TromboneChat

Do you do any sports? If yes, what? And why?

Since 2,5 years ago I started again doing more intense strength/weight training. In good weeks 3-4 short sessions, not super heavy as on competitive level, but still with quite serious weight.
Of course to stay overall fit and healthy (40 years old now), avoid back issues etc. Yes, it certainly also improves posture etc. for trombone playing. But mostly it's also important for me to be able to support and handle my disabled daughter and keeping up with my very active boys. I know I also should do more cardio, but cannot get all of it into my schedule unfortunately.

Is there anything that you aim for specifically? Any things you are especially careful with?

I would say it is very much individual by individual: Are you naturally strong, but lacking in endurance? Do you have a tendency to put too much physical effort into things? Do you tend to overpower your horns, and need to back off?

Counteracting your own natural weaknesses and sub-optimal tendencies is a great thing.

One thing I would recommend to anyone at any age is to train with as little unnecessary tension is possible, including especially breathing, if your breathing is quiet, it is mostly relaxed, and this is what you also want when playing, of course.

Also, flexibility is good for anything, and freehand exercises (Liegestutze, Klimmzuge, usw.) very good for assuring coordination of body parts, training muscles in isolation great for show muscles, but that's not your aim...

I'm old now, but when I was younger I ran marathons. I've run 21 of them, all told. Great for endurance, relaxation, and breathing. You can't run 26.2 miles if you're tense and can't breathe efficiently.

I play darts, great for the slide arm and hitting the bullseye on high notes.
Also Golf, great for timing, concentration and consistency. Gives you a good walk and some good flexibility exercise.
I don’t believe marathons are any good for you. High compression on the joints.
Relaxation and breathing are better served by swimming and yoga.

If you're doing weight training I would focus on rear delts (shoulder muscles). These often get neglected in favour of front and side delts If you're doing a lot of playing this will help even out the balance of the shoulder muscles and your bound to have less issues in the future. More cardio depends on what you're goal is. Just general fitness and heart health then sure. But a decent routine to build/maintain muscle is pretty good!

Fidbone wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 8:24 am I play darts, great for the slide arm and hitting the bullseye on high notes.

This is the most British thing I have read in quite awhile, throw darts, and carry on.

Schultz wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 9:04 am If you're doing weight training I would focus on rear delts (shoulder muscles). These often get neglected in favour of front and side delts If you're doing a lot of playing this will help even out the balance of the shoulder muscles and your bound to have less issues in the future. More cardio depends on what you're goal is. Just general fitness and heart health then sure. But a decent routine to build/maintain muscle is pretty good!

I generally feel everything that increases upper body stability is really beneficial for trombone playing and other demands in life. But if I could I would really try to get cardio into the mix on a regular basis. But I really don't like running, mountainbiking is not an option here in the north and road cycling is a pain...

I've done two things.

1. When I was about mid 20s I decided I ought to be doing something active. I figured bicycling would be a low-impact, cardio kind of thing. I saw an article in a magazine about how to train for a 100-mile ride by ramping up the miles over 10 weeks. I like projects with clear plans and successfully did that twice.

My enthusiasm for spending 2-3 hours a day bicycling diminished as my regular career picked up and I refocused on doing a 1 hour ride around the lake every day. I did that for another 15 years. After 4500 trips around the lake my enthusiasm again diminished. I now just bicycle for groceries and other errands, having sold my cars about 10 years ago.

2.In my early 40s I decided I was too thin and wanted to get built up. I got the bench, I got the weights, I got the plan of what to lift on what day, I got the high-calorie muscle-building diet.

After diligently working at that for two years, I had gained... one pound. I think you have to have the genes for that sort of thing.

I can't say that any of this was a plus for trombone playing. I wasn't getting much trombone practice in when i was bicycling 3 hours a day.

Today, in my 60s, my minimal maintenance is to alternate between 30 pushups or 7 pull-ups every day and the 20+ trips up and down the stairs that happen without trying.

My advice is find something you want to do, that you can consistently do. That will be better than the perfect thing you don't do.

One of my college teachers claimed that just playing his horn each day kept him in shape and warded off the effects of his cigarette habit.

I work out on a three-day rotating schedule of legs, chest/back, arms. I find that if I don't, things start to slowly get worse- I didn't work out for the last month and I definitely felt it in my back and left arm, specifically. I also stretch every night.

I will add that I used to do a 5 mile bike sprint every day. It was fun, but when I stopped a year+ ago, I didn't notice anything negative- in fact I felt more relaxed in general when breathing.

Are we talking about competitive sports or exercise in general?

If the later, the best exercise for you in particular is the one that you enjoy enough to do regularly.

for cardio i use a rowing machine. Full body workout and low impact

Wilktone wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 10:20 am Are we talking about competitive sports or exercise in general?

I think it's more the German translation of "sports," meaning general exercise rather than something like soccer.

Burgerbob wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 10:55 am

Wilktone wrote: Wed Aug 27, 2025 10:20 am Are we talking about competitive sports or exercise in general?

I think it's more the German translation of "sports," meaning general exercise rather than something like soccer.

yep. i’d agree with this

Yes, sorry

You Germans have a different word for everything!

I just got back in from hiking, which is my preferred exercise. I live a 10 minute walk away from trails along the Blue Ridge Parkway, in the Appalachian Mountains.