Clem Burke, left, shown with Blondie singer Debbie Harry and guitarist Chris Stein, allowed researchers to monitor his heart rate as he played drums over the last eight years. (Stuart Ramson/Associated Press)

As Debbie Harry sang Heart of Glass at live performances over the last eight years, Clem Burke kept the beat on drums behind her, while a monitor measured the beat of his heart.

Burke, who drums for the veteran band Blondie, was taking part in a long-term study of the effects drumming has on the human body.

A sneak peek at the results was released Thursday, and they're a surprising vote of confidence in drumming as a way to keep fit.

Sport scientist Steve Draper from the University of Gloucestershire, one of two U.K. universities that took part in the study, said drummers have as much stamina as elite athletes.

"The most startling thing for us was when we first got heart rate traces from Clem's concert … we looked at them, and they could have been a premiership footballer," he said.

Burke and other rock and jazz drummers agreed to wear wires monitoring their heart rates and other physical signs at concerts over the last eight years.

Burke, who has played with Bob Dylan, the Ramones and Iggy Pop, isn't just using his hands — he's also moving his feet and putting energy through the rest of the body to keep the performance lively, researchers said.

His heart rate could hit 190 during the peak of a performance, equivalent to that of a top athlete.

He also lost about two litres of fluid in a 90-minute show, similar to fluid loss by an athlete running 10,000 metres.

Rock fans that remember drummers such as Keith Moon, the infamous Who drummer who self-destructed in 1976 at age 32, may not link drumming with a healthy lifestyle.

Moon was known for his exuberant style, as was Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, king of the drum solo, who also died when he was 32 years old.

But the demons associated with drugs, hard living and touring are separate from the effects of drumming itself, which is a cardio workout, researchers said.

Dave Rowntree, the drummer for British band Blur, told scientists he lost weight whenever he went on tour.

Some rock bands even train before they tour to make sure they are up to the physical challenge.

"There is a clear link between fitness and performance," said Dr. Marcus Smith, of the University of Chichester. "Musicians need exceptional stamina to sustain optimum output, especially when on tour."

The research could help encourage children or youth who don't enjoy sports to take up drumming as a fun way of keeping fit, he added.

The full results of the Clem Burke Drumming Project, dedicated to "the dissemination of information leading to increased enjoyment, health and well-being of all participants involved in drumming," according to the project website, will be unveiled on Monday.

With files from the Australian Broadcasting Corp.