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I would go and watch some DCI competitions this summer, and maybe a few rehersals from DCI corps. I know that some people who have marched contra before have practiced by holding up water coolers with enough water in them to simulate the weight of the contra to build arm strength and mental toughness. You can always carry a regular concert tuba around to get used to the weight. My old band director told me that "Contras make boys into men, and that's why we are keeping our sousaphones."

balance is key

i play on a true contra-bass bugle, the kanstul contra. if you can balance corectly and not get lazy by putting the tuba on your body when your at attention you should have no trouble. start doing push-ups

I played Fiberglass Sousaphones for Marching Band my first 3 years of High School, then my senior year we had King 1140 convertible tubas, it takes about a 5 to 10 days to get used to having your arms up all the time. Another thing to get used to is that since you are below the horn, some "water" will find its way back to you, depending on the design of the tuba, your milege may vary!

The plus's, Looks real sharp when the drum major does the "Horns Up" command. They are more directional, sometimes a plus, sometimes a minus. cases are smaller than for the sousaphone.
A minus, I would steer away from a mouthpiece that has a sharp inside edge, we used the stock 24AW that came with the horns, they had a very rounded rim, worked great.

I saw a high school here in Pennsylvania a couple of years ago
that marched both Sousaphones and convertable/Marching Tubas.

bloke wrote:All I can do is express a bit of sympathy...

And my sympathies as well.

Moreover, as far as being sexy, I think a shoulder tuba is about as sexy as a 300 lb hog suckling a dozen piglets. So if you get into that, that's you're business.