senckađ
Group745
Group745
Group745
Group745
Group745
Group745
Trends and Insight in association withSynapse Virtual Production
Group745

Thrashing My Way to Fitness with MassiveMusic

19/01/2017
Music & Sound
London, UK
230
Share
LBB’s Liam Smith moshes his way through a heavy metal workout – and lives to tell the tale

We’re over halfway through January and – I don’t know about you – but 2016’s end of year festivities seem like a distant, food-filled memory. If, like me, your New Year’s resolution was to finally get in the gym and become the Adonis you know you can be (or, more realistically, maybe just lose a bit of that winter weight), you might already be running out of motivational steam. At least, I know I certainly am.

And while my better half still (sometimes) manages to push me out of bed at 5:20am to march me to the gym, I’d be lying if I said I did so in high spirits. It’s not until I’ve settled in, stretched my limbs and plugged in to my favoured workout bangers – Kansas, Vulfpeck and Caravan Palace are my poisons – that I begin to feel inspired, with a little voice in my head trying to convince me that, ‘hey, this isn’t so bad!’.

The right tune is crucial to establishing the right vibe, especially when working out. So, I was super interested when the invitation to MassiveMusic’s new collaboration with Frame in Shoreditch, Heavy Fitness, landed in my inbox. The initiative has been developed by Massive's Laura Grzeszczak and Helen Bellringer, who have brought together their passions of working out and rocking out, teaming with Frame gym instructor Robb Birchley to create an intense new class.


From Left: Laura Grzeszczak, Rob Birchley and Helen Bellringer before Heavy Fitness

Now I’ll admit that since my metal days, I have retired my leather jacket, cut my hair, returned my mum’s hair straighteners and broadened my taste in music (how did it take me so long to listen to Ke$ha?!). But nevertheless, metal and its many sub-genres still hold a special place in my heart. In the words of the great Tenacious D: “You can’t kill the metal. The metal will live on.”

On Friday 13th (gnarly), I dug out my old Opeth band t-shirt, donned some joggers and trekked to Shoreditch for an evening of thrashing and fitness. I was warned beforehand that it was going to be pretty full-on, and that I should be ready to pant, sweat and possibly even vomit. I… umm… probably should’ve heeded those warnings and not eaten a burrito beforehand.

Anyway, I arrived at Frame to the tune of Black Sabbath’s Children of the Grave blaring from the studio, and prepared myself for the gruelling session that lay ahead – and subsequently put me out of action for the rest of the weekend.

Despite my initial reluctance to participate in a group fitness class, the doubts dissolved as soon we were all swinging kettlebells and punching air in harmony to the sounds of Rammstein, Pentagram and Slipknot. The sets and reps were all performed in time to the music, with each of us mentally sprinting on the spot during the thrash-ier choruses, and slowing down for a breather during the moments of calm.

Highlights for me include a painful kettlebell squat-lift combo to Slipknot’s Psychosocial, and finishing the class with an intense bout of cardio set to Machine Head’s Davidian.

The class came to an end with some much-needed stretching to the sounds of Black Shape Of Nexus’ III.  Despite the fact that I felt sure I was going to puke during most of the strenuous exercises, the class was a riot and I’m pretty sure fellow attendees felt the same. And in reality, my sickly feeling had more to do with my level of fitness than the class itself.

So if you’re a heavy metal head, fitness freak or anywhere in-between, give it a bash – because the good news (for the Londoners amongst you, at least) is that MassiveMusic and Frame are planning on rolling out these classes on a monthly basis. So if you fancy doing some Pilates to Pantera or lunges to Lamb of God, be sure to watch this space. Oh, and while you’re here, check out the playlist below from last week’s session.

Rock on.

Credits
More News from MassiveMusic London
Music & Sound
Radio LBB: Spring Favourites
12/03/2024
148
0
Music & Sound
Radio LBB: Autumnal Favourites
26/10/2023
108
0
ALL THEIR NEWS
Work from MassiveMusic London
The National Trust's Sonic Identity
National Trust
29/11/2023
15
0
The Sound of TikTok
MassiveMusic London
09/08/2023
11
0
Helly Tech
Helly Hansen
20/03/2023
5
0
ALL THEIR WORK