Kids get fit and have fun with Cardio Drumming

ByBrandon Johansen Localish logo
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Kids get fit and have fun with Cardio Drumming
Cardio drumming is an exercise for people who want to burn calories while having fun - it's even being used at this elementary school! The students in the after-school program at Burton Elementary say it's helped them stay active and have fun, and it's helped them make new friends in the process.

PORTERVILLE, Calif. -- A fitness craze has been implemented at an after-school program in Porterville, and it's aimed at keeping kids active while letting them have fun too.

"You know a lot of the kids don't like to exercise at all," said Rocio Ramirez, an instructor at the Boys & Girls Club. "Sometimes they don't even want to go outside, so I thought it was different, they could exercise and have fun at the same time."

Earlier this year, Ramirez introduced "cardio drumming" to her after-school classes in the Boys & Girls Club at Burton Elementary. The fitness routine, which became a viral hit in recent years, involves drumsticks, a yoga ball and a plastic storage tub. Ramirez got the idea from a friend who teaches Zumba.

The program is home to about 120 kids ranging from kindergarten to sixth grade.

"The Boys & Girls Club is an after-school program, and the purpose is to help the kids... we help them with any subject, math, reading, everything," Ramirez said.

The students said the program helped them make friends and said they all enjoyed it more than a traditional PE class.

The course ran for eight weeks and recently ended. Ramirez is hoping to introduce the program to other classes in the future. Check out the video above to see the course in action.