How did Overnyte start? Was it planned, or did it just happen organically, one session at a time?
Face: The foundations were quite organic. It started with just me and Moses. We would meet up during lockdown to work out because obviously there was no facility to do any of that, and we’re quite strong believers in the notion that fitness is free and what you really need to get active is your body. During lockdown, we’d work out together in outdoor gyms using whatever we had available, whether that was flipping logs and tires or just doing pull ups and press ups. Then a couple years down the line, the outdoor gym that we usually used in Burgess Park got renovated and could facilitate a lot more people. [We were like,] can [we] make a community out of this? So we started promoting and advertising it, and it just kept it going, and here we are now.
When did it hit you that Overnyte was more than just a group of mates training together?
Face: It was once I realised how much it meant to other people, because physical activity and fitness means a lot to me and Moses, which is why it's something that we're so consistent with and committed to. I started to see the impact that it had on other people's lives, and they kind of conveyed how much it meant to them, whether that was just as an outlet for them to get some exercise, something to do during the week, or a place to meet new people if they'd been feeling a bit lonely.
Calisthenics looks difficult, which move took you the longest to perfect?
Moses: The hardest calisthenics movement for me to perfect, was the muscle up. It’s the gold standard of calisthenics and uses five different muscle groups. So I had to break it down into separate components and then put it back together to form the whole movement.
Spotlight On: Overnyte
Fusing a love of music and fitness, Overnyte founders Face and Moses, plus members of their community, chatted to Urban Outfitters about finding connection that moves you.
From calisthenics to hiking, this community is all about ditching the equipment and discovering strength in a space free from expectations. They’re showing up for themselves and each other to unlock their potential, with the help of the new collection from iets frans. Find out what they had to say…
How would you describe Overnyte to someone who's never heard of it in one sentence?
Face: I’d describe Overnyte as a safe space for serious self improvement.
Zav: I’d describe it as a place where tough work meets a family vibe. The work you put in is serious but you also get that kind of kind and encouraging love you’d get from your friends and your family.
Arwa: Overnyte club is a group of people that get together and just move. We’re funny, silly, but we also put each other to the test and keep ourselves very accountable for how we move our bodies.
You've built something that sits between street culture, wellbeing, art and creativity. How do you balance all those outlets?
Moses: At Overnyte, we try to bring in all of the aspects of creativity. We take more of a holistic approach to our workouts. So although we do calisthenics and we're quite focused on calisthenics in our weekly sessions, we also include hikes and other outdoor activities to bring things all together.
What is your connection to fashion and fitness?
Moses: I’d say at Overnyte, and individually, there’s a strong connection between fashion and fitness. I’m a strong believer in ‘if you look good, you feel good’ and ‘if you feel good, you play good.’
What does community mean to you?
Moses: Community means a lot to me as an individual because it keeps me grounded, keeps me consistent, keeps me accountable. As a group, Overnyte wouldn't exist without the community. So in that sense, it’s definitely important for sure.
Face: To me, community means support – having people that are there for you during your ups and your downs. I’m a firm believer in the notion that no man’s an island, so you always need people around you, whether that’s in the good or bad moments.
Zav: Community for me means being able to motivate one another. Whether someone’s slacking with reps or motivation, we’re there to pick each other up.
Arwa: Community means having a space where you can feel comfortable with others. It’s a place for coming together with like-minded people and means having that support system around you where if you are feeling a bit low, you’ve got friends who can pick you up.
Ky: To me, community means having people around you who support one another and vice versa. If there’s ever a time of need, you’ll be there for each other. Essentially, their presence just uplifts you.
Face: I’d describe Overnyte as a safe space for serious self improvement.
Zav: I’d describe it as a place where tough work meets a family vibe. The work you put in is serious but you also get that kind of kind and encouraging love you’d get from your friends and your family.
Arwa: Overnyte club is a group of people that get together and just move. We’re funny, silly, but we also put each other to the test and keep ourselves very accountable for how we move our bodies.
You've built something that sits between street culture, wellbeing, art and creativity. How do you balance all those outlets?
Moses: At Overnyte, we try to bring in all of the aspects of creativity. We take more of a holistic approach to our workouts. So although we do calisthenics and we're quite focused on calisthenics in our weekly sessions, we also include hikes and other outdoor activities to bring things all together.
What is your connection to fashion and fitness?
Moses: I’d say at Overnyte, and individually, there’s a strong connection between fashion and fitness. I’m a strong believer in ‘if you look good, you feel good’ and ‘if you feel good, you play good.’
What does community mean to you?
Moses: Community means a lot to me as an individual because it keeps me grounded, keeps me consistent, keeps me accountable. As a group, Overnyte wouldn't exist without the community. So in that sense, it’s definitely important for sure.
Face: To me, community means support – having people that are there for you during your ups and your downs. I’m a firm believer in the notion that no man’s an island, so you always need people around you, whether that’s in the good or bad moments.
Zav: Community for me means being able to motivate one another. Whether someone’s slacking with reps or motivation, we’re there to pick each other up.
