Shed Calories and Build Friendships: POUND Fitness Combines Cardio, Pilates and Drumming
Jake Newby
| 4 min read
Everything about POUND Fitness is loud; From the blaring music to the bright green drumsticks class members wield during the hour-long, cardio-based jam sessions, it’s a genre of group workout that implores you to “channel your inner rock star.”
But beyond the high-energy overtones, POUND classes breed vulnerability, emotion and meaningful human connection. Grass Lake’s Crystal Scott is proof of that.
“When I started POUND – I would just go with a friend, just as something to do – I fell in love with it. And it really saved me. Actually, it was a really dark part of my life,” Scott said. “It’s so much more about your mental health than it is physical. I mean, it’s a killer workout, I’ve gotten into great shape doing it. But the mental health component is big. It’s communal, so you bond with the people in your class.”
The mental health benefits of group exercise are well-documented as studies state group fitness classes can reduce depression, decrease stress and increase physical, mental and emotional quality of life compared to exercising alone on a regular basis.
Before she became a certified POUND instructor in 2022, Scott experienced these mental health benefits firsthand as a class member. Now she watches relationships cultivate and bonds build among her class members every day.
“I’ve become friends with my whole class. So, I had a class last night and I walked in with a really bad day, some of the women in there were kind of down, too,” Scott said of a recent class. “And when I left, I just remember thinking of appreciative I am of these women. We all care for each other so much.”
What to expect in a POUND class
Scott likes to refer to POUND as a mixture of Zumba and cardio drumming.
“It’s really fast paced,” she said. “And it’s kind of cheesy to say, but it’s a rock-out workout,” she said. “We've got really good music, really loud music. It gets your heart rate up, big time. After the first warmup song, we’re panting.”
POUND is a cardio-based workout that incorporates Pilates, core strengthening and arm and leg movements.
“The positions we’re in, we do so many squats and lunges,” Scott said. “We have a routine we do in the bridge position. And so, it does strengthen a lot of your muscles in a lot of areas. We do a lot of twisting to help the core. I’ve lost a lot of back fat. And just overall, our heart rate is through the roof, so the cardio aspect is what’s most beneficial.”
Scott said POUND is all-inclusive, so if you aren’t deterred by the very loud music, you can partake at any age. If the pace is a bit much, Scott said she’s regularly seen class members make modifications.
“You can modify any of the moves. Instead of going all the way down to the ground, you can strike (the POUND Ripstix) at your knees,” Scott explained. “We’ve had elderly people sit in a chair and do the arm movements. And then we also have POUND Generation that’s targeted toward kids.”
In the past year and a half, Scott has noticed two women in particular who have gotten into noticeably better shape.
“You can see it, you can see it in pictures and see it in person,” Scott said. “I’ve physically seen them slim down.”
Come to burn calories, stay for the camaraderie
It’s not unusual for Scott and her longtime class members to come into the Grass Lake Senior Center where they work out in a bad mood. But rarely does that bad mood survive the hour-long class.
“I always walk out of class thinking how appreciative I am of these women, we all care for each other so much,” Scott said. “When I first started attending classes, my original instructor, Melissa, was so bright and fiery. She was just one of those souls that suck you in. I made an instant connection with some of the women there. And now I’m seeing it with my own classes, forcing yourself into that physical exertion snaps you out of any negative mindset you might have had when you started. It brings all your emotions out. So yeah, the physical exertion side of it and the camaraderie, I fell in love with both sides of it.”
Check out the POUND Fitness class finder option to search for an upcoming class near you.
The Find Your Fit series launched to introduce people of all ages to workouts that may not be on their radar. It's about helping people explore fun and new ways to find a workout they can consistently perform and enjoy.
More from the Find Your Fit series:
- Find Your Fit: Badminton is a Full-Body Workout with Mental and Cognitive Benefits
- Find Your Fit: Qigong’s Low-Impact, Full-Body Movements and Mindfulness Techniques Can Benefit Older Adults
- Find Your Fit: What You Need to Know About Rucking, from a Michigan Resident Who Fell in Love with it
Photo credit: Crystal Scott/Facebook
