Taiko Performance on Sunday

It's our last week before the Sunday performance. All three of us have completed our final practices. All that remains is the dress rehearsal on Saturday afternoon/evening. All we really have a chance to do there is run through our piece one time. Although our final practices were not all that intense, there have been more than usual. Sunday morning was my daughter's final practice, then Sunday afternoon I had an extra 3 hour practice for Yume Mitai, Monday evening was the regular Yume Mitai practice, and yesterday we had Matto Bayashi practice. That was three days of taiko practice in a row for me. I can't say that it exhausted me, but it has taken a bit of a toll on my hands. I am developing a few new blisters that weren't there before and my fingers are a bit achey. I think it is from the continuous jarring when the stick hits the drum, especially the Odaiko (big drum) which uses big and heavy sticks. I imagine that if one is consistently practicing every day, this ache eventually goes away. For now, I have a few days to let my hands recover.