john petrucci
16:51 Saturday, 5 August 2023
Are you sick of your guitarist telling you that they can't get swoll as fuck because it'll affect their playing? Are they using phrases like "limited mobility" again while the rest of you are out there being huge? Well Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci has some news for you – you can be jacked and still shred.
In an interview with Killer Guitar Rigs, Petrucci said it's pretty likely any guitarist that found their playing to be limited after lifting is probably just doing it wrong.
"I think that people who experience [finger stiffness or injuries caused by intense weightlifting] — maybe they injured themselves, or they didn't do it correctly, or they didn't have guidance," said Petrucci.
"I would say the only thing — as a guitar player who lifts as well, what I've learned is just how to do it in a way that it’s safe for my hands. And sometimes you do things that are a little scary, or you make a little mistake in the gym, and then you're like, 'Okay, I'm never going to do that again.'"
So how does one safely become a mountain of a human being? Simple – pay attention to your form and don't be a moron with how much you're lifting.
"I think if you approach it in a way, where you're disciplined about it, where you're working out with a correct form, where you're not just trying to lift the heaviest weight that you can… You gotta keep all this stuff in mind and work out responsibly as a musician.
"Because the last thing you want to do is injure your hands or injure your wrists or have a problem. And people who lift weights and go to the gym — we've all had those. We've all tweaked shoulders and backs and things and you do have to be careful. But the idea to say, 'Oh, I can't work out because it’s going to affect my playing' — I know plenty of jacked guitar players. [Laughs]
"I have Zakk Wylde coming into my camp in a couple of weeks and he's another guy. He's in just an amazing shape and he's shredding like never before."
