[RootyTootoot]

I recently got some new gear so i've been practising a lot more. Yeah, i'm shallow that way. In 5 days i lost half a stone! And i had chocolate cake yesterday and it was a big piece. No seriously - has anyone done any research on the fat burning potential of playing the sax and should i maybe switch to baritone?

(Apologies if this is an old topic. I'm new and i did search)

 

[milandro]

I recently got some new gear so i've been practising a lot more. Yeah, i'm shallow that way. In 5 days i lost half a stone! And i had chocolate cake yesterday and it was a big piece. No seriously - has anyone done any research on the fat burning potential of playing the sax and should i maybe switch to baritone?

(Apologies if this is an old topic. I'm new and i did search)

I think that the only chance to loose weight on saxophone playing is to run around while doing it (you will need a denture after a while though :twisted: ), don't ever eat while you play (that's easy!) or before.... or after for at least 2 hours, play for a minimum of 8 hours non stop that is :twisted: . Remember that alchool has plenty of calories too! No Beer, just water, this will keep your reed moist and your sax-life clean!

I am about 264 pounds ......I obviously don't do any of this I told you!

 

[RootyTootoot]

I think that the only chance to loose weight on saxophone playing is to run around while doing it (you will need a denture after a while though :twisted: ), don't ever eat while you play (that's easy!) or before.... or after for at least 2 hours, play for a minimum of 8 hours non stop that is :twisted: . Remember that alchool has plenty of calories too! No Beer, just water, this will keep your reed moist and your sax-life clean!

I am about 264 pounds ......I obviously don't do any of this I told you!

Ok.. But what about all those stories about Bird and Trane finishing a solo and leaving a pool of sweat at their feet? The UK Department of Health are into walking as a good form of exercize for the general population. I'm just saying it should be saxophone. We're living in a pretty weight-obsessed world. Sax could get trendy. Why not?

 

[milandro]

I am afraid sweat is just water and it comes out as much from the body involvement in activities like in exercise or sex as from intense mental activity, but it is a response to a number of stimuli natural or artificial. Can be produced by a number of conditions or the simple heat of a poorly ventilated room full of people and smoke, wearing a too heavy lycra tuxedo under unappropriate climatic circumstances .

Me, I very much look like my avatar (except the skin color which is pretty dark anyway), maybe in the body mass league of Julian Cannonball Adderly (and miles away short of his incredible art... ).......

I am afraid that I've never lost a pound due to musical exercise and although I know I should, it won't come from practicing or gigging anymore than I do.

 

[RootyTootoot]

I'm still pretty sure that i'm burning more calories playing the sax than i am when i go for a walk on the beach. I'm trying to work out how i could conduct a (possibly somewhat unscientific ) clinical trial. My starting gambit is to wear a heart monitor in my next practise session. If anyone has any other suggestions they'd be gratefully received.

 

[milandro]

read this especially the bit that talks about overestimation of calories consumption:!: you will see that reducing intake is by far better than increasing output. Moreover a healthy work-out has to be aerobic in order to produce fat burning

 

[milandro]

mmmmm! I've just noticed that the calculator for calories consumption doesn't work on that site or maybe you have to be a member, and I am not, but anyway serious and very prolongued exercise is a lot less calories consuming that one can think......on the other hand wearing less clothes, tuning the heating down or simply bathing in cold water uses a lot more calories than one thinks.....

 

[RootyTootoot]

Hi. Yes, basically you're right: I need to eat less. However, in the name of research I just went ahead with my experiment. In ten minutes my heart rate went from a resting 85 to 120/130 at the end of 10 minutes' practise. I got the 130 by playing with a lot of held notes which was maybe cheating. But i'm sure I could have had a higher reading by wearing a jumper. The room was well ventilated etc. Admittedly I can get a higher HR just by walking up and down stairs a few times but it's not as much fun. I mean, either exercise is good for you or it's not, isn't it?

 

[heath]

There are numerous websites that will list calories burned from playing a wind instrument.

The problem is none of them are very accurate. And your right someone wailing like Coltrane is going to be burning up a lot more calories than someone not hitting it very hard. Intensity is everything when it comes to calories burned. And of course your metabolism is speed up long after you quit the exercise if you hit it really hard. Those that go at light to moderate intensities have been told for years that they'll get a better fat burn by keeping their HR slower and going for longer periods of time. It's not really true though, theres a good reason pro athletes look the way they do, because they do extreme intensity and that causes your metabolism to soar for hours and hours after you stop the workout. After one of these killer workouts you can go to bed and your ribs will be sticking out in the morning.

That said walking is going to burn more calories than playing a wind instrument for most people. Of course sweating will cause you to loose water weight....a dumb way to loose weight if you ask me. I actually keep a water bottle beside me when I practice.

 

[BobbyC]

Get your hands on a BASS SAX and then join a marching band.

That should burn some calories.

 

[jazzbluescat]

Yeah, join a marching band, and Jeannie Craig(sp).

 

[RootyTootoot]

Yeah, join a marching band, and Jeannie Craig(sp).

I believe "Jeannie Craig" is an American phenomenon. I did consider the local Weightwatchers but this may not portray the proper image for a "hep cat" such as I. Any other suggestions? I'm still pretty set on the Coltrane Workout - it seems the most practical option. Thanks for your support.

 

[hakukani]

I sure wish playing sax was an aerobic workout. I might drop a few pounds.

But...better fat and happy, than skinny and depressed.

 

[Dog Pants]

I believe "Jeannie Craig" is an American phenomenon. I did consider the local Weightwatchers but this may not portray the proper image for a "hep cat" such as I. Any other suggestions? I'm still pretty set on the Coltrane Workout - it seems the most practical option. Thanks for your support.

Try the "Noble Watts" workout instead.

Either that, or tour the subcontinent.

 

[RootyTootoot]

Try the "Noble Watts" workout instead.

Either that, or tour the subcontinent.

Sage advice. Many thanks. I think I might just stick to the old [rude colloquialism deleted] workout. It's served me well over the years.:twisted:

 

[heath]

Might I suggest you save your money and not go the weight watchers route.

Simple. Write down how many calories you eat each day, try to reduce your calories over time. Make sure you get a real workout, lots of guys loose weight with calorie reduction and end up getting flabby. Your a man and as such you need to pump some iron to get your shape back.

Get the cardio, but I'm still convinced if you want to look good in the mirror you need to start lifting weights. This will also improve your stamina on the horn. And your stamina doing other things as well.

 

[RootyTootoot]

Your a man and as such you need to pump some iron to get your shape back.

This will also improve your stamina on the horn. And your stamina doing other things as well.

Thanks, heath (for the "your a man" comment). And Mrs Toot thinks your workout ideas make a lot of sense But I'm still stuck on this "Coltrane Workout" thing.. Oh well..

 

[kryz]

Get your hands on a BASS SAX and then join a marching band.

That should burn some calories.

Puhh... won't image that...

Played 20mins with Bass around the neck yesterday - that was rather heavy, especially as I never rehearsed that or tried it at home.

Chris

 

[jazzbluescat]

How about streaking, at your football games.

 

[RootyTootoot]

How about streaking, at your football games.

Mmm.. It's crazy but for that very reason it might just work. On the other hand, police are a lot stricter about that kind of thing these days. A helpful suggestion. Yours, in saxophoning..