Bonzo The Olympian

[SuperDave]

Not a lot about John Bonham in this article, but about drummers in general. Hopefully I posted this on the correct forum, if not forgive me.

From: ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA

Drummers 'are as fit as elite athletes'

Posted Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:15am AEST

Updated Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:16am AEST

Led Zeppelin's John Bonham was a renowned drummer who put his whole body into his work and his famous 20-minute solos.

Now a new study suggests that he might have been as fit as a highly tuned Olympic athlete.

Sports scientists from two universities in the UK hooked up rock drummers to a series of wires and breathing apparatuses to monitor their heart rate and oxygen intake during a gig.

Their most famous test case was Blondie drummer Clem Burke.

Sport scientist Steve Draper from the University of Gloucestershire says drummers have as much stamina as elite athletes.

"The most startling thing for us was when we first got heart rate traces from Clem's concert is, we looked at them, and they could have been a premiership footballer," he said.

"That's where we would like to make the comparison because it's 90 minutes, it's intimate in exercise, the heart rate is very high."

The researchers found that during a performance, Burke lost about two litres of fluid - which is similar to what an athlete running 10,000 metres loses.

His heart rate could get as high as 190 beats per minute, which is equal to the world's best footballers during a game.

'Very, very physical'

The findings do not come as no surprise to Eric Neira, who plays the drums for Sydney indie rock band True Love Chaos.

"Yeah, it is very, very physical," he said.

"I mean, you get off that stage and your underwear is wet.

"What people don't get is, a drummer is sitting on a stool a lot of the time, but your legs, your arms, you're just going at 100 miles an hours sometimes.

"And not only that, but then there's the mental strain as well, because the drummer is the backbone to a band, and you want to keep that time.

"So very physical, but at the same time, it's a lot to do with the old head; you have to endure, really."

And Neira says with all his drumming he does not need to schedule in an extra exercise regime during the week.

"I rehearse say once, twice a week with the band, and then we'll do a show as well, and what you find is that that's basically it, you don't really need to exercise at all, that's it," he said.

"You've done your exercise for the week, and more."

Match Fit

Some rock bands even train before tours to make sure they are match fit.

Dave Rowntree, the drummer from British band Blur, reported losing a stone every time he went on tour.

But it is a different story for jazz drummers who have a less flamboyant style of playing.

But Jim Piesse, a renowned Sydney jazz drummer and teacher, says sometimes exaggeration is a necessity.

"Sometimes, as well as wanting to produce a great sound and a great groove, part of the show is to make it look good, too, so you might exaggerate your movements in order to make it look more visually exciting," he said.

The researchers hope their findings will encourage some overweight children who are not interested in sport to take up drumming instead.

However there are some drummers who warn that people should not throw out their gym clothes just yet.

Fifty-four-year-old Andy Evans has been playing the drums for most of his life - and now teaches at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney.

"If you saw me, you'd probably dispute that," he said.

"It certainly sort of keeps you fairly supple, but I don't think you are going to lose weight playing the drums.

"[but] you certainly have a lot of fun doing it."

Adapted from Jennifer Macey's report for The World Today

[Medhb]

Not a lot about John Bonham in this article, but about drummers in general. Hopefully I posted this on the correct forum, if not forgive me.

From: ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA

Drummers 'are as fit as elite athletes'

Posted Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:15am AEST

Updated Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:16am AEST

Some rock bands even train before tours to make sure they are match fit. (www.sxc.hu: Ênio Filho)

Led Zeppelin's John Bonham was a renowned drummer who put his whole body into his work and his famous 20-minute solos.

Now a new study suggests that he might have been as fit as a highly tuned Olympic athlete.

Sports scientists from two universities in the UK hooked up rock drummers to a series of wires and breathing apparatuses to monitor their heart rate and oxygen intake during a gig.

Their most famous test case was Blondie drummer Clem Burke.

Sport scientist Steve Draper from the University of Gloucestershire says drummers have as much stamina as elite athletes.

"The most startling thing for us was when we first got heart rate traces from Clem's concert is, we looked at them, and they could have been a premiership footballer," he said.

"That's where we would like to make the comparison because it's 90 minutes, it's intimate in exercise, the heart rate is very high."

The researchers found that during a performance, Burke lost about two litres of fluid - which is similar to what an athlete running 10,000 metres loses.

His heart rate could get as high as 190 beats per minute, which is equal to the world's best footballers during a game.

'Very, very physical'

The findings do not come as no surprise to Eric Neira, who plays the drums for Sydney indie rock band True Love Chaos.

"Yeah, it is very, very physical," he said.

"I mean, you get off that stage and your underwear is wet.

"What people don't get is, a drummer is sitting on a stool a lot of the time, but your legs, your arms, you're just going at 100 miles an hours sometimes.

"And not only that, but then there's the mental strain as well, because the drummer is the backbone to a band, and you want to keep that time.

"So very physical, but at the same time, it's a lot to do with the old head; you have to endure, really."

And Neira says with all his drumming he does not need to schedule in an extra exercise regime during the week.

"I rehearse say once, twice a week with the band, and then we'll do a show as well, and what you find is that that's basically it, you don't really need to exercise at all, that's it," he said.

"You've done your exercise for the week, and more."

Match fit

Some rock bands even train before tours to make sure they are match fit.

Dave Rowntree, the drummer from British band Blur, reported losing a stone every time he went on tour.

But it is a different story for jazz drummers who have a less flamboyant style of playing.

But Jim Piesse, a renowned Sydney jazz drummer and teacher, says sometimes exaggeration is a necessity.

