In April, Jewell opened a permanent space in Preston, where she teaches weekly classes and personal training for groups of up to four people.
It’s the opposite of nameless, faceless gyms, and has developed a devoted following.
Regular attendee Tom Prince said that music helped him achieve his personal goals.
“When you push yourself to extreme effort, to break your personal best, do you think Taylor Swift is the right soundtrack for that?” he said.
Client Shae Murphy performs a deadlift as Jewell supervises her technique. Credit:eddie jim
Prince said that while some people think death metal music is “abrasive, deafening and loud”, he finds it energetic and puts him in the right mindset.
“It gets you moving, and it touches a part of you that commercially produced Top 40 music just doesn’t,” he said.
And it’s not just the music that Prince is a fan of, but also the community that the gym has fostered.
“The t-shirts may be awful and the music even more so, but not the vibe, inclusion and atmosphere,” he said. “Everyone wants to have a good time.”
Self-confessed metal head Shae Murphy followed the gym on social media for a year before signing up. She now she goes four times a week.
“The sheer kind of intensity and brutality [of the music] it’s almost like a relief in a way,” he said.
Charging
He has also managed to improve both his technique and how much he can lift, starting with 20 kilograms 12 months ago. He now he lifts 70 kilograms.
“Instead of going to the pub, it’s doing something healthy and Elissa is a really amazing trainer,” said Murphy.
Helping people develop their skills and strength is one of the reasons Jewell wanted to become a trainer, after starting a bodybuilding program with someone who let her down.
“I was on a ridiculous fad diet,” Jewell said.
“I was doing three hours of training, every day. Carb free.”
At the end of the 12-week program, he was eating 700 calories a day and still getting hours of intense exercise.
For years, she battled eating disorders like bulimia, orthorexia, and body dysmorphia.
Now he tries to educate and help clients with a holistic approach to diet and exercise.
“Or at least appeal a little more to moderation,” Jewell said.
It’s a message Dan McKay appreciates. After an open house day, he said he learned a lot and was able to modify his technique to make it safer, with Jewell’s help.
In addition to music, he said his teaching style brought him back.
“Lift heavy things and listen to heavy music. It’s pretty simple,” she said.
For those who might find music intimidating, Jewell has a simple message.
“Metalheads are some of the sweetest, friendliest and really understanding people you will ever meet”
“Despite our exterior, we are quite welcoming.”
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