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See the original image at news.bbc.co.uk

Rock drummers 'are top athletes'

news.bbc.co.uk — 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.

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  • HonkingAntelope, on 07/22/2008, -5/+47So, are metal drummers supermen?

    Mike Portnoy anyone?
  • liliac, on 07/22/2008, -2/+21Mmmm,,, Danny Carey. :)
    • gcnaddict, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2With a name like "liliac" and a comment like that, I'm assuming you're a girl.
    • CptGreencoat, on 07/23/2008, -6/+2Jimmy Chamberlin > Danny Carey > Mike Portnoy
      • xartion, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1hard to compare since all three play different kinds of music (well you could make an argument that carey and portnoy play the same type)
    • PwnisherX, on 07/23/2008, -7/+5Danny Carey is an overrated hack. Go listen to Meshuggah's "Bleed", Tomas Haake is a true god.
      • f4nt0m4s, on 07/23/2008, -2/+9Danny Carey is not an overrated hack. Maybe he isn't as technical as Tomas Haake, but does that matter? He's still more talented than you. And he is a good drummer, in fact he is one of the better drummers out there right now. His drumming fits Tool's music perfectly. He has a unique sound - he does lots of subtle notes on the symbols, and he rolls around on the toms while doing more subtle rhythms on the bass drums. His drumming fits Tool's music perfectly.

        It doesn't increase your penis size when you compare Drummer A to Drummer B, so why do it? Danny Carey drums for a band that is all about dynamics, and Tomas Haake drums for a band that is about meshing different grooves while grinding your eardrums away.

        Fact of the matter is, there is a whole slew of jazz drummers that are better than both Danny Carey and Tomas Haake, but no one gives a *****.

        There's more to drumming that just straight up technical skill. Counting changing time signatures and keeping track of polyrhythms is only half the fun, you also have to fit the dynamics of the band. That's why Herb from Primus is one of my all time favorite drummers.
      • PwnisherX, on 07/23/2008, -3/+2Haha. Trolled.
      • tool4life, on 07/23/2008, -2/+3Your knowledge of drumming is lacking if you find a large gap between Carey and Haake...They're both amazing in different styles. Having said that both the bands rule, but forget it...nothing beats Ticks and Leeches, The Grudge, Lateralus and etc. (clearly my opinion tho lol).
    • patthew, on 07/23/2008, -0/+12In this thread: music geeks comparing just how hardcore they really are.

      (I like all the ones mentioned the same though...)
    • f4nt0m4s, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6Danny Carey's drumming is incredibly dynamic. His work on the toms is incredible; his drumming has a very rhythmic almost tribal groove to it. 10,000 Days still hasn't grown on me as an album yet, but the drum work is fantastic throughout the album. The whole ensemble from Ænema still sends chills down my back when I listen to it, I love the rolling drum line.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCEeAn6_QJo
  • smacksaw, on 07/22/2008, -1/+40Hey...Chuck Norris...Neil Peart is coming for you.
  • tykwondingo, on 07/22/2008, -3/+9Portnoy - FTW.
  • Snoosy, on 07/23/2008, -2/+10There's very few fat drummers for a reason. It's ***** tiring if you can actually play. Or if you just bang on ***** as fast as you can, like me.
  • saqer, on 07/23/2008, -7/+4buried...because result studies are taken out of context and applied incorrectly
    • Abomonog, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1Not in this case. 90 minutes of straight up drumming is actually about right for a concert session. The only thing missing was the extreme heat that is generated on the average stage.
  • CptGreencoat, on 07/23/2008, -1/+23I call *****. I play drums (very hard) in a band that tours regularly and couldn't jog a mile if my life depended on it.
    • XMashedPotatoX, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2What band?
    • mcdougan, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1really? what type of music?
    • alakalaka99, on 07/23/2008, -0/+8I'm pretty sure the article doesn't say that drummers would be physically fit, and ready for activity, but just that they use as much energy as some sports players. Heck, Gene Hoglan is an amazing metal drummer, and he is huge, and probably weighs 250-300 pounds. Can he run a 6 minute mile? I doubt it. But his arm and leg muscles are probably huge....
    • diulei, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Even so - I bet you'd be able to gradually jog/run a few miles in a few weeks, compared to an average couch potato who might take a few weeks just to do half a mile in one try. Your legs might not be able to take it at first, but your body definitely will be able to keep up with that sort of energy output much better than a sloth.
    • Abomonog, on 07/23/2008, -0/+4Different kind of stamina used. A marathon runner would be out of breath playing a drum kit after 10 minutes.
  • sp89, on 07/23/2008, -4/+3i'm a 'top athlete'

    in the words of homer simpson: WOOHOO!!!
  • tynansanger, on 07/23/2008, -0/+47I think it depends on what band you're in. The drummer for Rush probably gets a better workout than Meg White.
    • ksgant, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2No kidding.

