The study, carried out by Chichester and Gloucestershire Universities, measured the heart rate, oxygen up-take and the levels of lactic acid in the blood of many musicians, including Blondie drummer Chem Burke.

It found that drumming over a 90 minutes set lifted Clem\'s heart rate to the same level as a professional footballer such as Cristiano Ronaldo during a Premier League football match.

Clem Burke\'s heart rate averaged 140-150 beats per minute – but reached a peak of 190. The drummer also burned an average of 600 calories per hour during the test. Dr Marcus Smith of the University of Chichester states:

\"If you looked at the heart rates of a Premiership footballer and Clem over 90 minutes, you wouldn\'t know which was which. Footballers can normally expect to play 40 to 50 games a year. But in one 12-month period, Clem played 90-minute sets at 100 concerts. Drummer are doing it every day when they are on tour. Their fitness levels need to be outstanding.\"

The research was part of the The Clem Burke Drumming Project, which is working with the government to create fitness programmes for overweight youths.