What: Pound – Full body workout with focus on cardio and rockin’ out!

Where: Outside at the Hopkins Bandshell

When: Saturday Mornings at 9:00am depending on weather.

Price: Free – Tips appreciated

What do you need? Winter outdoor gear, mat, and towel

 

Saturday Mornings are for Pound!

Meri and I have been familiar with Pound for a while.  Classes are available in a bunch of different places but we wanted to try it outside!  Added bonus, being outside is optimal when being around people during the current pandemic.  On this particular day, the sun was shining and the temperature was actually above freezing. That has not been the case the last couple weekends.

Pound is a cardio drumming work-out.  Each person has a set of drum sticks and a trainer leads the group through different choreography for each different song.  You use the drum sticks to hit the ground to  the beat.  Basically, you pretend you’re a drummer and let your inner Rockstar out.  The workout is about 45 minutes.  There are music tracks that focus on abs, thighs, and …..assets.  Drumming choreography is set to songs that range from 2 minutes to 4 minutes in length with a defined warm-up and cool-down.

For accessibility we give this workout two and a half barbells. A lot of this workout is done in a squat or lunge position, which can be tricky.  Most of the time the choreo requires you to squat or lunge low enough to hit the ground with your drumstick.  This can be tricky if you don’t have that mobility.  The modification for this is just not dropping it as low. You still get a great workout. For the abs section and for the thighs and booty work, you are encouraged to lay on the ground. The modification for this is doing these tracks while standing.

While the modifications are there, you do really have to know your own limits. I always have tight hips, so maintaining a lunge for a long time is hard for me. My knees get a little squeaky if I’m not careful with my squats. Sometimes I compensate for this by leaning over and rounding my back, which is a major no-go. When this starts to happen, I know that I have to dial my intensity back and use a modification.

There are many different body types represented in the participants and the instructors.

Pound at the Bandshell gets three barbells for acceptance. The instructors for Pound are awesome! Different instructors lead different tracks. While they all have different strengths, they all share the same high energy that makes even the most intense tracks fun.  Drum solos are always encouraged!

Other participants are a little more stand-offish….people really only talk to the friends they came with. This might be because of the pandemic. It doesn’t really impact the experience of the workout.

Holy cow, friends. If you are looking to sweat, this is the workout.  This class gets five barbells for sweatiness. It is A LOT of cardio. I think Meri tracked burning like 600 calories on her Apple Watch (Not that those numbers truly matter, it’s just interesting data). There aren’t a ton of breaks between songs….though the different tracks are set up in a way that you might have a really high intensity track followed by one that is a little less intense.

The good news is, you are really encouraged to make the workout your own. If you want high intensity there are many opportunities for jumping around. If you want to keep it low, your feet never have to leave the ground. You only have to squat or lunge as low as your feel comfortable or as your body allows. It is really up to you.  No matter what, YOU WILL SWEAT/SPARKLE.

I love Pound! The energy of the instructors really make it for me. I am also a person who lives by a great soundtrack. Pound definitely has that. I mean, you can truly pretend you are the drummer of a major rock band!

I also really appreciate the sensation of hitting the drum sticks against the ground.  It is a great stress reliever, haha (I swear I’m not a violent person).

To Rock or Not to Rock?

Overall, I think Pound at the Bandshell is definitely worth a try. It’s fun to jam out to some awesome music and get outside. Also, there is a pretty satisfying feeling every time the stick hits the pavement.

Rock on!

For explanations of “barbell criteria” checkout “Work-Out Check” Explained – Grit Up and Glow

What other workouts or classes should we try? Throw your suggestions in the comments below!