Being a force as an athlete while captivating thousands onstage as a music star is a dream some of us strive for in our lives. Alex Reade of Australian metalcore band Make Them Suffer is trying to be a weightroom replica of Damian Lillard and Deion Sanders—two sports stars who’ve attempted to also cross over into music.
The only activity Reade may enjoy as much as seeing a crowd rocking out to her hardcore performance is setting a new PR or making a loaded barbell succumb to her will and power in a fitness competition or intense training session. The enjoyment she gets from pushing herself goes back to her childhood when she played hockey in school.
“I always enjoyed playing sport when I was young, but it wasn’t too serious, just for fun,” she says.
Her connection to music goes back to when she was 18. Once that passion was ignited, she admitted that it took the majority of her attention.
“Living a music lifestyle and living a fitness lifestyle don’t go hand-in-hand,” she says.
She was all in on music until the pandemic in 2020. The entire world was shut down for quite some time, but it was even more so in Melbourne, Australia. Citizens there were only allowed outside of their homes for one hour a day. Options were very limited, and she lived alone. The only thing she could do to keep her mind off of the state of the world was train.
“That was really what made the shift for me,” she said. “I was going to crazy if I didn’t find something to do.”
During that hour, Reade would run, lift weights, and she even got enjoyment out of creating her own circuits. She thrives at being self-motivated, and the workouts helped her thrive both mentally and physically.
“By the time we were finally able to come out into the real world, I was feeling pretty fit.”
courtesy of Kim Quint
Music and Muscle Collide
Make Them Suffer has been active since 2008. Reade joined them in 2022. Aside from vocals, she also plays the keyboard. The band has had a fantastic year and their ‘s stock is rising by the day. Reade sees the success as both a privilege and responsibility because the fans that invest energy into them deserve nothing less than their best.
Make Them Suffer’s fanbase is growing internationally at a rapid pace. She used to be the only one that focused on fitness, but now her bandmates enjoy working out as well, and it has helped them stay close and connected.
Reade enjoys doing CrossFit and recently got into Hyrox, a form of fitness racing, as well. Of course, scheduling workouts during a tour isn’t always possible. However, finding ways to train during the pandemic has actually benefited Reade because she can make the most out of her surroundings on the road.
“I think COVID helped because tours are a lot of being in lockdown. There is so much time to sit around, and you don’t really get a lot of access to gyms.”
Make Them Suffer have recently toured Europe and are set to travel to America in early 2025. Reade relishes the opportunity to share the band’s art with the world—and she’s excited about spending time in the United States next year.
“America is my favorite place to tour. As soon as we get there, we will go to a big department store and buy weights, dumbbells, a bench, and we’ll have them in a trailer to pull out when we are able to train. We’ll all train together.”
She has shared her workouts for her followers on social media to follow and try, which has been met with great appreciation. Reade’s two passions have managed to blend together perfectly, and loves that she can use her experience and success to inspire others and make a positive impact.
“It’s such a wonderful privilege to be in this position.”
courtesy of Kim Quint
How To Train Like Alex Reade
As you’ve likely figured out by now, Reade loves pushing herself in a weight room or by taking on fitness challenges. She shares her workouts on social media too. One of her favorites is the workout below. Take this on if you are into high-paced training or simply looking for a new challenge.
The goal is to complete all the reps in the quickest time possible. That said, if you need to pace yourself, go for it. Substitutions based on your experience level are fine as well. Just don’t skip out on the number of reps.
