Has anyone found some easy solutions (exercises, etc.) to the problem of holding drum weight? I have several middle school students in my winter line this year, including a 7th grader trying to march quads. I have them wear drums as long as possible at the beginning of rehearsal, use stands in the middle, and march with drums on again at the end. I also have them do pushups to build some upper body mass. This worked pretty well with my students over the summer, but these kids are even smaller.

Maybe add core exercises like plank holds, T push-ups?

Many exercises can be used that train the lower back and obliques, which are a couple areas that are crucial in supporting the body while it tries to support the drums.

However, you have to really think about if you want to spend time during rehearsal to do these exercises instead of playing and such.

The best way i've seen, as simple as it may sound, is slowly increase the amount of time they keep the drums on for. The body will slowly adjust to the weight of the drums and be able to hold them with less pain. They are going to have to go through some pain and such as the beginning, but that's a given.

with my line, we just keep the drums on and carry them all rehearsal with a little break for maybe a minute. 1/4 way through, 1/2 way through, and 3/4 of the way through rehearsal. and that can also be used as a punishment by taking away a break if they aren't being productive or are screwing around. usually carrying them all rehearsal for a few weeks does the trick and everyone is used to carrying the drums.

i have heard that push ups, sit ups, and other core exercises are great for strengthening the muscles you use to carry the drum. most of the time, it is the back that hurts because it's the weakest part of your core so maybe look up exercises to improve on that; but like creekynoise said, would you really want to take time out of rehearsal to do these exercises? you probably have a better way to use time. if you want the line to do the exercises, suggest that they do them at home or use it as an alternative to push ups if you use push-ups as a punishment for the times when someone is screwing around. don't make it seem as a chore though because no high schooler will want that. make it seem like it will make their lives easier and they might be better about getting that workout in.

hope this helps

honestly, might seem harsh, but our first drum carrying exersize was marching around the field (or wherever youre venue is) playing 8 on a hand for the ENTIRE 3 hour practice. but next time we carried the drum it dident seem so bad!

Thanks, guys. I agree about not spending a lot of rehearsal time on it. Right now, I just have them doing one set of pushups at the end of rehearsal, which only takes a minute.

In my experience, the most productive exercise for building muscle to wear a drum is simply to wear the drum. Not only is it working getting their back into shape, but you get to work the hands at the same time.

The next best thing might be to use a Roman chair or back extension bench to do back extension exercises like this. That's not exactly a "during rehearsal" kind of thing, though.

Hey... throwing in 2 cents here.

I have the kids do fly's (very similar to extensions) but also remember the core is asa important and works with the back so situps and crunches are just as inportant.

I worked on my own in the gym pretty hard on my center. Also, I started over the summer before band camp increasing the time I spent carrying slowly. It helped tremendously.

I'm a girl and being very small it was hard to carry my quads. I found it easyer to bulid up to carrying them by walking on a treadmill carrying a backpack facing frontwards filled with rocks. Every week I added more weight until it was the weight of my quads and I felt comfertable.

Also, like everyone else said, they'll get used to carrying the drums after a while. Even if that means having pain the first two weeks.