Whether you are a seasoned drummer or behind the drum kit for the first time, the exhilaration of playing is almost always accompanied by the reminder of the physical demands of your instrument and the energy it takes to put forth your best effort.
Numerous drumming maestros can also confirm the physical demands: Neil Peart of Rush claimed he unintentionally lost 10 pounds in the three-and-a-half weeks of rehearsals leading up to Rush’s 2012 tour, and Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe once clocked in 13.1 miles during a live performance using a pedometer attached to his right foot.
Drumming for Fitness: The Surprising Science Behind Burning Calories
The science attributed to the number of calories burned while drumming can vary based on several factors: your body weight, the intensity of your playing, and the duration of your session.
If someone is playing the drums at a moderate intensity for an hour, such as a jazz gig, you can expect to burn between 300 to 500 calories. More intense drumming can burn close to 600 calories, the caloric equivalent of a 30-minute run or jumping rope for an hour. Drummer Lab, which looks into Nadia Azar’s kinesiology research on some of the world’s best drummers, has found multiple pro-level rock drummers burning well over 1,000 calories in a single high-pressure rock performance under hot stage lights.
The best part about drumming is that it is akin to a full-body workout. While the audience might think that it is just the work of the hands, wrists, and feet, drumming takes into consideration multiple muscle groups in the arms, legs, back, and core while encompassing elements of aerobic, anaerobic, and strength training.
The usage of these muscle groups and the increased demand for oxygen in the body leads to heightened energy usage (caloric burn). The more intensely and frequently these muscles are used while playing, the higher the calorie burn is likely to occur.
In 2008, The Clem Burke Drumming Project was founded by drummer Clem Burke of Blondie, Professor Steve Draper (Hartpury University, UK), and Professor Marcus Smith (University of Chichester, UK) to take a deep dive into the science that connects fitness and drumming.
From 1997 to 2007, Smith and his team ran tests on Burke, measuring his heart rate, oxygen uptake, and the levels of lactic acid in his blood while performing on tour. As a result, Burke’s heart rate averaged 145 beats per minute on stage, with peaks of 190 beats per minute throughout the performance. The study also worked with drummers from Bloc Party and Primal Scream, who burned nearly 600 calories an hour in concert.
They found in this study that drumming can bring your heart rate, which for most people typically rests at 75 beats per minute, to nearly 200 beats per minute at varying intensity intervals.
Breathing frequency can also increase from 15 to 50 breaths per minute, which increases blood flow and regulates blood pressure. These intensified breathing patterns and heart rates cause drumming to crossover into cardiovascular exercise, which burns more calories.
Drumming’s Movement Patterns Burn Calories
Every big drum stroke, cymbal crash, or boom on the toms mimics the same movement patterns of a tricep extension, deltoid eccentric raise, lat pulldown, and hammer curl.
Aggressive fills around the kit resemble battle ropes—an exercise Travis Barker has used to prepare for tours—and hi-hat and bass drum pedal work resembles calf or ankle raises.
The grip strength required to hold and control your sticks while playing, especially in heavier music, and the lateral core movements needed to move around the kit also mimic that of calisthenics. Your torso must also absorb the constant shock of your arms repeatedly hitting the drums and cymbals, especially at higher intensities.
However, some people disagree a little bit! Take a look at this breakdown:
Still, small things like transporting a hardware case or drums to and from a vehicle or up a long flight of stairs can resemble a deadlift or bicep curl, and carrying your backpack cymbal bag is no different from a weighted ruck.
The efficiency of drumming as a calorie-burning activity has led to the rise of drumming-specific fitness classes (Cardio drumming) such as Drums Alive® and Pound, which combine traditional aerobic movements with participants pounding large exercise balls with drumsticks.
Beyond the physical benefits, the mental strain of synchronizing your body and using different levels of limb independence, dexterity, and intensity throughout a drum performance also leads to calories burned.
Drumming doesn’t necessarily mean you’re burning through calories. For example, while the BBC reported in 2008 that playing the drums for a rock band requires the stamina of a Premier League footballer, these tests were performed on rock drummers under the pressure of live performances and hot stage lights.
Mechanical efficiency, technique, and the body’s ability to adapt to unfamiliar movements will also impact your ability to burn calories behind the kit. The concept of “plateauing,” or becoming accustomed to performing at a certain intensity, occurs because the body has become more effective and efficient in dealing with the stressors of a particular activity.
This term is often used in exercise science to describe athletes who stop seeing strength increases after 4-6 months of continuous training. The same can happen with drumming: the number of calories burned during a session will decrease as the session becomes less intense due to physical adaptations.
Along with plateauing, a player’s technique can negatively affect caloric expenditure. The more comfortable you become with a certain intensity, the less exhausting it will be.
Further, the more your technique improves, the fewer calories you’ll burn executing the same parts. Similar patterns are found across exercise movements, where more experienced and technical players can move faster and for more extended periods than novice ones.
A healthy relationship with your drums is a well-rounded lifestyle supported by good mental health, physical health, a solid diet, and other factors. Understanding the various aspects of calorie burning while drumming will help you plan a healthy and active lifestyle and inform a healthy diet.
Remember, though, the number of calories burned while drumming is player-specific and will vary based on body weight, intensity, experience, technique, and the duration and context of your playing.
You must continually challenge and push your body and mind to get results.
FAQs
Does drumming burn calories?
Yes, drumming burns calories! It’s a full-body workout that involves arms, legs, and core so it isn’t as easy as one would think. Depending on the frequency, drumming can consume anywhere between 200 and 600 calories in an hour, which is similar to a light joggle or cycling. The core dynamics of fast pace, energy, and coordination make the activity also beneficial for cardiovascular and muscle tone.
Is drumming a good way to lose weight?
Yes, drumming can be an entertaining and helpful activity if looking to reduce weight although it is important to do regularly and with enthusiasm. For sure, it will not consume so many calories as high-intensity type cardio does but still, it does utilize various muscle groups, enhances endurance, and boosts the heart rate.
Why are drummers so fit?
One of the reasons that drummers are typically fit is due to the very nature of their profession. Drumming is an aerobic activity that relies on large muscles in the arms, legs, and torso to build bulk and endurance. The quick beats increase the heart rate which results in better cardiovascular fitness just like a High Interval Training workout. As with any strenuous physical effort, long shows take a lot of energy hence building endurance. Last of all, drumming can be considered a healthy means of reducing stress to help curb excessive levels of cortisol thus enhancing health.