That was my clickbate topic heading. So maybe I get a few ideas. My history 63 year old playing 10 years. I have been a mechanic all my life reason for that mention is whatever I do with my hands it requires strength. Which open fingers do not support. That’s my theory anyway. I have extreme difficulty and cannot possibly leave my fingers on a 3 or 4 strings per finger. I have books on bass exercises and bass techniques finger gym. Which I do everyday. Sometimes to the point of being in pain. I have been doing this since spring faithfully. To try to make progress. There’s been a little not much. Mostly killing my carpel tunnel if I really over do it. To play with right rhythm is hard cause getting the proper string fretted is a challenge. So I guess guestion is. Is there a device that is like a hand fingers spread that I can strap my left hand in. To try to get a decent spread. I also got small hands but then look at Ellan plays bass 9 yo. I’ve tried Joshes exercises that ain’t happening. Any one aware of such a device?
Thank you.
It kind of sounds like you’re trying to force a square peg into a round hole if I read this right. Have you tried to see how you do using the simandl technique vs trying to make finger per fret work? I don’t have especially small fingers but I find simandl a lot more comfortable most of the time, I can stretch out if I need to but FPF isn’t my normal.
Yea, Simandl and/or micro shifting. One finger per fret is not some holy grail. For one reason or another some (including myself) simply can’t do it, and continuing to try could result in injury. Which it sounds like you are perilously close to. I really don’t think it is wise to persist to the point you are in pain. Work around it; there are plenty that have done so very successfully.
I was going to recommend Simandl (which is how I play most of the time) or micro-shifting, but it looks like I was beaten to the punch. 
One finger per fret does not mean you have to spread, and each finger is in the right position at the same time. You can move your hand a little each time you use another finger on another fret.
If you fret with your first finger, and then want to fret the next fret with your second finger, just move your hand a little to get into the right position.
Trying to spread your hand will probably only get you injured.
Yes I think I must revisit this video. And pay closer attention. I do usually 4 finders 3 fret as a rule I must micro my micro shifting. Maybe incorporate my exercise regimen with it. The 2 four jump people just gonna have to deal with me giving the middle finger.
Thanks to all those who responded.
If I find a rack I will be first to post.
Don’t do it.
All you need for building strength or get a wider reach is a bass.
Just keep playing, the strength will come, also a bit wider reach will come naturally. Finger spread is highly overrated though. And don’t force it.
I’m working on a song right now that’s mostly octaves and chords and I’m flipping off the camera the entire time 
That’s the thing I work on in my early days of playing. No Flipping the audiences.
@snaredrum There’s more than one way to to slay the fingerboard. I play 37" 6 string multi scale down to 23" scale. The hardest to play is the tiny scale, because I can’t squeeze your fingers together tight enough then I have to start subtracting fingers.
If you must make the reach on your left hand then consider a shorter scale 32" or 30". No one has to play like Pino Palladino stretching 5 frets and down 3 strings. 
Always remember one thing. The best technique is the one that works best for you not some guy shooting some YouTube video or giving lessons.
Hahaha yea I’m working on fixing the, “flying bird myself”
Speaking of torture racks I bought this to try and stretch my fingers out but I don’t think it’s worked. Rather, now I’m trying to work more on thumbs up not around. My hand is spreading out with time on the bass.
2 Pieces Finger Expander Finger Trainers Amazon.com
I’d avoid the hand strengtheners/stretchers except as part of a normal workout (i.e. if you know what you are doing). Even in a normal workout when you know what you’re doing, you can go too hard with your forearm muscles and hand tendons and ligaments at first - I’ve done this in the past myself in fact when working it in to a regular lifting routine and going too hard. Grip trainers can be good tools in a workout but as a one-off for bass or guitar I would avoid.
Adam Neely had a great video on why to avoid these things a while back, need to try and find it.
Ahh here we go
My suggestion would be to start with wrist curls and wrist extensions using light weights with moderate reps at first to begin strengthening the forearm muscles, before jumping in to the grip trainers. You’ll definitely feel it. The first three exercises here are a good start:
+1 for Simandl technique! I mostly use that along with micro-shifting in the money zone. I only use 1 finger per fret where it’s comfortable for me, which is beyond the 7th fret if I remember right. Even then I’ll often use Simandl. I think it’s only fret 12 and beyond where 1FpF becomes the clear winner.
I guess the one exception is major and minor scale patterns, as I learned those 1FpF.
In your case, forcing your fingers to get more out of them than what they can give would, in best case, overstretch your tendons. But, if you overdo it, they can rupture and make it impossible, in worst case, to ever play Bass again (yet in most cases they heal during 6 weeks, sometimes after surgery, but it takes some more weeks to be able to play Bass again and then at reduced quality due to the valuable time missed that you could have practiced instead.
I know a damn good guitarist with tiny fingers and he was being envious at guitarists with long fingers. Yet he mastered his instrument accepting his physiological limits. He’s in his 70s and been playing his guitar for 40 years.
Congratulations to your 10 years experience at playing Bass. Your fingers will thank you for not unnecessarily overdoing it for decades, decades longer. 
Yeah exactly - kind of what I was getting at above. Much better to gain strength and reach through normal playing.
He nails it. It’s the strength in your forearms that gives the greatest assist. I played a lot of baseball, fast pitch softball, and hockey when I was younger. I did a lot of of work on my forearm muscles and wrist strength because playing those sports depended upon it. The bonus impact was how much easier it made playing a stringed instrument like a bass for an hour or longer during gigs without any pain or fatigue. Try what he’s suggesting here. It will definitely help.
just a point of clarification. you can microshift with either simandl or OFPF. it’s simply moving or pivoting the hand.
Don’t use these things!
If you’ve been a mechanic all your life, the chances are your hands and fingers are stronger than just about anyone else’s.
Also, the chances are you’ve got problems in your hands, wrists and forearms.
The best thing I found for helping my hands - because I suffer from all sorts of arm and hand problems from years of playing the bass too much / too hard / not taking care of the body / etc - was a device for massaging my forearms.
It was my forearm muscles that were seizing up and it was making everything in my hands slow and tight.
I had to use my Armaid (the Rolflex looks similar) every night after every show while I was touring the last years I was touring.
It brought my arms back!
So, I think the focus is on relaxation and flexibility and not strength.
And, yes, +1 to what everyone else said - don’t worry about reach.
Use the shifts, and play with whatever fingers will work for you.
Best of luck!