The connection between martial arts and hand drumming is a topic that often comes up in my discussions and posts. Whether you have been following me for a while or are new to my page or channel, you might be curious about why I blend martial arts stories and content with drumming.

The truth is, anything you do energetically, whether it’s going to the gym, practicing Tai Chi, or engaging in Kung Fu, can be connected to your drumming practice and even enhance it. Learning to move your body fluidly and gracefully through practices like Chi Gong, Kung Fu, dance, and yoga can greatly improve your drumming technique. Engaging in any form of aerobic training will also boost your stamina, while yoga and stretching exercises will help you unwind, relax, and cultivate a sense of ease and refinement before and after drumming sessions.

Additionally, weight training at the gym can provide extra power, especially if you play the djembe while standing. The discipline of martial arts can help keep your mind focused and prevent it from wandering, much like meditation or mindfulness practices. Moreover, the respect and reverence involved in martial arts align with the cultural respect and appreciation for drumming that stems from its origins in different cultures. The humility required to learn martial arts also carries over to the art of drumming.

In martial arts, you have a teacher or master who imparts traditional moves that have been passed down through generations. It’s not about making random or arbitrary moves; it’s about learning and practicing fundamental forms, such as kicks, punches, locks, throws, and chokes. The more you practice these basics, the better you become and the more you can achieve. The determination and perseverance cultivated in martial arts are undoubtedly beneficial, and I would even say necessary, when it comes to drumming. Drumming can be quite physically demanding as well. Just as in martial arts, being rigid and stiff is detrimental.

In drumming, you must be relaxed and fluid in your movements. Martial arts teaches you to be relaxed yet 100 percent alert, prepared but not paranoid. It trains you to exert force in controlled increments, without wasting energy. These principles apply to drumming as well. Bruce Lee’s philosophy of being like water, flowing around obstacles and meeting blockages with adaptability, resonates strongly in the world of drumming. To excel in drumming, we must find ourselves in the flow. The Chinese refer to inner energy as “chi,” which works in harmony with the breath and is the source of power that martial artists strive to gather and harness. In drumming, we aspire for the rhythm to come from within, without forcing it. We want it to be powerful, yet not rigid.

While I have been intermittently studying martial arts since the 70s, I still consider myself a beginner. Admittedly I am the epitome of what I urge my drum students not to be. This is why I have a deep understanding and empathy for my drum students who have been drumming for a long time but may not have reached their full potential. Both martial arts and drumming foster a sense of community, come from specific cultures, embody brotherhood and tradition. It is these shared values and experiences that make the connection between the two so profound.