Have you been in school and think of getting home or to band practice so you can drum? What do you do at school to get your chops up when you're not drumming?

Sometimes I'll just beat with my hands on my thys or something. I'll just close my fingers and use all wrist and do a roll or something. Or I'll get bored and do flam drags with my hands or pencils. I've also been known to start thinking of a beat to right down and start dutting it or trying to sing a roll or something. But most of the time I'll just beat with my hands when I think of drumming and don't have mallets or sticks. It actually helps a little because you're using all wrist and that means that you can't rely on your fingers so you build up your wrist chops.

Im constantly drumming at school, and where i work. If there is another person in my class thats on the line, we will even run through the whole show just tapping on the desks, much to the dismay of the teacher. When i use just my hands i usually end up working on double strokes or paradiddle rudiments to build up my wristing speed.

i usually just tap on the table or desk, whatever Im closest to, and play some troubled spots in the show or excersizes. Sometimes i run the opener..i even do this and am not aware of it at all.

I always think of getting to somewhere where I can drum. I've lost count of how many pairs of sticks I've had taken away by teachers because I pulled them out and started playing the cadence for that year. I've spent so much money to replace sticks it's unbelievable. If I don't have sticks, I just tap with my hands.

LOL same here!!!! One time, i had a teacher make me write a really long paragraph 50 times because i was always constantly drumming on the desk. Its just like an automatic reflex. When there is nothing to do, start drumming!

I start drumming the second the teacher gives us some free time. Its amazing how much stuff you can fix with ur hands or with a pencil or pen if you are really focused on it. When we went to BOA in Atlanta this year my SL and one of the other pit people and me brought a pair of sticks in the bus and started to do warmups and run through the show on the seats of the bus. Some people thought we loved drumming so much that they told us to be quiet since we had a lot of energy.

I sit down and just start taping my feet. I want to eventually do diddles with my feet. I can already do paradiddles at about 100-115. I can do diddles at about 90-100 or so. This is good for double bass pedals on a drumset. I also tap pencils and pens on my desk at school. I use fingers, hands, everything.

have you considered a "Gripmaster"? its one of these squeeze things that is suppose to improve your forarm and such.... its supposed to be good. personally, i dont like it since i like to hit the sticks so Im getting chops while increasing skill and articulation, etc at the same time. You might get it at some sports shop or athletic center if you're interested in trying it.

On www.thedrumclub.com a finger exercise is given that I have been using that seems to be quite effective. For your right (matched hand) hold your arm perfendicular to the floor and slap your last 3 fingers on the palm of your hand as fast/hard as you can. You will begin to feel the burn in your arm. For left hand (tradish) do the same thing using your middle 3 fingers. I really think it is effective. Its great to do in class you feel like you've accomplished something each time you feel that burn in your arm.