"Sometimes, as well as wanting to produce a great sound and a great groove, part of the show is to make it look good, too, so you might exaggerate your movements in order to make it look more visually exciting," he said.

The researchers hope their findings will encourage some overweight children who are not interested in sport to take up drumming instead.

However there are some drummers who warn that people should not throw out their gym clothes just yet.

Fifty-four-year-old Andy Evans has been playing the drums for most of his life - and now teaches at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney.

"If you saw me, you'd probably dispute that," he said.

" It certainly sort of keeps you fairly supple, but I don't think you are going to lose weight playing the drums.

"[but] you certainly have a lot of fun doing it."

Adapted from Jennifer Macey's report for The World Today

Tags: arts-and-entertainment, music, exercise-and-fitness, human-interest, australia, united-kingdom

Ahh crap! I was 'this close' to ordering a drum kit!

[guitarmy]

This really doesn't surprise me.

I'm not a drummer, but just think of how much endurance you need to have.

[eagle87]

Well then the gold medal goes to Bonzo!....

20 minutes.... Damn! That's energy...

[zepyep]

Hi all,

Thanks for posing that! The few drummers I have know were great athletes also.I would venture to say that playing any musical intrument is pretty athletic!

KB

[SunChild]

Ahh crap! I was 'this close' to ordering a drum kit!

Hell, I get a good work out just air drumming to Bonzo!

[bigstickbonzo]

As a man of the skins, I can certainly agree of our physical endurance...

in music and other leisure activities.

[Aquamarine]

I'm sure Bonzo will be at the Olympics in spirit. Then again, maybe not.

[Medhb]

Hell, I get a good work out just air drumming to Bonzo!

Ahhhh, see I'm usually air guitaring to Jimmy! Have to try the air drumming out!!

[Knebby]

I'm sure Bonzo will be at the Olympics in spirit. Then again, maybe not.

Olympian eh?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

[zep41]

physical endurace -- absolutely.

Athletic? That's stretching it wayyyyyy too far. Different muscles are needed/used in different things. Maybe cardiovasularly on paper, it looks like a drummer is in the same shape as an olympian. But that's not the reality of the world. This article was obviously written by a non-athlete.

[Matt Harris]

Not a lot about John Bonham in this article, but about drummers in general. Hopefully I posted this on the correct forum, if not forgive me.

From: ABC NEWS AUSTRALIA

Drummers 'are as fit as elite athletes'

Posted Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:15am AEST

Updated Fri Jul 25, 2008 9:16am AEST

Led Zeppelin's John Bonham was a renowned drummer who put his whole body into his work and his famous 20-minute solos.

Now a new study suggests that he might have been as fit as a highly tuned Olympic athlete.

Sports scientists from two universities in the UK hooked up rock drummers to a series of wires and breathing apparatuses to monitor their heart rate and oxygen intake during a gig.

Their most famous test case was Blondie drummer Clem Burke.

Sport scientist Steve Draper from the University of Gloucestershire says drummers have as much stamina as elite athletes.

"The most startling thing for us was when we first got heart rate traces from Clem's concert is, we looked at them, and they could have been a premiership footballer," he said.

"That's where we would like to make the comparison because it's 90 minutes, it's intimate in exercise, the heart rate is very high."

The researchers found that during a performance, Burke lost about two litres of fluid - which is similar to what an athlete running 10,000 metres loses.

His heart rate could get as high as 190 beats per minute, which is equal to the world's best footballers during a game.

'Very, very physical'

The findings do not come as no surprise to Eric Neira, who plays the drums for Sydney indie rock band True Love Chaos.

"Yeah, it is very, very physical," he said.

"I mean, you get off that stage and your underwear is wet.

"What people don't get is, a drummer is sitting on a stool a lot of the time, but your legs, your arms, you're just going at 100 miles an hours sometimes.

"And not only that, but then there's the mental strain as well, because the drummer is the backbone to a band, and you want to keep that time.

"So very physical, but at the same time, it's a lot to do with the old head; you have to endure, really."

And Neira says with all his drumming he does not need to schedule in an extra exercise regime during the week.

"I rehearse say once, twice a week with the band, and then we'll do a show as well, and what you find is that that's basically it, you don't really need to exercise at all, that's it," he said.

"You've done your exercise for the week, and more."

Match Fit

Some rock bands even train before tours to make sure they are match fit.

Dave Rowntree, the drummer from British band Blur, reported losing a stone every time he went on tour.

But it is a different story for jazz drummers who have a less flamboyant style of playing.

But Jim Piesse, a renowned Sydney jazz drummer and teacher, says sometimes exaggeration is a necessity.

"Sometimes, as well as wanting to produce a great sound and a great groove, part of the show is to make it look good, too, so you might exaggerate your movements in order to make it look more visually exciting," he said.

The researchers hope their findings will encourage some overweight children who are not interested in sport to take up drumming instead.

However there are some drummers who warn that people should not throw out their gym clothes just yet.

Fifty-four-year-old Andy Evans has been playing the drums for most of his life - and now teaches at the Australian Institute of Music in Sydney.

"If you saw me, you'd probably dispute that," he said.

"It certainly sort of keeps you fairly supple, but I don't think you are going to lose weight playing the drums.

"[but] you certainly have a lot of fun doing it."

Adapted from Jennifer Macey's report for The World Today

That's very interesting! Just imagine john bonham in the olympics!

[bigledzepfan1963]

i know a lot of drummers,i have'nt seen one that could'nt whip your ass in a new york minute

either!