Drumming Is Good For Your Health!

I frequently get asked if drumming is good for you when it comes to health-related topics. The bottom line is that drumming is a fun way to get regular exercise and improve overall health. What exactly are those benefits? Let's take a look.

Drumming & Exercise

People ask me all the time, "Is drumming considered a form of exercise?" Absolutely, drumming is considered exercise, because it involves physical and aerobic activity that (as I'll get into more later) can raise your heart rate, improve cardiovascular health, and benefit many aspects of overall health and well-being. How so? Let's get into it. Drumming engages a large number of muscles in the upper and lower body, which can help to strengthen and tone these regions of the body.

Drumming requires hand-eye coordination that can help improve fine motor skills and coordination. Additionally, drumming can be a fun and enjoyable way to relieve stress and improve your mood, making it not only a great form of physical exercise, but mental exercise as well.

Drumming also helps to improve overall coordination, strength, flexibility and endurance. Of course, the intensity of the workout will depend on the individual's level of activity and the style of drumming. Some drummers may engage in more physically demanding playing styles (such as high-energy double bass drumming) that require more movement and exertion, while others may have a more relaxed playing style. Regardless of the style, drumming is a fun and enjoyable way to stay active and fit, both physically, mentally and emotionally.

Drumming & Cardiovascular Health

I am frequently asked, "Does drumming benefit your cardiovascular health?" The simple answer is yes, indeed, drumming is good for cardiovascular health.

Playing the drums requires physical exertion and provides healthy aerobic benefits. The physical activity involved in drumming can help to increase heart rate, improve circulation, reduce blood pressure, and reduce the risk of heart disease.

In addition, drumming can be an excellent stress-reliever, which also has positive effects on cardiovascular health. How exactly does drumming do all this? Well, the physical act of playing the drums, especially vigorous drumming, and even more so, double bass drumming, increases heart rate and blood flow. In turn, this improves the muscles’ ability to pull oxygen out of the blood, which in the big picture reduces the need for the heart to pump more blood to the muscles.

This process also reduces stress hormones that can put an extra burden on the heart, as wells acting like a beta blocker to slow the normal heart rate, lowering blood pressure. Such benefits also burn fat, lessen risk of developing diabetes, helps to maintain healthy body weight and reduces inflammation throughout the body, all of which helps to improve overall cardiovascular health.

Drumming and Muscle Health

Another question that I frequently see is, "Does drumming build muscle?" While drumming doesn't build muscle with the same intensity and gains as other forms of exercise and muscle building, drumming can be a great way to build, strengthen and tone muscle. Playing the drums requires a lot of movement, stability, dexterity and overall strength, which can indeed lead to muscle development over time.

The repetitive and energetic motions of drumming can help to strengthen and tone muscles in many areas of the body, such as the fingers, hands, wrists, arms, shoulders, abdomen, back, legs, ankles and feet. So how exactly do the physical demands of drumming contribute to the effects on such areas of the body? Let me provide some explanations.

Finger control and hand dexterity play a big part in drumming. Such movement, energy and control affects muscles in the fingers, hands, wrists and forearms. Moving around the drum kit as you play can encompass a 200-degree radius (or more depending on the layout of the drum kit). This type of continual side-to-side movement, reaching and striking components of the drum kit affects muscles in the arms, shoulders, back and abdominal regions. When all your limbs are moving, this specifically isolates the abdominal and lower back muscles, as they are basically balancing you on your drum throne. In addition to the upper body getting a workout, your legs, ankles and feet also receive exercise as you work the kick drum and hi-hat pedals (especially if you play double kick). So, as you can tell, it's definitely a total body workout.

However, it is important to keep in mind that drumming alone will not result in any significant and noticeable muscle mass gains. For such muscle mass gains you will also need to incorporate other strength training exercises or weight training into your daily routine.

Drumming, Mental Health & Stress

Another common question I hear, "Is drumming good for mental health and stress relief?" Absolutely, drumming can be a great way to relieve stress. Most drummers find that playing can be a very therapeutic and calming activity. Drumming allows you to channel your energy and emotions into a physical activity, which is a healthy outlet for stress and for maintaining good mental health by distracting you from worry and other unhealthy emotions.

Additionally, the physical act of drumming releases endorphins and other feel-good chemicals in the brain, which helps to reduce feelings of stress, anxiety and sadness, while improving mood and cognitive function. I have also had many drummers over the years tell me that drumming did more for their mental well-being than their experiences with yoga and meditation, because playing the drums requires concentration and focus that more effectively clears the mind. In addition, clinical studies have showed that the rhythm of drumming and it's association with music has a soothing effect on the body and mind.

