‘Cardio drumming’ is hot, new exercise trend — how it works

Try to beat this workout.

“Cardio drumming” is all the rage — you place an exercise ball in a bucket and whack 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 one recent clip of a group of women cardio drumming to “7 Rings” by Ariana Grande smashed 19.3 million views and garnered nearly 30,000 comments. Some TikTok users seemed stunned that this was a workout.

“This class isn’t just about fitness,” Dr. Tommy Martin, a Boston-based physician who specializes in internal medicine and pediatrics, said in response to that viral video. “You can tell that they have created an incredible community, where all of these women are having an incredible time moving together. And I am sure that this is going to lead to better self-esteem, more motivation and probably impact multiple other areas in their life.”

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

“When the instructor says ‘two…four…two…two…four’ (for the amount of times to hit the ball in that spot) or ‘front, side, back, side, back, front, top, side’ quickly and in seemingly random order, you really have to concentrate and pay attention,” Broadwater penned Monday for Well+Good.

“Plus, let’s be honest, it’s fun to drum and swing your arms, and having fun is an important part of well-being, too,” 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’ve got two hands and two arms — make something out of it.’” She began drumming on cardboard boxes, tables and then exercise balls, which lifted her mood, increased her heart rate and formed the basis of her “Drums Alive” program.

The full-body workout draws participants for different reasons.

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

They’re drumming to 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 drumming helps people naturally improve their blood pressure, manage weight and strengthen their heart,” Shawna Wood, chief operating officer and interim director of the Foundry, told the Bowling Green Daily News earlier this year.

Broadwater noted that cardio drumming is not just stick action — you can incorporate light squats or hip movement and walk around the ball as you hit it.

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

“Am I Ringo Starr? No. Am I dripping in sweat? No,” Broadwater reflected for Well+Good. “But maybe that’s a good thing. Sometimes, exercise just needs to be gentle movement, and movement-centered hobbies just need to be fun.”