By Kayla Graham

Music keeps us young and makes us happy. It can be the best companion to a bad day, and sometimes the only thing that can turn a terrible day around. It’s no wonder that for almost as long as the fitness industry has existed, exercise and music have had a rock solid partnership.

A new Calgary fitness center, UNDRCARD Boxing Studio, embraces this marriage of music and movement to the fullest. Incorporating music deeply into every aspect of the studio, the team at UNDRCARD aims to use music as a prime motivator. Think Sly Stalone playing Rocky, pushing it to the top of those steps as “Eye of the Tiger” relentlessly blasts – except update that vision to you and your besties throwing hooks and jabs to one of your favorite summer mixes blasting out of a custom PK Sound rig.

Joanna ‘Magik’ Majcherkiewicz, co-founder of UNDRCARD, conceptualized “fight club meets night club” in her ten plus years of sport and fitness leadership and deep involvement in Western Canada’s electronic music community. Having worked with Red Bull Canada, as well as having full summers attending festivals such as Bass Coast and Mad Decent Block Party, Joanna fully understands the power of music.

“Music is such a powerful motivator in life and when applied to fitness it truly makes you work longer and harder - your endurance and intensity significantly improve," she explains.

PK teams up with UNDRCARD Boxing Studio for a combo of champion sound and champion fitness

“People are doing three to four minute rounds of work in there - that’s long! And the music keeps them pushing through. Music helps them resist defeat, have fun and emerge renewed!”

UNDRCARD is the first studio of its kind in Canada. Yes, there are fitness studios everywhere that play music, but at UNDRCARD there is a very high emphasis on hand-curated beats from Joanna, her partners Amanda Hehr and Naomi Le Bihan, as well as the rest of the amazing team.

“Overall we celebrate all genres and styles but do keep a focus on bassy club music, rare remixes, familiar anthems, and tastefully remixed top 40. Lots of rap too as it compliments boxing so well,” Joanna speaks of the tunes. “It’s truly music curated in such a way that is very rare or impossible to find at a fitness studio. For those who aren’t into music and may not appreciate the nuances; my hope is they just get an overall good feeling from it!” Joanna says.

PK teams up with UNDRCARD Boxing Studio for a combo of champion sound and champion fitness

The sound system at UNDRCARD is packing a serious haymaker to help you get off the ropes. Installed by Laser Productions, the main class area features 7 Klarity 12 multipurpose loudspeakers and 1 Klarity 218—a dual 18" high power subwoofer. In the common area and ring there is a bit of variety for the perfect ambient sound. Featured in those areas are 2 more Klarity 12s, 2 Klarity 8 multipurpose loudspeakers, and one more Klarity 218. According to Edwin Dolby at Laser Productions, UNDRCARD is boasting over 10,000 watts of crisp PK Sound. The majority decision is that’s one banging system for a fitness studio!

“The music we play demands a beefy sound system that supports big bass,” Joanna says. “I want guests to be engulfed and transported by the sound. I knew PK understood this very, very well.”

Joanna urges first timers to come check it out, and to not be put off by feelings of being on display or being out of shape. The room is dark, the community is welcoming and everyone is so focused on their own bag—there is no room for judgment. Not to mention there is a powerful PK system in the midst.

CHECK OUT UNDRCARD HERE.