If you want to lose a few pounds (or more) before your wedding but can’t face spending hours on a treadmill, there’s a new gym class that’s definitely worth a try.
Drums Alive has just hit the UK from the States (exclusively in Virgin Active gyms) and it’s perfect for brides-to-be because it burns fat and busts stress at the same time. It’s a loud, high-energy class, based around drumming a core stability ball in time to music – sounds a bit strange but it’s surprisingly therapeutic!
The Virgin team came into our offices to do a trial class and, after I’d got over the initial embarrassment of drumming a large inflatable ball, the class was actually quite good fun. You can burn more than 150 calories in just one 20 minute session and although it gives you an all-over body workout, you don’t feel like you’re ‘doing exercise.’
In fact, because you’re focussing on keeping in rhythm and doing the right moves, the class goes really quickly and you work up a sweat without even noticing.
The drum-beating is great for toning your arms so it’s brilliant if you’re worried about bearing bingo-wings in your dress or you just want to firm up your upper body. And because the class also incorporates squats and lunges, your bum and thighs get a work-out at the same time.
Drums Alive is a great class for the exercise-phobic and it’s fantastic if seating plans and wedding appointments are driving you crazy. Stress can really stop you losing weight – partly because it makes you crave junk food but also because it actually encourages your body to store fat – so anything you can do to release tension will help you shed pounds. Just imagine the ball is the head of whoever’s stressing you out – controlling mother-in-law, whining bridesmaid or lazy fiancé – and pound away!
To find a gym near you offering Drums Alive classes, visit virginactive.co.uk
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