      Even Clem Burke, the subject for this article, was a wickedly fast drummer. Just listen to "Dreaming" by Blondie and see what I mean.
      • gudnbluts, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1I admit to knowing bugger all about drummers, and I don't usually even notice them, but I've seen Blondie live, and I noticed Clem. He's a really interesting drummer. He just has a huge range of beats and fills. Anybody who can keep a 4/4 beat that exciting's a great drummer in my book.
    • smacksaw, on 07/23/2008, -2/+1Not really, because if you've ever seen the Meg White sex tape, you'd know that if Jack White was doing her or Neil, he'd be giving to Neil and recieving from Meg.
    • gdonald, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2"the drummer for rush" ? Did you mean to say "Neil Peart" ?
  • Tyviris, on 07/23/2008, -1/+5This is surprising news to me since I know one 300 lb girl who's an avid drummer.
    • Abomonog, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1And that 300 pound girl could probably whip your ass with one hand tied behind her back.

      The above line is not an insult towards you but a statement of the muscle that lies under the skin of the girl. She could probably lift 200 pounds easy if she tried.
  • venomous666, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5So if metal drummers are supermen, and there's very few fat drummers (from the comments above) - please explain Nick Barker and Gene Hoglan. :)
    • omgdspmpg, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1they are about the same size as vinnie paul and that isn't really very fat.

      dino cazares is a fat ***** and none of them are close.
      • DeadSkinMask, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Gene is way fatter than Vinnie Paul. (and 10 times the drummer)

  • redslash, on 07/23/2008, -0/+7Listen, it's the truth. Now, maybe not if you're one of those hi-hat/snare/hi-hat/snare/rinse-and-repeat drummers, but for the real ones, drums are a huge workout.
  • xerigen, on 07/23/2008, -0/+7It took an 8 year study to decide that drumming is a good alternative for overweight kids who don't enjoy sports? Sounds like common sense to me. You can just see the effort dripping off the drummer by just attending one concert.
  • Chainheart, on 07/23/2008, -0/+8http://myspace-621.vo.llnwd.net/01415/12/64/141544 ...

    Gene Hoglan (who happens to be one of the fastest and best) disagrees
  • staplemonger, on 07/23/2008, -5/+1Drumming on Rock Band gets me tired.
  • omgdspmpg, on 07/23/2008, -7/+4in before drumfags argue about who's the best drummer.


    e:f,b
    • Syphon8, on 07/23/2008, -5/+2NEIL PERT.
      • omgdspmpg, on 07/23/2008, -12/+1too bad rush is a ***** lame ass band with ***** music for old people.

        also, it's neil peart, you *****.
    • patthew, on 07/23/2008, -1/+4Pickles the Drummer… doodly-doo, uh - ding-dong… doodily… doodly-doo.
  • gforce051, on 07/23/2008, -0/+4Does drumming on my desk with my fingers count?
  • briansalo, on 07/23/2008, -2/+1Pfft, anyone who has ever attempted playing a long set on the Rock Band drums could show you that.
  • FriedTurkey, on 07/23/2008, -9/+2As someone who has played in many bands - I have yet to meet a drummer that wasn't a dumb *****. I think banging on drums makes them stupid or something.
    • Ginkster, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Me no stupid.
    • helikopter, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6well ***** you, dude. not our fault you hang out with idiots.
  • SHUUTOBI, on 07/23/2008, -1/+4John Longstreth
    http://youtube.com/watch?v=KumYxSpYZeQ

    Now that's stamina.
  • TinternAbbot, on 07/23/2008, -0/+5Top Athletes would have a lower heart rate doing strenuous activity. Just having a high heart rate isn't enough to show that you have stamina...
    • Abomonog, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1But an hour and a half of straight drumming does.
      • TinternAbbot, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Agreed 100%. Didn't need a lame experiment with a questionable hypothesis to tell me that, though.
  • HangerBaby, on 07/23/2008, -4/+1Ok, possibly true cardio wise
    but its not using very many muscles, so you don't fatigue.. Its basically like riding a bike in interval speeds.. Not necessarily difficult for the average joe, but also very demanding on the heart.
    • mrhahn, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Not using very many muscles? You think those sticks and pedals just move themselves?!
      • HangerBaby, on 07/23/2008, -2/+1You know what I mean, there's no atrophy involved with drumming
  • sClubDevin, on 07/23/2008, -9/+1Tell me why the drummer from one of my bands weighs 240lbs and the one from the other weighs 120lbs. Its more about precision than stamina or fitness.

