Ryan Lake

Reporter

The W has introduced a new fitness class, POUND, to the students, faculty and staff at Campus Recreation.

The class is a full-body cardio workout combining light resistance with constant simulated drumming to help participants pursue a healthy lifestyle. The highlight of the class is the addition of the drumsticks to the workout. Participants drummed their way to fitness to the sound of popular songs. The personal instructor for the class is Melissa Parsons.

“I’ve been doing fitness instruction for about 25 years. This is my second class here. I’m absolutely thrilled. I’ve wanted to be a W employee for a long time,” said Parsons.

POUND was actually started by drummers themselves by accident.

“POUND was started Kirsten Partensa and Kristina Peerenboom. They are fitness folks, but are also recreational drummers. One night at a party they were playing drums and their bench broke. They drummed the rest of the night standing. They woke up next morning with sore abs, sore legs and thus the idea of workout with drum sticks was born,” said Parsons.

The class is fun and easy enough that anyone can walk in and start moving to the music. Many of the first-time participants such as Cedric Piggs, a freshman English major, attended the second class on Oct. 31, even though it was his first fitness experience at the W.

“I think it’s fun. I think it’s for younger students. It has that younger feel to it. It’s very exciting. It kind of pushes you up that hill. We actually have a couple of older people coming, so I think it’s for all ages,” said Piggs.

POUND is the only fitness class that Piggs attends, but he appreciates that it fits in his schedule and that allows him to achieve his health goals. He said he loves that it focuses on his core, which is primary workout goal. The class has been very successful at the W.

“It is amazingly successful. All ages and demographics love it and fall in love it. It’s so modifiable that anybody can do it,” said Parsons.

The class regularly has more than 20 people in attendance.

POUND meets weekly on Fridays from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m. in the Stark Recreation aerobics studio.

“Come to POUND,” said Piggs.