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Dr Marcus Smith and Dr Steve Draper to present at the international ‘Games for Health’ Conference in Boston, May 25-27, 2010.
Dr. Marcus Smith (Principal Lecturer & Field Leader in Exercise Physiology, University of Chichester) and Dr Chris Potter (Director of Studies for the Undergraduate Sport Programmes) at the University of Gloucestershire, teaching Sport and Exercise Physiology, will be talking about the health benefits of drumming.
The Conference looks at initiatives which support community, knowledge and business development efforts to use cutting-edge games and game technologies to improve health and health care. Topics include active gaming, rehabilitation and physical therapy, disease management, health behaviour change, bio-feedback, epidemiology, training, cognitive exercise, nutrition and health education. Read more>>
Dr. Marcus Smith will be presenting research from the Clem Burke Drumming Project which was officially launched in 2008. Dr Smith has worked with Clem, the drummer with pop legends Blondie, for over 10-years. High energy expenditure values reflect the true physical challenge to the acoustic drummer during live performances. Whereas heart rate data recorded whilst drumming during a typical 90 minute show were similar to those recorded for premier league football players. At the ‘Games for Health Conference’ Dr Smith, along with colleague Dr. Chris Potter (University of Gloucestershire), will demonstrate an incremental drumming test to exhaustion on the drummer from the rockband Extreme, Kevin Figueiredo. The data, using state of the art sports science equipment, will illustrate the physical demands of playing an acoustic drum kit. A gaming enthusiast playing the most challenging drum solos on the latest version of the interactive video game Rock Band will also be tested to exhaustion. Differences, and the implications, in physiological responses to playing each type of drum kit will be discussed. Dr. Smith said: “We want to challenge the gaming industry to consider the type of hardware and software developments required to further enhance the experience of playing an interactive video game based drum kit. We also want to look at the potential of using interactive drumming based video games to enhance health and well-being in an education and non-education environment”.
Banging the drum for health, well-being and fitness at the London International
Music Show 2009
Those visiting LIMS will witness the appliance of science to drumming as Darrin Mooney (drummer, Primal Scream) puts himself through an incremental drumming test to exhaustion whilst wearing the latest ‘state-of-the-art’ sports science technology. Watch in amazement as he battles to keep pace with the ultimate drum test. This will be an event you will never forget. Visit website for more information
Dr. Marcus Smith, Principal Lecturer in Exercise Physiology, at the University of Chichester said: ‘The Clem Burke Drumming Project welcomes the opportunity to be involved in the London International Music Show (LIMS). We are particularly looking forward to sharing with the general public our views relating to the science of drumming and how drumming may be used in the future to investigate important issues, such as childhood obesity and autism’.
Dr. Steve Draper, Principal Lecturer at the University of Gloucestershire, said: ‘As Sports Scientists we have spent many years focusing on the performance of elite athletes, it has been fascinating for us to apply our skills and knowledge to drumming performance. The Clem Burke Drumming Project has illuminated the demands of an underestimated form of physical activity.’
Dr. Chris Potter, Exercise Physiologist, at the University of Gloucestershire said: ‘As someone who is both a drummer and physiologist, it is fantastic to have discovered that drumming is a potentially healthy pastime and while drumming is clearly much more than just exercise, the fact that drumming can be considered part of a healthy lifestyle is a wonderful additional benefit to a hobby I greatly enjoy. I look forward to talking about the project at the London International Music Show’.
World leading brain imagery scientist, Professor Steve Williams from Kings College London, has been working closely with Dr Marcus Smith and stated: “Patients with suboptimal brain function such as autism, dyspraxia or stroke may really benefit from this technology. Planning and learning these motor skills in such an entertaining manner may well enhance cognitive flexibility and facilitate recovery from an insult.”
Darrin Mooney, drummer Primal Scream, said: This test is going to be very interesting to me because over the last six years or so Primal Screams’ music and touring schedule have become much more intense which means I have to take many more things into consideration like my diet, enough sleep, and as I have got older I have even adjusted my set up to try and relieve unwanted muscle and joint stress. I know it sounds strange but I as I am getting older I am finding playing a two hour , very fast show, easier and easier. I put this down to practicing almost every day for four hours in between tours, which saves any trips to the gym. I also believe the mental challenge of playing the drums to a high standard gives the brain a very unique workout, as you are telling and forcing your brain to do things it’s really not wired to do naturally, and with all four limbs. Over the years I have had to work out systems which allow my brain to learn complicated rhythms and patterns, some days after practicing I feel mentally tired as well as physically tired. Read more>>