Music and martial arts.

[Existence_is _suffering]

I play bass (not very exotic I know! lol. I have noticed that I haven't had to work as hard as some people I have spoken to with my grip/ forearm conditioning. A bit of Rage Against the Machine always amps me up before a training session if I'm not in the mood as well!

[Kieran-Lilith]

There aren't a ton of musicians in my school, but those of us who are musicians find the martial arts and music inseperable. Music gives us words to describe things in the martial arts that we don't know how to otherwise. Besides just finding the rhythm of a fight, when we watch our top people spar and train, it's like hearing music, but visual. It's amazing. When I meditate, I hear music. It's not anything I've played, but I hear it.

Also, as someone pointed out, it's good to keep dexterity in your hands and fingers.

Another thing I'd point out is that performers do experience a certain level of stress when they perform. I know when I play my flute and have some of those awful sixteenth/thirtysecond note runs, the only way I can do it is if my mind is clear, my breath is controlled, and I shifty my awareness to my hands. Maybe just me, but it's how I work. So, in a way, musicians also can experience some of the chemical dump the body gets from being under pressure.