Drummers beat a path to fitness
Anyone looking to get fit may be able to swap the treadmill for the drum sticks, research suggests.
Exercise scientists have been carrying out tests on Clem Burke, the drummer with Blondie, for eight years. They found that drummers go through as gruelling a workout during a performance as premiership footballers do during a match.
However, Dr Marcus Smith from Chichester University noted that while footballers can expect to play 40 to 50 games a year, in one 12 month period, Clem played 90-minute sets at 100 concerts.
Dr Smith said: "There is a clear link between fitness and performance. Musicians need exceptional stamina to sustain optimum output especially when on tour.
“When you consider the implications of touring on top of the performance requirements for high-profile drummers, it is clear that their fitness levels need to be outstanding."
The findings could now be used to help develop programmes for overweight children, particularly those who are not interested in sport. Clem burned between 400 and 600 calories an hour during the trials.
The research was conducted by the University of Chichester and the University of Gloucestershire, and there are plans to build a ‘dedicated drumming laboratory’ at the University of Gloucestershire.
