Conducting

AndyMcMahan
AndyMcMahan Posts: 20 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
OK, now I know this is probably a silly question; however, I've been curious for a while and I thought someone here might have an answer. Is this site accurate on the number of calories burned while conducting? https://www.fitday.com/webfit/burned/calories_burned_Conducting.html

Now, I know most people would never have occasion to conduct for an hour; however, I'm hoping that some were in high school band/orchestra/choir and remember observing conductors ...or, maybe you were drum major in school ..or something along those lines.

I don't really consider it an exercise really (since it's part of my job); however, I am just mildly curious what equivalent it would be to a type of exercise (i.e., is it like walking x m/km?, etc.)

Thanks!

Replies

  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that if this site, or any site, has conducting listed as an actual exercise, it's going to be wildly inaccurate.
  • PayneAS
    PayneAS Posts: 669 Member
    I'd say wear an HRM and find out.
  • Railr0aderTony
    Railr0aderTony Posts: 6,803 Member
    I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that if this site, or any site, has conducting listed as an actual exercise, it's going to be wildly inaccurate.

    QFT,

    Op, wear a HRM during a concert and then you have a estimate.
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
    It's out there as an exercise class - "Conductorcise" - So who knows :huh:

    http://www.examiner.com/article/david-dworkin-incorporates-orchestra-conducting-into-fitness-programs
  • AndyMcMahan
    AndyMcMahan Posts: 20 Member
    I'd say wear an HRM and find out.

    You're talking about something like the Jawbone UP, right? Yea, I just ordered it so it should come in a few days :) I guess that will answer my question -- I don't know why that didn't occur to me!
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    It's out there as an exercise class - "Conductorcise" - So who knows :huh:

    http://www.examiner.com/article/david-dworkin-incorporates-orchestra-conducting-into-fitness-programs

    FFS, why am I not rich?
  • KaleeCat
    KaleeCat Posts: 152 Member
    From my experience (Music Major here!) conductors don't really spend the entire time conducting, they're usually stopping and starting often. If the class were to be 60 minutes long, I'd say one might burn around 200 calories..? MFP says when I play violin or clarinet I burn about 150 to 190 calories every 60 minutes. Now I'm curious and will have to wear my HRM when I practice next!
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
    As a former band director, I never figured up how many calories I may have burned while conducting. Frankly, it really varies, and is just a part of your daily activity more than anything. I do remember times when I had had an extra hard arm workout at the gym, my arms got sore easier, or if I had not conducted in a while (say, over the summer) my arms would tire easily then as well. I agree with the others that say to wear a HRM and check it out, but it should really be included in your daily activity level. It is not a desk job like others, since you are on your feet for a greater percentage of the day, so I would bump that up a level rather than just trying to add in calories. And then bump it back down during the summer when there is no school, because I remember not moving a whole lot during that time.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
    HRM
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    It's something you include when choosing your daily activity level.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    HRMs (Heart Rate Monitors) are designed for measuring energy expended in steady-state, moderate to intense aerobic exercise. They're not very good for activities where you start and stop, or where your heart rate fluctuates significantly. The few that use Firstbeat's technology (www.firstbeat.com) might be more accurate, but I would still be suspicious.
  • AndyMcMahan
    AndyMcMahan Posts: 20 Member
    I'll do some testing with the Jawbone UP when it arrives.

    I agree with most of the sentiments in this thread: rehearsals are not much of a work-out. Obviously, it depends on the piece I'm working on and the "goal" of the rehearsal, but I doubt it adds up to much. But, performances are something entirely different. I work at the university level, so I regularly conduct pieces that are 20-30 minutes in length. Granted, I'm not in the best shape, but in performances I know for sure that I've gotten my heart rate up to a cardio level (at least for me anyway.) But, rehearsals are usually pretty tame unless doing a full run-through.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
    Conducting will cause you to lose more weight than you can shake a stick at :-p

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