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Rock Drummers 'are Top Athletes' (Old Article & Still True!)


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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7518888.stm

Here's an excerpt of the article:

Playing the drums for a rock band requires the stamina of a Premiership footballer, research suggests.

Tests on Clem Burke, the veteran Blondie drummer, revealed that 90 minutes of drumming could raise his heart rate to 190 beats a minute. Despite rock's reputation for unhealthy living, Dr Marcus Smith, from Chichester University, said drummers needed "extraordinary stamina".

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I know from experience that this is true. Playing full time in a certain high energy situation remains the most intensely demanding time of my life. I rarely partied and had to take good care of myself.

Have always felt like an athlete (being a drummer) -- it's just a matter of "how good of shape am I in" at any particular time. I try to stay in shape by regular or consistent rehearsing, practicing, performing or recording. Being a singing drummer, I think, releases even more endorphins :)

Anyone else here approach drumming as "training"? How do you get yourself back in shape after a break...prepare for recording sessions or other substantial projects...anyone gone from once-in-a-while performing to weekly (or more) performances?

Edited by Donna
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I run regularly, that's my main way of keeping fit. In my last band we did quite a demanding set of high tempo songs (plus I like to hit hard when playing rock) and I had a bit of a struggle getting into condition, as I hadn't been in a band for over a year previously. It wasn't the "totally out of breath" kind of struggling, more like that kind of struggle you have when you get two-thirds of the way through a fast song and find you're barely able to hold onto the sticks. Obviously practising and rehearsing over and over gets you into a good condition, but nothing can prepare you for being under the lights live. We got an EP recorded, did a few one-off gigs and went straight into a tour. I was certainly in good nick after playing every night for two weeks ;)

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