Overall, drumming is a feel-good activity that's good for the mind, body and soul.

Drumming & Weight Loss

Maybe you have wondered if drumming can help you lose weight. Yes, drumming can be a great way to help you lose weight! Drumming is a high-energy activity that can help you burn calories and and fat, thus improving your overall fitness. It's a great form of exercise that together with proper diet and other exercise can provide for an excellent weight loss or maintenance program.

To get the most out of drumming as a weight loss or weight maintenance activity, try to drum for at least 30 minutes to an hour at a time and aim for at least 3-5 sessions per week.

Also as part of that regimen, take time to play as fast as you can in 2 to 3 minute bursts at least five times during each routine. Fast double bass drumming is perfect for this. Such a routine can burn 500 to 1000 calories depending on your intensity level and the type of drumming you are doing. Additionally, a regular weekly drumming routine can make it much easier to stick with a your overall weight loss or maintenance program.

Of course drumming doesn't take the place other forms of physical activity and proper diet, however, it most certainly enhances your weight loss goals.

Drumming & Brain Function

Have you ever wondered if there is a correlation between drumming and its benefits on the brain? Well, you're not alone. The university of Toronto Canada conducted a study on the effects of playing an instrument, which concluded that playing an instrument has a direct positive impact on IQ levels. And with playing the drums, the multi-limb independence required has an even greater effect on the brain!

Playing the drums takes a lot of practice and coordination, because you need to synchronize your arms and legs to work simultaneously yet independently of one another. This in and of itself enhances brain function. But it doesn't end there. If you're right-handed, likely, your coordination with your left limbs most likely suffers. The same goes if you're left-handed. An inherent part of learning to play the drums focuses on developing equal strength and coordination with both sets of limbs. Therefor, using both the right and left hemisphere of your brain causes your brain to work harder to improve your non-dominant side. This then improves coordination between all of your limbs and strengthens non-dominant limbs, thus boosting brain power in the process.

Drumming & Chronic Pain

Wondering if drumming can help with chronic pain? Yes, if you suffer from certain forms of chronic pain, you can very well find some relief in drumming. As long as drumming itself does not directly affect your physical condition in a negative way, the activity of drumming can take your mind off the pain your body is experiencing. Also, the physical exercise and enjoyment derived from playing will also release endorphins which can act as natural painkillers that can help to ease the pain you are dealing with.

Studies have shown that physical activity, such as the physical nature of drumming, reduces chronic pain by building muscle strength and flexibility, reducing fatigue, reducing pain sensitivity, and reducing inflammation. Such physical activity also improves mood and sleep, which both have positive effects on chronic pain as well.

The bottom line is that is that movement, no matter how minimal, is desirable and beneficial to chronic pain sufferers.

Drumming & Confidence

It's a legitimate question . . "Does drumming boost confidence levels?" Without a doubt drumming boosts one's confidence levels.

Any time you learn, develop and improve upon a new skill you didn't have before, it's confidence enhancing. It also helps create a growth mindset through dedicating hours of hard work and practice, which will develop improved confidence levels.

Becoming proficient at drumming is challenging. Each step of the way as you overcome difficulties and progress in your playing skills, your self-confidence grows as well. And the more you overcome the obstacles of learning new things on the drums, you'll become more confident to take on other challenges that life throws at you!

Additionally, drumming can also improve confidence in your social life. With drumming, you eventually become part of a larger community, whether it be interacting with fellow musicians, or being watched by an audience. And before you know it, your interpersonal skills grow, you interact with many different people and your confidence within different social circles gest a huge boost!

Drumming & Happiness

When you combine all the benefits drumming brings, you're generally looking at a happier lifestyle. It gives you something to continually work on and grow with. It prevents boredom and keeps you out of trouble, because it provides you with a quality activity that continually challenges you to become better, which in turn presents you with one personal success after another as your skills improve.

Combined with the sensory enhancement derived from music, drumming is an activity sure to make each day a better one. And as you play, your body releases endorphins associated with feelings of euphoria and well-being, which makes each day more worth living. Overall, drumming enhances happiness by exercising the mind, body and soul, while nourishing your brain and enhancing your feeling of self-worth and confidence. Drumming will make your world go round!

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