Drummers Are Better Than Footballers.

All bands need a backbone of rhythm, and a new study shows the drummers that provide this beat are often fitter than premier league football players. While monitering a drummer (Clem Burke form Blondie) researchers found heartrate rose to between 140 and 150 beats per minute, peakinh at 190, these are the levels usually reached by top athletes. Doctors said that Burke was probably reaching the maximum heart rate for a man his age through drumming.

We all know how hard people in bands work, and now it's proven. As well as matching athletes heartrates, they have to work a just as hard for a lot longer. Top footballers only play once or twice a week for ninety minutes (excluding any penalties) but a drummer would play a ninety minute set every night on tour, usually in different venues with a lot of travelling in between (and we're talking tour buses here, not the Business class top footballers get.)

Gloucestershire University is developing a 'drumming laboratory' to study this further and hoping this could be used to help combat childhood obesity for those who aren't interested in sports. An example of this is Bob Bryar from My Chemical Romance, who, after joining the band, reportedly lost huge amounts of weight.

We all know how hard bands work to give a fantastic show, and their fitness levels and stamina show just how dedicated they are. Drumming a show could burn between 400-600 calories, and don't forget these guys (and girls) are playing in a hot environment, usually enclosed with bright lights and a lot of body heat. No wonder our favourite bands are dripping sweat when they finish (and if you've had a good time, you usually are too.)