Fitbit-ebruary

Musicians have always been tarred with that bad boy image; risk takers, out spoken (most of them probably the middle child!). Let alone the Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll.

In spite of these stereotypes, the professional musician has a lot more drive and self discipline than you might imagine.

To even reach a level where you might be paid it will have taken around ten years of studying, hours of daily practice, and hundreds of open mic and jam nights.

A pretty long apprenticeship compared to most.

The Sex, Drugs, and Rock ‘n’ Roll is a fallacy too. Yes some of the greats may have dabbled, and some might have just been lucky, but most of those who lived like that became members of the ‘27’ club.

Anyone who wants to live long happy lives (in any career) needs to look after their body.

Still touring at 73, Mick Jagger is probably the best example of longevity. His secret, is exercise and clean living (now, not so much in the 60’s). Apparently Jagger still works out twice a day, either Yoga, dancing, cardio or weights. It’s no wonder he can still strut his stuff on stage.

Gigging is far more physical than people tend to think. All the sweat you see on us during a show isn’t because of hot lighting or that we are super unfit, quite the opposite.

As an experiment I wore my Fitbit during a two-hour show and I burned over 1,500 calories, and for any Fitbit enthusiasts out there, smashed my 10,000-step quota!

Singing is a full body workout. The notes you hear come from a combination of our abs and core, back, chest, and all the intricate muscles around our throat and neck working simultaneously. Add a bit of cardio to the equation and you have a working singer.

For most of us, by February we are desperately clinging on to those New Year resolutions we set for ourselves back in January, resenting the treadmill and licking your lips as you walk by the sweet machine in the gym.

It’s also one of the quietest months for work for us gigging musicians. So we have to be extra motivated and disciplined to maintain our skills and musicianship ready for those busy months. So you’ll probably find us in the gym, rehearsal spaces or in the kitchen making ourselves the best we can be ready for your event.

James Willard

Lead Singer and Guitarist for The Tricks

www.thetrickslive.com