Can Playing Music Be a Form of Exercise?

Guitar
Photo by Jacek Dylag on Unsplash

Exercise doesn’t have to fall into a box. There are so many different ways to get your body active beyond jogging, yoga, doing push-ups, sit-ups, squats, or whatever other trendy rep you can think of. Being fit can sometimes mean being busy in all sorts of ways—and that includes playing music. Here’s how playing music can actually be a good form of exercise.

Drummers Get It

Perhaps out of all instruments, drums require the most movement. From the consistent thump of your foot on the bass drum to the wild arm swings towards the snare drum and toms, it requires intense focus and energy. In fact, it might even require more focus than a regular workout set—because in a regular workout you can stop whenever you want, whereas when playing drums you have to keep going for the sake of the band. So yeah… drumming is a great form of exercise.

The Rest Is Great Exercise Too

While the drums require the most energy, most other instruments also provide an excellent opportunity for exercise. Consider The Who’s Pete Townshend’s iconic “guitar windmill” pose, and the way he used to jump and run around on stage. Or how about Sir Elton John’s proclivity to bash his piano to oblivion—this too is a form of good movement. At the end of the day, most instruments have some form of movement.