[Trombone-l] Mid-Life Restart

[DAVID FETTER]

When restarting after a long break, or when trying to build stamina, or just survive, consider the “48 hour rule.

The "48 hour rule" popped up in a lecture I heard on sports medicine years ago.  The rule requires 48 hours rest after strenuous activity - heavy lifting - Bruckner?  The muscles need time to restore themselves and to build strength.

Depending on the individual, this might aid growth and prevent injury.  It can help players with long-term fatigue - the kind that doesn’t heal with one day off per week.

Consider that baseball pitchers and opera stars rest even more - we expect them to perform several days apart.

Of course, a day on/day off pattern will sound like heresy to the obsessive striver.  Practice junkies will be frightened by it.  The busy student or professional won’t have time for it.  But hindsight (my current specialty) says, give it a try.

DF

David Fetter
Conservatory Trombone Faculty Member
Peabody Institute
1 East Mount Vernon Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
410 659-8100, ext. 1254; fax 410 783-8562
home 410 889-2277, cell 443 691-2686
web page:  www.peabody.jhu.edu/DavidFetter