- By Tami Mensh

By now, you have probably heard of POUND, one of the hottest workouts to hit the fitness scene.  We chatted with Ash Allen, a POUND Pro who teaches at Balance Gym Thomas Circle in Washington DC, to learn more about what makes it such an effective workout and why so many are jumping on the POUND bandwagon. 

What is POUND? 

Founded by Kirsten Potenza and Cristina Peerenboom, POUND is a full-body cardio jam session, combining light resistance with constant simulated drumming. The workout fuses cardio, Pilates, isometric movements, plyometrics and Isometric poses into a 45-minute series. Through continual upper body motion using lightly weighted drumsticks called Ripstix™, you'll turn into a calorie-torching drummer, Pounding off pounds as each song flies by. Check out a video of POUND in action here.  

What do you love about POUND? 

I love the music and it’s a great workout. I’ve been teaching POUND since January and I still get a killer workout every class. I especially like how the class has helped to sculpt my inner thighs and glutes, as well as the musical component of the class and having to drum to the beat of the music. 

POUND appeals to people of all ages, and it doesn’t feel like you are working out. Classes have a wide variety of music from the latest beats including alternative, rap, rock, pop, Indie and hard rock tracks.

What makes POUND so effective? 

Squatting, lunging and working your core for 45 minutes while drumming.

After rocking out to a 45-minute Poundtrack, you will have done 15,000 reps, performed over 30 extended interval peaks, and zipped through over 70 techniques without even realizing it.  You can burn between 600 and 900 calories per hour during a POUND workout while sculpting and strengthening your muscles.

What's hot on the Poundtrack? 

Blink 182; Ellie Goulding; Foo Fighters; Lana Del Ray

Advice for first-timers? 

Modify your movements and take breaks when needed.

The one workout move everyone should master? 

Squatting while drumming

ABOUT ASH ALLEN

A lifelong fitness enthusiast, Ash hails from the Pacific Northwest with a background in gymnastics, ballet and cheerleading. She has been teaching group exercise classes for nine years and incorporates the latest fitness concepts and trends into her classes.  She recently moved back to the U.S. after living in Norway for four years where she taught group exercise classes in Norwegian. She holds Masters degrees in Migration and Public Affairs and has numerous fitness certifications in a variety of disciplines including indoor cycling, yoga and Pilates. She can be spotted running or biking to and from classes around DC, and loves rock climbing, board games and the great outdoors. 

Ash currently teaches POUND, BODYPUMP, Abs Blast, and Pilates at Balance Gym Thomas Circle, and aquatics at Balance Gym Foggy Bottom.