    Neil Peart is not the best drummer in the world because he uses a 29489249 piece drum kit, btw. Wanky drummers like him ruin music for me.
    • danomagnum, on 07/23/2008, -0/+4Yeah, the 29489249 piece drum kit is soooo over rated, It's all about the 29489250 piece drum kit....
  • Ginkster, on 07/23/2008, -0/+6Did anyone else notice the volume went up to 11? Genius.
    • cdigioia, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Damn, the Brits finally have an edge on us.
  • svartgotik, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Behold, Lord Marco:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=XAcYVObSmcA
  • ansatsu29, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2drum roll please...
  • anxcaptain, on 07/23/2008, -0/+22I agree... forget speed if you're going to be off beat. I meet a ton of young kids that only care about their double bass pedal, and how fast they can run it... Thats great and all, but at some point it gets old. Im sorry metal drummers... Jazz drummers have all of us beat. Their technique is not something you pick up in a garage after years of pissing off you mum due to you running you bass pedal running a 4/4 on your crash or ride... there is more to drumming than just playing fast... Like my instructor used to tell me.. Learn your rudiments.. (thats ***** was right)
    • EricDraven, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Was just thinking about jazz and about to make a similar comment. Digging you up instead.
    • venomous666, on 07/23/2008, -0/+0Correct, the very best metal drummers have elements of jazz in their playing.
  • Mystic11, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Now let's measure that of... say... Derek Roddy.

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=O7kQvyPXEQc&feature=rel ...
  • RandomGorilla, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Top athletes, eh? Well I've seen my fair share of them taking a lot of "Performance Enhancing Drugs" before and after concerts so there may be merit to this.
  • ph1sh55, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3So by this same metric the fat tub of lard at my office is a "top athlete" because walking from her cubicle to the vending machine her heart rate goes to 190 beats per minute. America is full of elite athletes!
    Thanks Dr. Marcus Smith!
  • danomagnum, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1All the members of a rock band are sweating at the end of a show.
  • smacksaw, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Since we're talking fat drummers, it would be remiss to leave out Abe Laboriel Jr.:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kWq1kH8zBN0

    Plus, he can sing pretty well as he did with Mylene Farmer...
  • greanbean, on 07/23/2008, -1/+2studies have shown that fat people's heart rates go up to 190 when they eat. must be in great shape. just look at that sweat dripping. what a work out. unless of course they just have the simple eat/chew/eat/chew technique. But for real fatties, its a true work out.
  • xNarrowSoulx, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3Drumming is difficult at times. I mean, I can see where they're getting this. I play in a punk band, and I can do at most 2 sets worth of music during practice before I'm about to die. On the other hand, I'm a Digg user. 'nuff said.
  • lrpsj, on 07/23/2008, -1/+0WOOHOO!!!
  • ratbear, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Kevin Talley, one of the best in the world:

    http://youtube.com/watch?v=zOeco_g4HNA
  • gothabilly, on 07/23/2008, -3/+1A drummer indeed needs lots of stamina to keep rolling, especially on live concerts. Lars Ulrich, Scott Travis, and Mike Portnoy are prime examples.
    • DeadSkinMask, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2Buried for Lars Ulrich.

      Possibly the most overrated drummer of all time.
  • Black6x, on 07/23/2008, -0/+7So, you're saying Rock Band is a better choice than the Wii Fit?
  • Shaman760, on 07/23/2008, -1/+2My old student:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p42Yr4dsqEs

    It's all about being relaxed. Stay relaxed, you can do anything.
    • bigfruitbasket, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2That's music? Splendid drumming though.
  • enjoyincubus, on 07/23/2008, -1/+0i'd like to see danny carey's heart rate after a concert
  • styrchn, on 07/23/2008, -1/+0That's awesome. I feel like I've got options now. Gym, rock band, or wii fit? :p
  • cdigioia, on 07/23/2008, -0/+2The logic in this is terrible.

    Having an elevated heart rate does NOT equal being a fit person. The opposite is true. We need to know the dummer's fitness level first, before we can equate his 190 heart rate with drums being a great workout. My cousin is huge, his heartrate probably goes up to 190 every time he pushes a cart across the store. Do we then say "store walkers are top athletes!"

    It's having a lower heartrate while doing comparable work that indicates a fit person. What if you "raced" an Olympic runner. Two laps in, they have a heart rate of 110, you have one of 180, would you say "HAHA! I'm so much fitter than you! My hear rate is 180 compared to your crappy 110!"



  • algaeturd, on 07/23/2008, -1/+1Travis Barker is the best example to prove that you might burn calories playing the drums, but you can still be dumb as a rock and do it decently.
  • TBITS, on 07/23/2008, -1/+2They did a study like this a while back with marching drummers. From experience I can tell you that there is no better workout than ten hours a day on the asphalt with a nice hefty snare.
  • robinthehood, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1in other news, a study showed that bassist heartrates rarely top 50bpm
  • droid, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Horgh. Hail him.
  • whyisntcakesin, on 07/23/2008, -0/+3"Tests on Clem Burke, the veteran Blondie drummer, revealed that 90 minutes of drumming could raise his heart rate to 190 beats a minute."

    Further tests revealed that his blood contained nearly 2 grams of cocain
  • digiframes, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Image Bally's with a set of drums to workout with, NICE!
  • gdonald, on 07/23/2008, -0/+1Dave Lombardo is pretty bad-ass.

    Slayer drum tablature doesn't have recommended bpms, it just says "as fast as you can".
  • Humzaseo, on 07/24/2008, -0/+0no doubt it is right claim that he is good athelete
  •  

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