Drum Sticks Help Pound Away Holiday Weight Gain In New Fitness Class

BOSTON (CBS) - After all those holiday indulgences, a lot of folks are looking for ways to trim down. If you are tired of the same old thing, you may want to try Pound classes.

"Pound is a cardio jam session inspired by the energizing, sweat-dripping, exhilarating fun of playing the drums," explained Regan Wilbur an instructor at Women's Fitness of Boston in the Financial District.

According to Wilbur, these workouts combine traditional exercise techniques like intervals, squats and lunges with drumming, sometimes air drumming and sometimes you actually pound on the floor of the studio.

"We use these lightly weighted drum sticks called rip sticks. They weigh a quarter of a pound each and they add an additional resistance to every move," she said.

A quarter of a pound might not seem like much, but club owner Julie Di Leo says people taking the class can be surprised at the intensity of the workout.

"It looks very easy," she said. "But all of a sudden their hearts are pounding, their legs are sore and they are working muscles that they are not used to working."

Even though it can be a challenging workout, Wilbur says the moves can be modified for any fitness level.

"You don't always have to touch the ground, or be working as as hard as you can," she said.

The best part, according to Di Leo, is the drumming rhythms require a bit of concentration and combined with the music are a great distraction. Many of the members we spoke to agree.

"We love Pound. We love to sweat here," one woman said. "It's just so much fun," said another.

Check here for more information on where to find a Pound class.