Cardio combat is a high-intensity, low-impact exercise routine designed by local fitness instructor Lisa Winterman. Mrs. Winterman has been teaching fitness for 17 years and returned to teaching classes last month, only 10 months after giving birth.

She invited me to take a class and report on it. I'm not one for exercise but in order to expose you, my readers, to it I acquiesced.

I took my husband with me and we stepped, hopped, jumped and jabbed in the high-energy, five- to seven-minute routines. Mrs. Winterman choreographed the routines herself. She obviously enjoyed the class as she never stopped to simply direct but went through the entire routine herself.

As we panted and dripped buckets of sweat, I felt my stamina fading. It's at these times that Mrs. Winterman seemed to inject an even higher energy into the room – and all the students.

After the class I spoke with several of the attendees, most love to exercise and do it regularly. All were agreed that Mrs. Winterman's personality drives them to push harder and, in some cases, to simply finish the class.

Debbie Reid was a first-timer in the class but she said she regularly works out. "I do kickboxing. It relieves a lot of stress and tension and this programme gave me a similar type of workout," she said.

Regular Alison O'Sullivan said she takes Tae Kwon Do and Laurie Zuill is a Tae Kwon Do instructor who brought her student Simon Vickers.

Both Ms O'Sullivan and Ms Zuill said the cardio combat class was good for giving them an all-over body workout. "I can drop four to five pounds (of fluid) after just one of these classes," Ms Zuill said.

"It doesn't matter what fitness level you are at," said Ms O'Sullivan, "if you do the classes regularly you will see a difference in your body."

Even my non-sporty husband recognised the value: "It was fast paced but you could easily catch your place if you misstepped. I thought it was a good, high-intensity workout."

Although he said he would do it again, he's not asked when we're going back.

For more information on Mrs. Winterman's classes call her on 505-3881.