You’ll go far to find a musician as dedicated to training as Bugzy Malone
Grime gigs are renowned for their intensity, so it’s only fitting that Bugzy Malone’s training mirrors that. Ahead of embarking on a huge UK-wide tour, JOE were invited down for a workout with the Manchester-born musician.
The session wasn’t for the faint-hearted, and it was easy to see how Bugzy’s high-octane performances are conditioned in the gym.
HIIT-ing the gym
Our workout began with two back-to-back HIIT circuits. We had six minutes in which to complete as many rounds as possible. The first few were a walk in the park, but when you hit the fourth and fifth, muscular fatigue really starts to set in.
Circuit 1
- Dumbbell squat thrusts [10 reps]
- Press-ups [10 reps]
- Box jumps [5 reps]
Circuit 2
- Deadlifts [10 reps]
- Assault bike [10 calories]
- Pull-ups [10 reps]
With these workouts, the onus is on intensity and functional fitness. Bugzy has been a keen boxer all his life, but combat conditioning now goes far beyond running outdoors and up steps.
Exercises such as the deadlift and box jump build explosive strength – vital for any setting where power is important. Performing on-stage also demands much muscular endurance, which the high rep range helps to build.
Boxing bout
That resistance training circuit was only half of it. We were then whisked away into a separate studio dedicated to bag and pad work. We were training out of BXR London, a state-of-the-art combat sports gym in Marylebone.
The boxing bout with Bugzy Malone consisted of three two-minute rounds on the bags and pads. This would have been tough enough to begin with, let alone jump into after a HIIT session.
Two minutes doesn’t normally feel like much, but then you wouldn’t usually watch the clock with every second passing.
Bugzy Malone’s advice for staying fit when travelling
After the workout ended, Bugzy Malone revealed his favourite exercises for functional strength, and why they featured so strongly in his programme.
The PhD Nutrition ambassador said: “To be honest, in some of the times in my life where I’ve been at my fittest, I was doing a lot of pull ups, dips, press-ups and squats.
“They work your back, chest and shoulders and also help with boxing mobility.”
Bugzy’s foray into fitness actually began with boxing. He joined a gym while young and the discipline and motivation it provided now help fuel his music career.
His B.Inspired tour, which has proven to be the UK’s biggest for grime music, requires lots of travelling and being constantly on-the-go. A busy schedule can make the right nutritional choices difficult – which is where planning and prep becomes important.
“I’m not an athlete, but there do come points in the day where you’ll miss solid meals.
“Protein bars, protein shakes, BCAAs, aminos are all important to maintain muscle, build it and help recovery.”
You may not be an athlete or musician, but with bodyweight exercises and the right approach to nutrition, anyone with a busy lifestyle can gain results.
