16U RHP son has been pitching since he was 9 years old. He started playing the drums a year or so later and still enjoys doing both, During baseball season he spends just as much or more time playing drums as he does playing baseball, 2 or 3 hours at a time, maybe 12 to 15 hours a week. He plays the drums fast and hard and loud kinda like a Keith Moon wannabe. He'll play them for 3 hours the day before he pitches. He'll come home after pitching and play them for an hour or two before going to bed. When I asked him if he thought it was good for his arm to be banging away on his drums so soon after playing a double header and throwing 84 pitches in the second game, this was his answer,,, "When I pitch too much I feel it in my shoulder. When I drum too much I feel it in my fore arm. Both feel fine."
I used to worry that all his drumming might affect his pitching or hurt his arm, but I no longer do. He has pitched so good for so long without any arm injuries or issues, and I'm starting to think that his drumming habits may be beneficial as far as developing arm strength, rythem. timing, coordination, "muscle memory" etc.
Does anyone else have experience with a pitcher who was also a drummer? Was their pitching affected positivly or negativly?
I would also be interested in hearing from you folks who are arm experts or conditioning coaches. Do you see any benefits or potential problems?