When I started drumming at 12 (inspired by Animal of the Muppets and Ringo Starr) I didn’t know all its  health benefits – it was just fun. But now, research suggests drumming can improve quality of life especially as people age: better immune systems, more social resilience and much more. 

Personally I was in my mid-20’s when I realized drumming was great for my health and well-being.  After every performance – or even a rehearsal – I felt rejuvenated and lighter on my feet.  It felt like an anvil had been lifted off my shoulders; I was no longer lugging around the weight of stress, worry, anxiety, depression, and pain.

Drum Circles at Senior Planet

That is what I hope to evoke from Senior Planet members who attend our monthly sessions.

Drum Circle: Therapy Through Drumming is held on the third Tuesday of each month. (Our next session will be on Tuesday, February 20^th.)

I am no physical therapist, but I do share what I have learned through my own drumming experiences with the 40 to 60 attendees each month through Zoom.

We begin each one-hour session with some simple stretching exercises while I explain how to improvise a hand drum from something around the house.

No drums? No problem!

I’ve got several drums – two Gretsch drum sets, a djembe hand drum and a set of bongos…but in the drum circle I tell people that there’s a drum right in their homes!

You can grab some pots and pans from the kitchen, or an empty bucket upside down and drum a rhythm or two. We sometimes view videos on YouTube that demonstrate how to make drums and shakers out of household items like coffee cans and empty bottles of water, for example.

How it works

I make sure my drum circle participants understand –  they don’t need to know how to play a drum! I teach  a few simple drum patterns  – but I encourage them to play as little as they want, as much as they want, as loud as they want, or as soft as they want.

Even if they just want to sit back and listen, or watch rather than play, or stand up and dance even, it’s all encouraged.

Drum along with…

In our drum circles I will choose a song but others can suggest songs to play along with, too. Some favorites were Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds,” “Respect Yourself” by the Staple Sisters and “Happy” by Pharrell Williams.

We then drum along with each other. We drum along with music…

…and together, we embrace the relief we get from drumming. Join us!

Want to join the February drum circle? Click here!  

Click on the link to learn more about Johnny Hernandez and his band, The Shady Blades.

Photo: Johnny Hernandez playing with The Shady Blades; Photo by Juan A Martinez @ JAM PhotographySA,TX.