BY VERONICA SANSUR

Imagine having fun while dripping with sweat, pumping with high adrenaline, getting strength in muscles, and increasing cardiac rhythm. Now, students can do a full body workout with these two unusual and amusing intramural group classes that The Fitness and Recreation center opened this semester, and will continue next Fall: POUND! and Frog Fitness. Both of these are taught by alumni Stephanie Biernat.

Using drumsticks for a combination of cardio and strength is the new trend for sculpting a fit body. POUND!  is an alternative group fitness format inspired by drumming. Alumni Brittany Schrader, who is the coordinator of Fitness, said that this class is mix of agility, coordination and a deceptive cardio workout.

“While you won’t cover much ground, your entire body will be in action! It also incorporates dance at the same time, because it is down in eight counts,” Schrader said. “There is also a lot of squats and butt bridges and other strength exercises. You can really  take out your aggression because the whole time you are pounding with the sticks  to a rhythm  you can keep up with.”

Charlotte Navarro, a senior biology major, said that she took a class and has never done something like that, a combination of strength training, cardiovascular exercise and fat burning while using a part of a music instrument.

“Although it is not a dance class, it has a lot of rhythm and music,” Navarro said. “The real training is in the drum sticks; the harder you hit, the harder and more effective the training would be.”

If working-out with drumsticks is not impressive enough, then “frogging” would be. Frog Fitness is a new way of working out that uses a machine that lays in the ground called the frog. In order to use it, the person must be down on all fours with feet in stirrups and hands on a front bar. Wheels on each side propel the Frog forward, while engaging the core muscles creates the motion.

“This class combines boot camp with the frog fitness machine. It is a little intimidating, people always get afraid of using it, but it is worth it, “Biernat said. “This is a full body workout, you are working core, arms, and legs.”

Nicole Perez, a senior criminology major said that the class was so fun and full of adrenaline, and the day after she used the frog all of her body hurt, but “in a good way!”

These classes are open to all students, there are no requirements or specific physical conditions needed.

“If you are trying to get some rhythm, increase or maintain it, POUND! is awesome,” Biernat said, “If you are looking for tone, Frog is the best option and if you are looking for fat burn both of them will do it.”