus it makes setting up for shows easier


 yea same here


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## Arminius

Unfortunately even that won't help me with my show Saturday. We have 25 minutes to do a 18 minute set, which leaves about three and half minutes to set up everything. Luckily we don't have to set drums up or it would be impossible. And we're using pods, so that helps a little


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## djpharoah

Has anyone not seen John Petrucci? That guy is pretty big and his dexterity is probably better due to a his forearm muscles being larger and thus having more control.

Hell even now Lynch is big but I think honestly don't think he "lost" his dexterity because of the weights.


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## Nick1

Back about 6 or 7 years ago I worked out 6 days a week. Lots of lifting and cardio. My life at the time was just playing guitar and working out thats it. After a few months of that I noticed a fatigue in my left arm only when playing. It began to get worse. I was feeling it all the time not just when I played guitar. Eventually I lost the feeling in the half of my left hand ring finger through my pinky and palm. Like cut me with a knife and Im not gonna feel it. Also it was to the point where barre chords were not an option. I saw a few doctors and physical therapists about it and they said it was the classic signs of a pinched ulnar nerve. (Fancy name for the funny bone). So I had it moved surgically. All of the doctors did say that having big biceps did NOT help my playing in anyway. It made it harder for the blood flow/nerves and tendons to travel thru my arm. 
Now I just do light weights and lots and lots of stretching.


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## Triple-J

I don't think it makes a negative difference at all tbh if anything it's improved my playing stamina as I no longer get that burning forearm feeling that I used to get after 40 mins of playing, if your not already doing them I'd recommend you throw some hammer curls into your workout as they work the bicep very well but also the forearm too.

As for the advice of doctors most of them are ill informed anyway plus like most average joes they make that assumption that weights is all about steroids and an obsession with being super huge which is bullshit plus if they are so well informed about health how come so many of them are out of shape?


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## TheShreddinHand

I personally never had a problem myself. Playing guitar for 16 years and did competitive lifting/bodybuilding for the last 14.


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## xiphoscesar

ive never had a problem with playing guitar and working , unless i just did a bicep workout and play guitar right after, cause my bicep cramps up, but ive always stretched and warmed up


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## MF_Kitten

sounds like crap if you ask me. if you´re stronger, you have more stopping power. this means that after picking the string, you can stop the pick faster and turn the direction around to come back, and so tremolo picking and fast and precise stuff in general improves alot.

when you have more muscle, you also get more stability in your hands.

i think it depends on what you´re trying to achieve when you train though. if you´re after that "big-ass muscles" look, then that doesn´t equate to more strength. that´s just your muscles being large. if you´re after strength, however, your muscles won´t be as defined and fashionable-looking, but you´ll be strong as a fucking bear 

i´m planning on getting a Powerball to exercise my wrists and arms, so i can have more to go on when playing. also, those things are fun.


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## highlordmugfug

MF_Kitten said:


> sounds like crap if you ask me. if you´re stronger, you have more stopping power. this means that after picking the string, you can stop the pick faster and turn the direction around to come back, and so tremolo picking and fast and precise stuff in general improves alot.
> 
> when you have more muscle, you also get more stability in your hands.
> 
> i think it depends on what you´re trying to achieve when you train though. if you´re after that "big-ass muscles" look, then that doesn´t equate to more strength. that´s just your muscles being large. if you´re after strength, however, your muscles won´t be as defined and fashionable-looking, but you´ll be strong as a fucking bear
> 
> i´m planning on getting a *Powerball* to exercise my wrists and arms, so i can have more to go on when playing. also, those things are fun.


Engl? Are you going to bench the head?


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## MF_Kitten

highlordmugfug said:


> Engl? Are you going to bench the head?



hahaha!

NSD Powerball Gyroscope for sports and fitness, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, tendonitis, wrist pain and grip strength


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## Stealthdjentstic

John-fuckking-Petrucci, nuff' said.


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## zeal0us

highlordmugfug said:


> Engl? Are you going to bench the head?



