Drums Your Way To Good Health – Score Short Reads

Normally when talking about physical activity beneficial to health, traditional methods in society such as jogging, playing a sport or simply spending a few hours in the gym are pointed out, but there are many ways to perform physical exercise, including playing music.

In general, there is the cliché of assimilating musicians with an extremely unhealthy form of life, which in some cases even includes the extremes and debauchery, but many times it is not taken into account that the physical virtues are present, especially in drummers, who are in charge of setting the tempo and qualifying the melodies with countless rhythmic elements.

According to a 2008 study using Blondie’s drummer Clem Burke as a test subject, it was found that playing for an hour and a half can increase the heart rate to 190 beats per minute, which translates to the necessity of a great physical resistance on the part of those in charge of the percussion. And this was a drummer playing Blondie, you can only imagine what would be the heartbeat of a drummer playing speed metal.

In fact, the physical and mental effort required to execute a song with a fast and varied rhythm is high, at such a level that it equals the effort of a professional soccer player moving around the field.

This was verified by the head of the investigation, Marcus Smith, a sports medicine specialist at the University of Chichester in England.

Smith announced that the caloric expenditure of a drummer can reach 400 and 600 calories per hour, like the football masters, but with the difference that the football player only exerts the effort about two times a week, while the musician does it in each concert and rehearsal, which in the case of a professional can translate into up to 20 performances in a month.

Data from this study were collected by measuring heart rate, oxygen consumption, and lactic acid levels in the blood.

Thus, comparing the speed and duration of the rhythms, we can speak of a greater effort in the case of heavy rock drummers, who usually use a musical execution speed (Tempo) in Allegro or higher. Hard rock can easily reach 140 beats BPM (Beats Per Minute), but in speed metal and black metal it even reaches the Prestissimo Tempo, that is, higher than 200 bpm.

To this can be added the complexity of the rhythms, which also require greater coordination and body movement, as seen in the songs of bands like Rush or Dream Theater.

But this is not only limited to rock, since it can be appreciated either in Jazz, Fusion and Pop among many others that use drums as a fundamental part of their compositions.

Some examples of drummers who demonstrate their resistance are the late Neil Peart (Rush), Dennis Chambers, Gene Hoglan, Dave Lombardo (ex Slayer), Tommy Lee, Inferno (Behemoth), Travis Barker (Blink 182) Pete Sandoval (ex Morbid Angel), Jimmy Chamberlin (ex Smashing Pumpkins), Mike Portnoy (ex Dream Theater) or the versatile Thomas Lang, among many others.

You already know, if you are not addicted to football or spending hours in the gym and rock is what makes you get up from the chair, you can practice a few hours of drums, improving resistance, coordination in even the mood after releasing a little stress hitting the drums.

Beating down on the skins is not only a great musical outlet, but it is also a great outlet for your calories. So set your metronome, tune your drums, get your sticks and start grooving. Keep doing it regularly and soon your body will become as tight as a drum.