The Athleticism of Drum Corps

[cjw5168]

Thanks for the advice guys. I'm going to try my best to get a personal trainer and/or train myself. Hopefully I'll have time to do train (what with this being my senior high school year, and I get involved with every music activity my school has plus college/scholarship stuff.)

I don't want to be just a fan anymore, I want to be a MM/DM so badly and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get it.

One other thing I may suggest is trying out for a corps before the year that you actually think you are ready to march. Like you said, Drum Corps is very different from marching band. It's often an eye-opening experience once you get to tryouts/winter camps. As someone who tried out at the age of 14, I knew I wasn't ready to march corps yet, but I wanted to know what it was like before I got there. When I was ready at the age of 16, I went to camp with confidence and an edge over those who were trying out for the first time. I made the corps with ease that time around.

Best of luck man, with your attitude I am positive you will succeed!

[Bob984]

I am asthmatic, and I marched two seasons. My biggest problem was when I would get an asthma attack sleeping in a hot gym at night and was wiped out in the morning. But, I dealt with it, and other marching members/staff were pretty cool about it if I ocassionally needed some extra time to deal with it, or needed to take time out during a rehearsal.

I have a friend with Crohns, and that is a whole different thing, as it can vary wildly from person to person. I would have a talk with your doctor and get his opinion on your ability to go through a summer of 8-14 hour rehearsal days and performance nights. If he gives you the green light, by all means, march. But if he doesn't think it's a good idea, I would consider that very seriously.

Another option would be to march senior corps. The time commitment is much less, it is less costly, and it is mostly a weekend activity. The top seniors are pretty good........you would get the experience of drum corps without being on the road all summer.

Good luck and I hope you are able to march!

GB

[JDWEX1117]

I'll probably end up beginning in a senior corps (like Hurricanes or Caballeros) and working my way up to DCI. Hopefully.

[Cavie74]

I have Crohn's Disease and I marched in the Cavalier Alumni Corps this summer. I managed okay but at age 48 I was in the company of many men significantly older than myself with typical "bathroom issues" related to enlarged prostate so there was a degree of tolerance.

I consider my current condition to be moderate. I MUST make a trip to the bathroom every two hours - day and night. For those of you who have never experienced chronic IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome), its kind of like having a mild case of diahria since 1984. This isn't much of a problem on rehearsal days but performance days with parades or shows its a huge problem. As an example, the day of Cavalier Naperville show had us in uniform by 7 for warmups for a 9:30 perfomance. We dressed in the stadium locker rooms and wandered the neighborhood trying to find a warmup spot outside of earshot of the competition.

The strain of moving with equipment from a neighborhood street to an area on campus (after residents complained) was to much. I left the warmup and hiked back to the stadium to use the facilities. I waited there by the souvenier booths for the corps to return from warmups and joined the performance.

My ordeal didn't end there. We performed last in exhibition and then formed up after the performance in the back of the stadium to play with the junior corps as an encore after the scores were anounced and Crown and the "real" Cavaliers performed the medley. Once again my gut couldn't handle it and I had to leave formation and head back to the locker room. I made it back in time for the post show Cavalier/Cavalier Alumni Corps gathering on the 50. My whole summer was a sequence of drum corps activities bracketed by trips to the bathroom.

Now, to answer your question. You have to dig down and truthfully assess your health situation within the context of my experience in the Alumni corps. The Cavaliers are very clear on their expectations of the health of the members:

"Health - You must be physically capable of withstanding the rigorous requirements of rehearsals, performances and travel. We are always on the go. If you have any doubts about the physical requirements of the program, please call our office."

The five requirements for a member are found in the following link: http://www.cavaliers.org/years/five.html

Read them and be honest with yourself. They pretty much apply to every World Class Corps. Good luck to you.

[Cavie74]

Upon reading the symptoms, I believe I too have Crohn's disease.

Not necessarily. Crohn's can only be accurately diagnosed by a pathologist after a deep tissue sample is gathered of your intestinal wall. They look for block shaped cell structures in all layers of inflamed tissue. Crohn's is also associated with nasty fistulas. These are basically permenant sores that are openings where intestinal "materials" leek out. Any doctors out there that would like to elaborate?

Just hope you have run-of-the-mill IBS.

Treatment of Crohn's and other chronic IBS diseases is usually the same - anti-inflamitory drugs. Prednisone and Asacol in my case. These diseases are believed to perhaps be auto-imune diseases and some treaments include imuno-supressant drugs. Since I'm a hobby farmer and am daily exposed to molds, manures etc., I've stayed away from that sort of therapy.

Do your research and then see your doctor. Ask the tough questions and be active in your treatment plan.

Back to drum corps!

[jbjb85]

I would have to say that one thing you have going for you is your attitude. If you truly do want it as bad as you say you do, then that is going to be your best ally.

But, you also have to be prepared for the idea that it might not happen for you. Consider how many people make a corps every year, get to all days, and then can't survive. Those people wanted it really bad too. They made everything happen to get there, and then once there they listened to their body as it said to them, "Stop what you're doing. This is not a good idea." I guess what I'm trying to say is never hope or assume it won't be THAT bad, because it probably will. I'm certainly not trying to crap on your dream, but I have seen firsthand how heartbreaking it is for someone to make it and then be forced to go home. It is awful for them and everyone else.

Just make sure you really are as prepared as you possibly can be. The unfortunate thing about drum corps is that you can have every other aspect going for you but one, and that single aspect will take you out every time.

[bartyount]

As far as athleticsm goes (aside from the crohn's and asthma), you should not let this worry you. I was never athletic and probably couldn't have run a mile when I first started in drumcorps. Drumcorps got me in shape.

However, that is not to say that it is acceptable to not prepare yourself. I was able to make it without the preperation, but it was not smart and it made it very difficult and physically painfull for me in the beginning. The following years I knew better and began running every day several weeks before the season started.

[JOHNNY_A]

Good stuff. Sounds like you have eveything mapped out to a "T". Personally, I would visit your Doctor, tell him your goals. Then Use the weights at your school or go to the YMCA and get on a fitness routine that will slowly build up your strength and endurance. Although I do not know much or pretend to about Crohnes, I am sure that exercise to some extent would be benificial.

Best of luck to you

[pearlsnaredrummer77]

Drum corps is very hard on your body. I went from 130lbs down to 117 (5'11) playing quints. I also herniated a disc and that has been a major contributor to my marching retirement. So it's good that you are really thinking about how you can make drum corps happen for you, and the risks it may entail. My suggestion would be to consider marching in an open class corps (oor even DCA) with a limited tour schedule to see if you can handle that. If that suits, maybe you can then think about a World Class unit with the touring that entails. Good luck tho!!!!

As far as athleticsm goes (aside from the crohn's and asthma), you should not let this worry you. I was never athletic and probably couldn't have run a mile when I first started in drumcorps. Drumcorps got me in shape.

However, that is not to say that it is acceptable to not prepare yourself. I was able to make it without the preperation, but it was not smart and it made it very difficult and physically painfull for me in the beginning. The following years I knew better and began running every day several weeks before the season started.

[Taylor]

A 10-11 minute mile seems pretty good for an asthmatic marching band member i.e. not on the track team. I think the more important thing to focus on is that you can actually run a mile all at once without bagging out. That tends to indicate you've got the right attitude for corps.

I don't know about the disease, so I won't comment on that.