Pound

If you've dreamed of channeling your inner rock star into a fitness plan, it's time to POUND.

Created by two female drummers, the POUND workout fuses cardio interval training with drumming to provide a challenging, heart-pumping workout. After taking classes at my local Crunch gym, I'm hooked. Anyone who thrives off the group fitness environment or needs loud music to stay motivated needs try this class ASAP.

It moves fast: From start to finish, lively, heart-pumping movements and upbeat tunes keep the workout feeling fresh. There's no holding an uncomfortable pose for an extended period of time; the class is always moving, always changing, and always pushing the body to its limits. Plus, the time flies by! It moves from warmup to cooldown in just 45 minutes.

It's a full-body workout: While certain group fitness classes tend to target particular areas of the body, POUND offers a full-body workout and targets common trouble spots. A huge part of the class is performed in a squat position. The constant up-and-down drumming targets your inner and outer thighs, butt, and core. And those drumsticks aren't just for show; at one-fourth pound per stick and a little shorter than the standard length, they're perfectly designed to maximize your arm workout.

You'll blow off steam: After a long day, there are few things more exhilarating than grabbing a pair of drumsticks and being able to POUND out your stress. Whether you're sitting down doing mat work or up on your feet jumping to a new track, everything seems more tolerable — and more fun! — when you're banging on the floor a pair of neon green drumsticks.

If you're ready to try out POUND for yourself, find a class in your area. For those who don't live in one of the 11 states where it's offered, you can try the POUND workout at home. Online classes (aka a Backstage Pass) are now available for the first time.

Dance aerobics may be experiencing a renaissance, but the next trend may be classes where you create your own soundtrack. Earlier this year Crunch debuted its Glee fitness class, based on the musical TV show of the same name, where participants are encouraged to sing while dancing. And now Equinox clubs around the nation are rolling out the group fitness class Pound, with the tag line: "Rockout. Workout." Best described as a blend of both the musical phenomenon Stomp and Pilates, with a pair of weighted drumsticks thrown into the mix, this class is definitely a boredom buster.

In Pound, traditional sculpting moves are paired with simple drumming patterns, which not only distract you from your quivering muscles but also add to the work. Similar to how the percussive arm motion of the Pilates 100 forces your abs to work harder to stabilize your torso, beating the sticks all around your body during Pound's four-minute ab series amplifies the work. This class is more than just core work though; tired moves like lunges and squats feel refreshed once you're holding drumsticks. In order to drum the floor during the booty-busting routine, you're forced to get your bum closer to the floor. And the lower you go, the harder you work.

I was amazed at how sweaty and sore this class made me. Pound is less dancy than Zumba, but way more fun than a traditional sculpting session and a great way to release your inner rock star. If you like loud music and a party atmosphere for getting your sweat on, this is a class is for you. Pound should be coming to gym near you soon!