Mid life crisis

[dianec42]

So... Apparently my mid-life crisis is playing bass in my friend's punk band. What can I say, I volunteered without knowing what I was getting myself into. Which is very on brand for me.

I last played about 15 years ago. Since that time, in no particular order, I've gone through menopause, broken my fretting pinky, worked from my dining room table with terrible ergonomics and worse posture (and occasional kittens), and messed up both of my shoulders (not at the same time (yet)).

I do love me some fast, loud, 80s and 90s covers. But oh my dog, I can NOT keep up. The lead guitarist is my age(*) so I can't exactly bitch about being old, damn kids, lawn, yada yada.

I don't even know where to begin. My posture sucks. My endurance sucks. My upper body strength sucks. I have an "ergonomic" wide strap but I have it adjusted pretty short and the adjustment buckle(**) digs into my shoulder something rotten.

I am considering posting the above paragraph to about 5 different subreddits. How do I fix my posture for long sets? What exercises are good - both in the gym and on the instrument? What should I wear?

Jamming is loads of fun but I'm also exhausted just thinking about it.


(*) For any aspiring groupies, WE ARE BOTH 41.

(**) What do you even call the slidy thing that adjusts the strap?

Comments

[mesozoic]

Why did I think you were older than me?

I call the slider thing a buckle but I don’t know if that’s right.

[dianec42]

Oh, I'm 59. And a half.

41 is what we're telling the groupies. :D

Edited to add: That's the joke, son. <3

[mesozoic]

Sometimes I am credulous. Also not yet back to full cognitive functioning.

[dianec42]

I know, you've been through a lot! Sorry to send one straight past your brain. <3

[fenicedautun]

If you can get a recommendation from somebody you trust, it might be worth 1-2 sessions with a good PT (if you were in Boston we'd send you to the back wizard) to talk about all of that. Everybody's body/brokenness is different so the exercises/ergo that works for me might not work for you.

If you don't have that, a personal trainer can at least help you come up with an exercise routine for upper body strength and endurance. (In other words, consult professionals :))

[rmd]

I think the on-theme solution to the strap/buckle part of this is EIGHTIES' SHOULDER PADS. I mean, my first thought was something like the shock-pad shoulder padding you can buy for firing shotguns, but I feel like you could find some kind of symmetric shoulder padding that might do the truck.

Also, are you as boggled at the whole "we're turning SIXTY?" thing as I am? Because I keep being boggled by it.

[dianec42]

Aaaaaaaa! Finally a good use for those shoulder pads.

And I KNOW, RIGHT?! I know I easily lose track of time but holy fuck. In my head I'm still 19. Or occasionally 39.

[rmd]

I mean, growing up I figured we'd all be radioactive or dead by the time I turned 30. (We are maybe currently heading towards an apocalypse I hadn't expected, which is better than being radioactive when we were 30 but maybe not so good in general.)

[dianec42]

Absolutely.

Hell, I am even planning to retire. Soon! Never saw that one coming.