Pound Backstage Review: How the Virtual Classes Compare to IRL Ones

Some people love working out; I am not one of them. When it comes to cardio or anything HIIT-related, I need to be tricked into exercising. That’s how I got into Pound back in 2014. The cardio drumming workouts made you focus on keeping the beat, so you didn’t notice how many squats or lunges you were doing to hit each note; it was more like an interactive concert than an exercise routine.

I practically memorized every routine in the DVD system, and since there weren’t any IRL classes offered near me at the time, in 2020 I went through training to become an instructor, or Pound Pro, simply to subscribe to The Label and access new songs and routines. Then Backstage—Pound’s set of virtual classes—hit my radar, and during a 50 percent off promotion, I signed up. So, was it worth it? Here’s my honest take, after 9 months of use.

What Is Pound Backstage?

They’re on-demand cardio drumming classes, ranging from 3 1/2 minutes to 46ish minutes, with videos targeting different areas or needs: toning, cardio, upper body, lower body or core, as well as family friendly videos you can do with your kids.

You’ll need a set of Ripstix, the brand’s cardio drumsticks (which are made of a durable plastic and weigh a 1/4 pound each), though you could get away with using regular drumsticks or even trimmed-down pool noodles. (I’ve seen teachers use the latter to teach kids, so if they accidentally hit themselves or another student, no one’s harmed.)

How Much Does Pound Backstage Cost?

There’s a 14-day free trial, and after that, it’s $13 per month.

How Does it Differ from Taking Pound Classes in-Person or in a Live, Virtual Setting?

Since the videos are pre-recorded, an instructor can’t help you perfect your form, and they’re set to generic music, instead of major pop/rock songs, like you tend to hear in class.

Plus, there are only 12 classes offered that are 30 minutes long or longer, so your options for a full-length class are more limited, unless you mix and match shorter videos.

The Pros of Subscribing to Pound Backstage:

• It’s way more affordable than most online or IRL workouts
• It’s great for time-starved people to sneak in a little exercise here and there
• No major equipment is needed (just those $22 Ripstix)
• The workouts are entertaining and easy to follow

The Cons*:

• The generic-sounding music isn’t as engaging as drumming to your favorite song
• It seems like less than 5 new videos are added each month. If you like variety and hate replaying a workout, you’ll run out of options fast
• Many videos are under 10 minutes (that said, there are 84 videos in the library as of Sept. 7, so you can definitely mix and match a bunch)

*While listing the cons, I have to remind myself of a few things: First, it makes sense they wouldn’t upload a ton of content and full-length workouts here, because they don’t want to offer a product that cannibalizes their instructors’ work. Pound Pros are essentially small business owners, so releasing on-demand workouts that eliminate the need to take the pros’ local classes or virtual ones would be a slap in the face to them. Second, offering pop music would mean incurring licensing fees, which would increase the cost of Backstage, so it makes sense they avoid it.

The Verdict: Is Pound a Good Workout?

Yes—it’s a fun, engaging workout, and after all those squats, you’ll feel the burn the next day. While some estimates say you can burn between 500 and 900 calories during 45 minutes of cardio drumming, I’ve found that I’m often lazy and just stick to a 20-minute workout, rather than string together multiple videos to hit that 45-minute mark.

I’d renew if I found another annual membership discount; I’m not sure I’d pay $13 per month when my subscription ends in January, simply because the videos aren’t updated frequently enough to justify the cost. I may stick to Y7 online and the occasional Zoom Pound class going forward.

If you’re interested in trying it out, you can sign up for Pound Backstage here.

Images: Pound/YouTube/Amazon

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