Does playing piano really burn that many calories?

According to MFP, music playing burns 150 per 1 hour. I sometimes play the piano 5 hours a day, but never feel tired. Maybe it is standing for playing the trumpet, since it needs more physical effort but all you do while playing the piano is pretty much sitting and moving your arms. So should I lower "calories burned per minute"?

Please give me your opinions, I really need them!

Replies

  • freddi11e
    freddi11e Posts: 317 Member
    ... i wouldnt log piano playing. i sit at my desk for 8 hours typing and i dont log it :) it's like the same thing.
  • krispy1982
    krispy1982 Posts: 47 Member
    MFP can be way out of wack sometimes. It told me I burned 750 calories golfing for three hours WITH a cart. Now unless raising a cooler to my mouth every two minutes counts as weight lifting, I think it may have been off. ???? I wouldn't track music playing if I were but if you're trying to be extremely precise you could wear a heart monitor?
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    You shouldn't count it
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    It's mainly sitting. YOur arms are moving, you're probably burning a few more calories than typing because only your fingers are moving when you type, but not enough more to log it

    also, look at some rock musicians as they play guitar, e.g. dancing, headbanging, walking around etc... that's going to burn more calories than sitting mostly still to play most musical instruments... and there's marching bands too.... so you can't really put a single figure on how many calories you burn playing a musical instrument... if you're walking, dancing or marching while playing a musical instrument, then log it as walking, marching or dancing. If you're sitting, then it's not going to burn significantly more calories than any other activity that involves sitting. So don't log it.
  • Alissakae
    Alissakae Posts: 317 Member
    It never occurred to me to log when I play piano. And I still won't. I don't log housework either. We could get kind of silly with this stuff.
  • ameliaindraa
    ameliaindraa Posts: 1 Member
    I think it depends on the difficulty of the piece and tempo. Pieces with more difficulty can be quiet tiring to play. The tempo of the piece can also affect how many calories that are burned. Fast tempo pieces require more vigorous movements while slow tempo piece doesn't really need a lot of movements. By only playing an intemediate-level piece with a fast tempo, I could break into sweats in just a few minutes without turning the air conditioner on.
  • ClaireLHM2018
    ClaireLHM2018 Posts: 1 Member
    I am a pianist for a living, and depending on the piece you are playing or the level you are playing at, I can definitely tell when I am burning more calories than normal. Some pieces are physically demanding, and it never involves just moving your arms. Your core, back, arm, and shoulder muscles are all engaged at all times. When I am preparing a particularly strenuous program, I develop what I call "piano muscles" - muscles in my shoulders, arms, and forearms that I do not normally have. A pianist friend has also commented that when she has been at the piano five or more hours a day, she has noticed a huge increase in her hunger throughout the day.

    Having said all that, when I am trying to lose weight, I do not put my piano playing into the app. If I want to put exercise into the app, I exercise in other ways. I do not lose weight if I put all my piano playing in. 😊
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Maybe they mean for people in a marching band, rock group, or playing an hour of Rachmaninoff or Liszt.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,249 Member
    According to MFP, music playing burns 150 per 1 hour. I sometimes play the piano 5 hours a day, but never feel tired. Maybe it is standing for playing the trumpet, since it needs more physical effort but all you do while playing the piano is pretty much sitting and moving your arms. So should I lower "calories burned per minute"?

    Please give me your opinions, I really need them!

    That probably includes your BMR unless you're Jerry Lee Lewis or Little Richard!

  • jestog63
    jestog63 Posts: 84 Member
    Maybe if you play like Jerry Lee Lewis.
  • apullum
    apullum Posts: 4,838 Member
    I am a pianist for a living, and depending on the piece you are playing or the level you are playing at, I can definitely tell when I am burning more calories than normal. Some pieces are physically demanding, and it never involves just moving your arms. Your core, back, arm, and shoulder muscles are all engaged at all times. When I am preparing a particularly strenuous program, I develop what I call "piano muscles" - muscles in my shoulders, arms, and forearms that I do not normally have. A pianist friend has also commented that when she has been at the piano five or more hours a day, she has noticed a huge increase in her hunger throughout the day.

    Having said all that, when I am trying to lose weight, I do not put my piano playing into the app. If I want to put exercise into the app, I exercise in other ways. I do not lose weight if I put all my piano playing in. 😊

    Your normal daily routine should be included in your MFP activity level setting. So if your normal work is physically strenuous, your MFP settings should reflect that. Your work would not be logged as separate exercise.