“We can say we have the nicest butts in pop-punk now”: Cardio Sports Partners with State Champs for Workout Fundraiser
Photo courtesy of the State Champs Facebook page
“We can say we have the nicest butts in pop-punk now” laughed Derek DiScanio, lead vocalist for State Champs, while sitting alongside his bandmates on a Zoom call. The four-piece alternative darlings answered chat questions from eager fans who had just completed the first installment of Cardio Sports’ collaborative workouts with artists.
On Friday the band, comprised also of guitarist Tyler Szalkowski, bassist Ryan Scott Graham, and drummer Evan Ambrosio, showed off their retired athletic skills by leading an uplifting workout session alongside professionals. The Livestream was a partnership with the aforementioned gym, combining 40 minutes of guided movements paced to State Champs songs offered up by the band themselves, including the likes of “Eyes Closed”, “Elevated”, and “We Are The Brave”. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales was donated to the Youth Center for Immigrant Rights.
Interlays showed pre-recorded videos of members working out at home with personal equipment. DiScanio began the trend by utilizing a hockey stick on his porch to join in on the fun while “Mine is Gold” played. “It was great to break out my old hockey equipment,” he shared. “It felt like what I used to do before hockey practice, it sparked a fitness regeneration for me.”
Graham, donning a vintage Red Sox jersey chose “Perfect Score” as the background to his maneuvering of a baseball bat in a local park. He later admitted he bought the prop specifically for the event. Ambrosio played along in his basement, dribbling a basketball in front of a State Champs tapestry along to “Secrets”. Szalkowski utilized footballs to accompany his workout to the band’s cover of “Stitches” by Shawn Mendes, however, all eyes seemed to be on the guest appearance of his dog.
After the session, Szalkowski reflected, “I was a little anxious to get into it.” He continued, “I’m not really physically fit and I’ve recently lost all this weight. It was empowering for me. I used to play one song on stage and be completely winded. To be able to do this for 3 minutes, I could probably do more.” Graham agreed, sharing that while he has always been decently thin he has never felt physically fit. “I liked how much of a challenge it was for me, my thighs were burning!”
Cardio Sports has tapped into an interesting correlation - the crossroads between pop-punk music and promotion of movement. There is a natural energy that is produced from this genre of music, and it shines through when paired with an explicit workout routine. While Szalkowski surprisingly reported listening to all kinds of music, including country, he stated that pop-punk was especially motivational when he is in the gym. Graham agreed, sharing that he rarely listens to pop-punk outside of the studio, except for when he is in fitness mode.
“If I’m going for a run I’m trying to listen to The Story So Far or Four Years Strong,” he shared. “Bands that play fast, high energy make me want to run.” DiScanio echoed these sentiments, sharing that he likes to broaden his music taste in the gym. This includes lifting weights to Pantera but doing cardio to Dua Lipa.
“468 calories burned!”, one fan wrote once the stream moved from the workout to the post-show q&a. “I look like I just went to a show and got out of the pit,” said another. The positive environment created in the running chat alongside the video was cultivated by Cardio Sports themselves, sending out messages to viewers and engaging with personal encouragement. At one point they responded with, “Moshing welcome!”
In terms of overall self-care during quarantine, the band had similar advice for viewers. While Szalkowski advocated for seeing a therapist (“I got one!”) and eating right, Graham shared that the simple things bring him the most peace, right down to making coffee. “I was so excited to get outside and go to a park and do this workout,” he told fans.
Among fan questions was curiosity regarding who State Champs has set their sights on for collaboration. DiScanio seemed hopeful about a Machine Gun Kelly feature, sharing anecdotes of how they toured together alongside Fall Out Boy in 2018. “He and his band and his crew were awesome to us, we want to work with him again,” he shared. “It’s not out of the realm of question.” Graham had an interest in Harry Styles, stating that it was easy for him to envision the pop star’s vocals on a punk track.
When asked about upcoming projects, the members of State Champs seemed to light up. They are eager to release new bodies of work, but not without the perfect timing. Graham shared that there have been hurdles in writing across state lines since each member is physically apart. However, according to DiScanio, the band is currently in the process of recording.
“We promise we’ll get it out when it’s the right time and it’s gonna hit hard and it’s gonna be special.”
Cardio Sports will continue this program with future alternative artists in the upcoming weeks. Stay tuned for updates through their social media channels:
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