Calories Burned While Playing Drums

Playing the drums can burn calories. Unlike many other musical instruments, you use much of your body to play drums. The skill requires gross motor movements as well as fine motor control, too. This can result in a significant workout.

Considerations

Different drums use different muscles. A set of conga drums uses the forearms, shoulders and wrists. A full rock drum kit uses all of the muscles in your body. How many muscles a drum style uses will affect how many calories you burn.

Potential

According to fitness resource website MyFitnessPal, an 150-pound person will burn 270 calories in an hour of drumming. Because heavier people burn more calories in all activities, an 180-pound person will burn 325 calories in the same session. A 130-pound person will burn 235.

Insight

How vigorous your session is will affect your calorie burn. Slow drumming, such as for a foxtrot, will burn fewer calories than double-bass drumming for speed metal. According to health reference You: The Owner's Manual, other factors that will affect your caloric burn include the temperature in your area, your metabolism and even your mood at the time.