Saw this coming   

Rep'd


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## highlordmugfug

MF_Kitten said:


> hahaha!
> 
> NSD Powerball Gyroscope for sports and fitness, carpal tunnel, tennis elbow, tendonitis, wrist pain and grip strength


Ah. That's interesting. I'll have to check one out sometime.


zeal0us said:


> Saw this coming
> 
> Rep'd


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## TheAmazingBlob

Chris Broderick anyone?







I've only been lifting seriously for about 3 months now, and if anything it's helped my playing.


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## TomParenteau

Lifting has always helped my endurance on fast rhythms. And after all, weight training is heavy metal!


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## xiphoscesar

TomPerverteau said:


> Lifting has always helped my endurance on fast rhythms. And after all, weight training is heavy metal!


 
well said my friend


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## bjjman

I don't want to dissuade anyone from training as there are clearly a lot of other people here who have had a different experience, but...

I never had problems earlier when I trained at med to high intensity but now that I am doing very high intensity weight training, I do find it affects my playing. Bicep workouts completely drain strength from my forearms and I have major fatigue and seizing in the forearm for about 10-16 hours afterward. To best describe this, if I bend my elbow all the way the forearm instantly seizes meaning I have to work the tricep in order to encourage the forearm to release and allow the arm to straighten again. This means quick, downpicked metal rhythms are impossible.

Talking to others that train I know this is pretty common BUT only seems to happen when you are working with high weight, multiple sets to failure, etc.


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## El Caco

How long is it taking you to recover because it sounds more like poor diet to me. Sure playing immediately after a training session would be impossible but it should only take about half a day after an intense arm workout before you can play and the day after you should be fine, arms recover pretty quickly as long as your diet is sufficient

If you are trying to bulk up you need to eat to support it, some people make the mistake of not eating enough worried that they will put on too much fat, ideally it is better to gain a little fat rather than lose some if you are trying to bulk up and then move into a stripping program once you have bulked up.


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## Fionn

I've recently (4months ago ) gone from a 5 days a week workout lifestlye to a 0 day a week lifestyle and my playing has suffered massively, i cramp up and get lactic burn way quicker than when i was training regular! this, i think, is due to my now lack of stretching, i used to stretch twice a day, no i'm prolly streching twice a week if that!


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## El Caco

JP covers the stretching subject well in Rock Discipline, You should pay attention to what he says here


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## xiphoscesar

s7eve said:


> JP covers the stretching subject well in Rock Discipline, You should pay attention to what he says here


 


this guy is jacked like crazy but hes playing is pretty tight
as for muslces being too big...


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## SamSam

Man I wouldn't wanna piss him off...

Personally speaking, I've been training for about 4 months now. Medium to high intensity, not usually working to failure but a lot of super sets, etc building strength and muscle endurance. I've found this has not negatively affected my playing in anyway, quite the opposite. I feel I can play for longer without fatigue now.


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## soliloquy

the only truth to this may be that if your muscles become huge, you may not be able to touch your shoulders. i'm personally not that big, but i can only touch my shoulders with the tip of my fingers at best. someone else has to push my hands down in order for me to make contact with the palm of my hands.


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## shanike

Charles said:


> I read an interview with George Lynch where he claims that weight lifting ruined the muscles in his hand and killed his dexterity.



sound like an excuse to me. 
I've played guitar before started weight-lifting and I play to this day, but have never noticed anything being different.


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## Winspear

xiphoscesar said:


> this guy is jacked like crazy but hes playing is pretty tight
> as for muslces being too big...



I've seen him around YT before. I can't help but wonder if he makes his videos to showcase his guitar playing or his guns


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## Charles

On the (sort of) related subject of Lynch, that man's playing has gone down the toilet faster than the byproducts of my 2 AM feasts at Taco Bell. What happened?


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## Konfyouzd

What ab Bear-Trooch??? He's pretty damn massive now too, no?


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## Nights_Blood

I think as long as your on a fairly regular routine, it will either not make much of a difference, or benefit your playing, depending on the type of lifting you do.

For instance, I have always done a lot of light forearm work (previously because of baseball), and I think it has helped my endurance at least a little bit.

Of course, if you go and bench heavy weights once a week, it's not going to do anything but hurt your playing.


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## iRaiseTheDead

guitarplayerone said:


> helps you carry around tube amps


 
lmfao yea


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