hello pickers,
I will soon be away from my banjo for over a month, travelling - my longest break ever, in 3 years of playing. Does anyone have tips on how to minimize loss of my hard-won muscles in both hands (e.g. squeeze ball)? What about how to keep my fretting fingers toughened up? Thanks!
quote:
Originally posted by CeeBeeBanjohello pickers,
I will soon be away from my banjo for over a month, travelling - my longest break ever, in 3 years of playing. Does anyone have tips on how to minimize loss of my hard-won muscles in both hands (e.g. squeeze ball)? What about how to keep my fretting fingers toughened up? Thanks!
Never found the need when I wass laid off in hospital / home recover six months.
Bring a banjo 
maybe a travel banjo.
Yeah, bring a banjo! Never had the problem I’ve gone hiking with one.
One month without a banjo is possible - but pointless.
Bring a travel banjo.
I can tell you this much...
If you are one month without the banjo you come back to it with a vengeance!
If you can't bring a travel banjo, then don't worry about it. A month off isn't going to make your fingers/hands weaker and probably won't harm your calluses unless your hands are in the water everyday while away. It may take you a week or so to get back to normal, but I doubt even that will happen.
I've been away for over a month and my only problem was calluses and that's because my hands were in dishwater a lot.
Go to the gym while traveling. (free-weights, climbing, etc.)
Listen to the tunes that were/are being worked on, every day.
Take it with you. It's a little extra effort while traveling, but, the comfort of having my banjo with me has been worth it. note: typical travel, especially work
Edited by - pinenut on 04/23/2025 10:08:45
I find that taking time away occasionally can be a huge benefit (in case you don't want to take the banjo with you).
You probably dont need it, but one good exercise I have used unrelated to banjo: see if you can buy a mesh bag full of golf balls with one of those little hand towels hooked onto it. Hold the tip of the towel between your finger tips, palm facing down and slowly roll it up tightly using just your thumb and fingers. Then slowly unroll it (still just the fingers on one hand). Then roll it up in the opposite direction. Repeat in each hand as desired.
Golf balls are easy to add or reduce eight, but you can add heavier items to the mesh bag (or hook the hand towel on something heavier) as needed to increase weight.
Hope that makes sense/helps.
I got nothing for calluses, but as has been said I guess just don't soak your hands too much.
I took a jack Hatfield practice board on vacation. I just did rolls to a metronome every night. It is very quiet.
I performed a solo show the day after we returned.
Thanks, all, for your tips, ideas, and reassurances. A travel banjo isn't feasible for me (either with my travel backpack nor with my partner who is looking forward to a banjo-free holiday ;-)). The towel-roll exercise is interesting, I may adapt it. I'd never heard of the Banjo Board, now I'm pondering buying it for home to get some less-intrusive picking time in. I will definitely be looking forward to getting back to my baby when I return - I miss it already! Cheers
Prior to my one-and-only banjo camp I figured I should try to put a bit of callous on my fretting fingers. So when I was "killing time" [eg. waiting in the vehicle for my wife to come out from shopping] I'd tap my fingertips against the fairly dull blade of my pocket knife. I pondered cobbling up a small board with a whack of nails pounded up through .... but sometimes pondering outstrips doing. I didn't try to assess/measure it's effectiveness, but I made it through the camp unscathed.
Edited by - Owen on 04/27/2025 15:09:47
I've been playing banjo in excess of 40 years. Only beginners have calluses. In due time, your fingertips will toughen up & no longer show visible signs of calluses.
