I grasp my sticks a tad nervously as I walk into the session room and take my seat among a merry bunch of 12 to 16 year olds. After all, it is not every day that a fairly good drummer gets to attend a drumming workshop as a fitness workout. Yup, you read that right. Who would have thought that playing drums would prove to be a fun exercise regime? But it’s true! Getting onto a manual drum kit for a 45-minute session helps burn a load of calories while strengthening muscles and enhancing physical and mental coordination. While it isn’t the equivalent to a rigorous 10-mile hike or an intense workout at the gym, drumming, if approached correctly, promises to be a physically demanding, adrenaline-pumping activity with a lot of energy expenditure.
So there I was, sitting between two hyperactive and enthusiastic teenagers, ready to work up a sweat. We start on the practise pads first. Our instructor, a seasoned freelance drummer and faculty at Cherubim School of Music, Lokesh Bob, steers us to long wooden blocks with rubber wrapped in intervals for the warm up session. Deftly wielding the drum sticks, we do quick one-two alternative hits on the rubber pads and slowly build intensity. We move to more vigorous routines with hands and legs alternating as we work-up a hard rhythmic 4/4 timed beat fury. Lokesh notches it up for us to an 8/4 and a 16/4 time signature patterns that gets us quickly sweating and a tingle in our hands and feet from all the rapid movements.
I move to the manual kit and sit behind the drums. “Posture is most important,” emphasises Lokesh and straightens my back. “Stay relaxed and ensure you’re comfortable behind the kit. Your feet must be placed firmly on the pedals and your hands steady over the rim of the snare drum. Once you’re comfortable is when you begin.” The real test begins on the kit with a simple 4/4 rock beat. We move on to a simple foxtrot and then a heavier bass-driven 8/4 swing. Building up a frenzy, we played along with a soundtrack of Train’s “Soul Sister” to build up our music-drumming coordination and moved on to an intense rendition of Deep Purple’s “Smoke On The Water” as the icing on the cake. Getting off the kit, I felt lighter, exuberant and definitely a whole lot fitter. A cool, refreshing lime soda after the workout topped the metrical session.
Benefits of Drumming
It increases your stamina, builds muscles, sharpens the mind’s control over specific muscle groups by promoting coordination and muscle independence
Enhances eye-ear-limb coordination while delivering a mild cardiovascular conditioning
Pumps blood to the extremities, builds respiratory exchange ratio and pushes your endurance levels.
