Drum your way to fitness at Schaumburg Park District

Rock 'n' roll is here to stay - at least at a Schaumburg Park District fitness class.

With energy, enthusiasm and a rhythm that could make The Rolling Stones' Charlie Watts proud, participants in Pound: Drumming Extreme are getting in shape one beat at a time.

Each move, done while clicking drumsticks together or hitting them on the hardwood floor, is designed to provide the ultimate cardio and core workout.

"One of the things I love about Pound is it's something different," said Eileen Terrell, fitness instructor. "You get to feel like a rock star."

Dubbed "Ripstix," the sticks used in Pound weigh about twice as much as standard drumsticks and are specifically made for the program. Instructors receive specialized training and use playlists coordinated to the beats and exercises, which include lunges, squats and cardio moves - creating a routine Terrell refers to as "stealth fitness."

"You're working all the major muscles," said Terrell, who's taught Pound at the district for about year. "You're getting a workout without even knowing it. We could do 50 squats during a song and not even realize it."

Founded in 2011 in Los Angeles, Pound is quickly gaining popularity in the Midwest. As the intensity increases during each 45-minute session, it's hard to resist letting out an occasional "Ow!" or "Whoo!" as wannabe drummers tap their inner rock stars. Songs such as Areosmith's "Walk This Way" or "HandClap" by Fitz and The Tantrums provide the ideal atmosphere for a lively experience.

"Doubles," Terrell calls to her students, telling them how many beats to hit on the hardwood floor, which just happens to provide the best sound for letting out frustrations. Several Pound enthusiasts swear by the class as a way to boost their moods.

"I try to come every week," Susan Cole, a Schaumburg mom of two, said during a recent class. "This is a wonderful stress reliever."

For other participants, drumming is about results. Kelly Campbell of Wood Dale said she's lost 15 pounds since starting the class six months ago.

"I have so much fun and I don't feel like I'm exercising," Campbell said. "It's great."

Although Terrell loves to remind everyone in her classes they're all rock stars - there's another feeling she hopes they'll embrace - revisiting childhood.

"You get to have your very own tantrum," Terrell said. "As adults, we're so used to saying, 'Be quiet.' But here in Pound, the louder, the better."

Upcoming Pound: Drumming Extreme Classes include:

• 8-8:45 a.m. Sundays, Community Recreation Center, 505 N. Springinsguth Road;

• 7:30-8:15 p.m. Tuesdays, Meineke Recreation Center, 220 W. Weathersfield Way;

• 7:30-8:15 p.m. Wednesdays, CRC.

For information, call (847) 490-7015.

Feel the beat

<b>Five benefits of Pound: Drumming Extreme </b>• Burn calories - Pound classes can burn as many as 900 calories an hour, while strengthening and sculpting infrequently used muscles.

• Improve coordination - Music and movements help elevate rhythm, timing, speed, agility and endurance.

• Lose inches - Cardio exercises in pound can reduce the waistline and enhance connective tissue and infrastructural muscles.

• Beat brain drain - Research has shown drumming to be a powerful brain booster that improves focus and increase higher-level thinking.

• Manage stress - Drumming is a great way to relieve anxiety, improve the immune system, lower blood pressure and reduce fatigue.

Source: Poundfit.com