Endurance training

I'm coming along very well in practicing but I've noticed that when I try to play full songs standing up, especially longer ones (which makes obvious sense), I get kinda tired even if it's after one or two songs. I dunno if this is because I don't put enough stress on practicing power chords or what, but my arms get weak a lot sooner than I'd like, and I'm a pretty well-built guy as far as arm muscles go. Maybe I have to develop those muscles that are specific to the fingers more, so does anyone have any suggestions on what kind of exercises I could do either with the guitar or at a gym to get my endurance up so I can play a lot longer?

Also, I practice sitting down about 95% of the time so my problem could be relative to that.

lol

Tie a weight to a peice of rope/string (depends on how much weight, I usually use 5 lb) and then on the other end of the string tie a cylinder (usually made of wood)

Hold the wood in both hands and focus on keeping them parrallel with the ground then start twisting the wood to make the string wrap around the wood

In the end you should have the string completely wrapped around the wood so the weight and the wood are touching, all the while keeping your arms parrallel to the ground

Thats the best way I can explain it, I hope you know what Im talking about

This is the best exercise for guitarists in my opinion

Haha, I actually have one of those back home (I'm in college), so I will definitely get it over next break. Didn't think of using it though 'cause I haven't picked it up since I started playing. Thanks!

Buy a Squier bass, and play an album's worth of your favorite bands songs.

After that, a guitar will seem like a feather (trust me).

Lol, if I can get a hold of one I will try that as well. Thanks, guys.

Just work on playing songs as well as trying RDude's exercise, I can't really comment on Skold's 'exercise' I've played some heavier guitars then a squier bass let alone heavier basses.

Well, I guess it might depend on what brand he's using.

Alembic's are heavy, but I don't think you have 6k to drop right now, haha.

Probably the same advice as the one I just gave in annother thread, adjust the hight of your strap, if it's hanging around your wang hight it will stress your fretting arm and it will cause sloppy play.

Especially with power chords as they will be in the bass strings.

Agreed with JoeDalton. Never play that low, it makes everything worse. It may look "cooler" now-a-days but it's probably the dumbest thing a guitarist could ever do.

yeah, i have no idea how james hetfield and alexi laiho can play so low

The reason they can is probably due to their arm length.

Alright, I'll stick with it at about ab-height for now and maybe try to lower it over time, assuming I can get some more arm strength from those exercises discussed earlier. want to get it down a little further than what I can play comfortably at right now because I'm gonna try to start a band eventually (or join one, either way) and I don't wanna look like a loser. :/

You should be more concerned with SOUNDING like a loser.

I agree with Skold on that. There are some amazing guitarists (Metal and others) that wear their guitar around their abs and NO ONE CARES, why? Because they sound AMAZING.

Just work on your skills and you can do what you like.

I saw some were were a teacher advised that you should always play with a strap. The guitar should sit at the same place no matter if you sitting or standing. if you notice reading tab and other lessons there is never a place on techniques to keeping the guitar on your lap.

Using a strap even when sitting down will build up some of those musles in you neck and shoulder. but you really need to do some of your practicing standing up.

Tom Morello plays his guitar pretty high like nipple height, no one really cares.

I play a lot of Satriani/Vai/Petrucci stuff and my guitar is held higher than abs (makes it sound as if I have some, lol...) because for that sort of thing you want the arm muscles to be as relaxed as possible. Trust me, once you become a shred genius people won't give a *** whether you wear the guitar round your neck or your feet. Seriously dude don't worry about looking stupid, because a) you won't anyway, and b) it actually doesn't matter.

Afro

I'm gonna agree with Afro on this.
Take it form a person who has to deal with CTS everyday. Do not try to wear the guitar down low. This puts uneeded stress on your wrists and makes it harder to play fast, melodic lines. Hetfield? Take a look at some of the really good players. They wear the guitar high because it puts lees stress on thier body and It seems to be working pretty good for them.

alexi laiho is great and he plays pretty low.

And also went into detail about needing physio for his shoulders, because it screwed up his shoulder sockets. If you really want to look like the hunchback of notre dame then keep wearing it low. Because it's definitely going to screw up your back and it'll show later.