Burnley personal trainer Lisa Musso launches alternative bootcamp

Lisa Musso, who has been working as a fitness instructor and personal trainer for seven years, wants 'FitPit' to be a place where people from a variety of subcultures can access classes without fear of judgement.

"I absolutely love what I do, but I've felt for some time now that I had more to give and a deep yearning to help and reach more people, " said Lisa, who used to run Sanctuary Rock Bar in Cow Lane. "I was chatting to a friend about it and she asked if I'd ever considered an exercise class that works out to heavy metal music and right then, it occurred to me that the alternative community just isn't catered for within the fitness industry.

"All commercial gyms, that I'm aware of, cater to a mainstream audience, which can be intimidating and off-putting to many who don't fit into the bracket of the 'mainstream' crowd, so it didn't take me long to decide this was the direction I wanted to go, especially as I am 'alternative' myself. A large part of my work as a personal trainer focuses on supporting clients in improving mental health through exercise and I feel the alternative community are at a severe disadvantage of accessing fitness platforms to improve their mental health, so my plan for FitPit is to provide a safe, welcoming and inclusive environment for all subcultures.

"I strongly believe that by offering this service, not only will my clients improve their physical health, but their mental health too. The classes will be suitable and adaptable to all fitness levels, and I'll also offer nutrition advice for those who would like it, to support their individual goals."

During her time running Sanctuary Rock Bar, Lisa and the venue chose the Sophie Lancaster Foundation as their designated charity. She is now in talks with them about offering further support through FitPit, initially by donating a percentage of bookings and holding fundraisers.

"It's very early days but I'm extremely excited about where I can take this, hopefully alongside and in support of the Foundation."

FitPit will run on blocks of four weeks, with two classes per week – Tuesdays and Thursdays (6-15pm – 7pm) from April 2nd at Sanctuary Rock Bar. The first class will be run on a donation basis, with 100% of proceeds being donated to The Sophie Lancaster Foundation. Classes can be booked on an individual "pay as you go" basis, or as blocks of four weeks. Further info on classes and how to book can be found on Lisa's Facebook page @LMPersonalTrainingStudio.