Practical Experience for the Brain and Body

Drums Alive^® aims to help you retain a continual level of mental and physical health as well as provide you with a strategy for keeping not only the body fit but also the brain.   Many of the Drums Alive^® techniques strive to stimulate patterns of neural activity by adding and utilizing the research and information from neurosciences to create more connections between the various areas of the brain which cause nerve cells to produce natural brain nutrients such as “neurotrophins”.

Complex skills such as Cross Over, X- Drumming, Poly-rhythmical applications as well as adding cognition to the workout are all examples of how this can be done.   It is also shown that by using various combinations of your physical senses through novel experiences that brain activity increases. Therefore for this practical assignment, we will experience drumming by using your senses in a novel context.

• Vision – Try drumming a sequence with your eyes closed.
• Smell – use scented candles or essential oils in the room you drum in.
• Touch – Try drumming without drumsticks or with Boomwhackers, or pool noodles.
• Taste – After your drumming workout treat yourself with your favorite fruit.
• Hearing – Drum in “Silence”. Try wearing earplugs while drumming.
• Don´t forget to use your “Emotional Sense” which also stimulates patterns of neural activity.   (Duke Univ. Medical Center)

Additional Experiences:

• Try combining your senses in an unusual or unexpected way!
• Experience movement and drumming combinations that require 2 sided thinking.
• Add speech patterning (drum words, phrases, or lyrics to a song).
• Challenge your sensory motor skills by adding an unstable surface while drumming or by standing on one leg and drumming.
• Have FUN and try laughing! Endorphins are released and not only will you feel happier…so will your brain!