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So the last few months I've been running/walking and trying to lose weight that I gained in college and get in pretty good shape. I was just wondering if being in shape really helps that much in playing ability? I would think it'd help at least a little in air flow. I don't play a whole lot, just some in my free time to keep my chops up. Has anybody had any experience getting better playing results while also getting in shape?

Yes. It helps. I have blood clots (Antithrombin III genetic disorder). It is imperative I stay in shape to keep the cardiovascular capacity up. When I gain as little as ten pounds over the winter, I can tell the difference and it's back to the workouts and care in eating until I get the weight back down.

Yes, absolutely.

I've lost almost 110 pounds over the past year and I can say with confidence that I am twice the player I once was solely based on my lifestyle change. Breathing, endurance, the whole mental game...everything has changed for the better. I've recently incorporated light cardio into my daily routine (along with Arban's, long tones....it's just as important IMO) and my breathing efficiency is growing even better. Treat your body well so you can play tuba well!

Sounds like exercise helps a ton! I've noticed I can play a little louder, my tone is better, and I can really pop out the pedals now. I run nearly everyday and I've lost some weight but not where I want to be yet. Guess I'll see where all this running takes me

I'm not sure how much weight he's lost, but Alan Baer has lost a LOT of weight over the years. This has to have had a huge and positive impact on his playing. And remember, even still, he literally ran the table when he was auditioning during the "before" time.

Before


After


Weight is not always in indicator of health or fitness, but losing some weight is rarely a bad thing. I ran a lot over the summer too, and lost about 10 pounds pretty quickly. That brought me down to 160... which is too low. But the non-weight benefits were even more noticeable -- better core strength and just feeling more "fit" throughout my body. The only down side was developing ITBS from all the running, so I had to tone it down a bit.

Good luck, keep it up!

Wow, Baer looks like a totally different person! And thank ya sir, I'll keep it up!