‘Duming cardio’ is the hot new exercise trend – how it works

Try to beat this workout.

“Cardio drumming” is all the rage—you put an exercise ball in a bucket and bang it with drumsticks to the beat of a song to burn calories, relieve stress, strengthen bones and foster community.

It’s a hit on TikTok, where a recent clip of a cardio group of women dancing to Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” grabbed 19.3 million views and garnered nearly 30,000 comments. Some TikTok users seemed surprised that this was a workout.

“This class is not just about fitness,” said Dr. Tommy Martin, a Boston-based physician specializing in internal medicine and pediatrics, in response to that viral video. “You can tell they’ve created an incredible community where all these women are having an incredible time moving together. And I’m sure it will lead to better self-confidence, more motivation and probably affect many other areas in their lives.”

Writer Ashley Broadwater was surprised at how much anger and frustration she let out while dancing cardio to One Direction and Ed Sheeran in a class in Durham, North Carolina.

“When the instructor says ‘two…four…two…two…four’ (how many times to hit the ball at that point) or ‘front, side, back, side, back, forward, up, side’ quickly and seemingly random, you really have to focus and pay attention,” Broadwater wrote Monday for Well+Good.

“Besides, let’s be honest, it’s fun to fall and swing your arms, and having fun is also an important part of wellness,” she added.

Broadwater reports that the regimen dates back to 2001 when creator Carrie Ekins suffered a hip injury.

Ekins said her doctor reminded her that, “You have two hands and two arms — make something of it.” She started drumming on cardboard boxes, tables, and then exercise balls, which lifted her spirits, grew. her heartbeat and formed the basis of her Drums Alive program.

Whole-body training appeals to participants for a variety of reasons.

A stay-at-home mom of three says cardio helps her mental health. Another woman says she lost over 20 pounds in 16 weeks thanks to the routine.

They were drumming out Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” and Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” at the Foundry Christian Community Center in Bowling Green, Kentucky, where enthusiasts range in age from 3 to 83.

“Physical activity like cardio helps people naturally improve blood pressure, manage weight and strengthen their heart,” Shawna Wood, Foundry’s chief operating officer and interim director, told the Bowling Green Daily News earlier this year.

Broadwater noted that cardio hitting isn’t just bat action — you can incorporate light squats or hip movements and walk around the ball as you hit it.

And if you’re not ready to attend a class, videotaped routines and cardio drum kits are available to rock stars at home.

“Am I Ringo Starr? No. Am I dripping with sweat? No,” Broadwater reflected to Well+Good. “But maybe that’s a good thing. Sometimes, exercise should just be gentle movement, and the hobby at the heart of movement should just be fun.”