Arwa: Community means having a space where you can feel comfortable with others. It’s a place for coming together with like-minded people and means having that support system around you where if you are feeling a bit low, you’ve got friends who can pick you up.
Ky: To me, community means having people around you who support one another and vice versa. If there’s ever a time of need, you’ll be there for each other. Essentially, their presence just uplifts you.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learned since starting Overnyte?
Face: I think the biggest lesson I've learned since starting Overnyte is that nothing's overnight, bro. Like, to see any real substantial progress or development or anything of substance is a consistent journey that requires commitment, perseverance, grit and dedication.
Arwa: The biggest lesson I’ve learnt since starting at Overnyte is no work = no results.
What’s one thing you’re grateful for since starting Overnyte?
Moses: [I’m] grateful for Face – I've been able to see him every week. Grateful for all of the people that I've met at Overnyte, all of the moments we've shared, all of the hard graft we've been through, all the fun moments.
Zav: Being resilient. There’s been a lot of times I’d be tired mid-rep and I’d think ‘let me just call it there,’ and Face would be behind me making me getting that last rep in and showing me that when things do get tough, you have to pick yourself up – and if you can’t, there’s other people around you in that community that can also pick you up.
Kyla: I would definitely say the community aspect is something I’m grateful for since joining Overnyte. It’s just nice to know that I’m going to be coming to a space where everyone’s encouraging one another and looking out for each other. We all have our best interests in mind – we all just wanna get stronger together.
What do you think makes people keep coming back?
Face: First of all, me and Moses are great vibes. I think that's the main part of it… What keeps people coming back is that sense of community, especially as we live in a very individualistic time where everyone's either glued to a screen or worried about putting food on their own table. A lot of people are just very lonely. So having that space where you can come to better yourself and know there are people that have your best interests at heart plus a sense of being there for one another while you're also doing something that's for yourself as well.
Arwa: I think people come back to Overnyte because there’s a pastoral feel to it. The coaches really hold you accountable. If you did something a couple of weeks ago and you feel like you can’t do it this week, they’ll be like “Oh you did it before, you can do it again!”. I really like that, there’s a personable feel to it.
Face: I think the biggest lesson I've learned since starting Overnyte is that nothing's overnight, bro. Like, to see any real substantial progress or development or anything of substance is a consistent journey that requires commitment, perseverance, grit and dedication.
Arwa: The biggest lesson I’ve learnt since starting at Overnyte is no work = no results.
What’s one thing you’re grateful for since starting Overnyte?
Moses: [I’m] grateful for Face – I've been able to see him every week. Grateful for all of the people that I've met at Overnyte, all of the moments we've shared, all of the hard graft we've been through, all the fun moments.
Zav: Being resilient. There’s been a lot of times I’d be tired mid-rep and I’d think ‘let me just call it there,’ and Face would be behind me making me getting that last rep in and showing me that when things do get tough, you have to pick yourself up – and if you can’t, there’s other people around you in that community that can also pick you up.
Kyla: I would definitely say the community aspect is something I’m grateful for since joining Overnyte. It’s just nice to know that I’m going to be coming to a space where everyone’s encouraging one another and looking out for each other. We all have our best interests in mind – we all just wanna get stronger together.
What do you think makes people keep coming back?
Face: First of all, me and Moses are great vibes. I think that's the main part of it… What keeps people coming back is that sense of community, especially as we live in a very individualistic time where everyone's either glued to a screen or worried about putting food on their own table. A lot of people are just very lonely. So having that space where you can come to better yourself and know there are people that have your best interests at heart plus a sense of being there for one another while you're also doing something that's for yourself as well.
Arwa: I think people come back to Overnyte because there’s a pastoral feel to it. The coaches really hold you accountable. If you did something a couple of weeks ago and you feel like you can’t do it this week, they’ll be like “Oh you did it before, you can do it again!”. I really like that, there’s a personable feel to it.
What do you love about every individual?
Moses: The one thing I really like about every individual is that everyone's willing to try, everyone's willing to put in the work. If it's difficult, they're willing to give it a crack and not complain about it, really. That's my favourite thing, of course – all the individuals, the lovely people at Overnyte.
I stay connected by…
Moses: seeing everyone at every session at Overnyte.
Zav: I stay connected by turning up to Overnyte. It makes me feel connected because sometimes if I’m having a hard day, and I need to socialise with my friends, I know that it’s a good time guaranteed.
I keep moving by… Moses: the people around me.
Face: putting one foot in front of the other one.
Arwa: remembering my younger self.
Advice you’d give to your younger self?
Face: Forget all the distractions, focus on the things that mean something, and stay consistent. Kyla: I would tell my younger self that I am a lot stronger than I think I am.
Who’s most likely to be late to a session?
Moses: Most definitely Kyla
Face: Kyla
Night out or early riser?
Moses: Early riser, I like to have my days.
Face: Oof, night out.
Best post-workout meal?
Moses: Definitely Lebanese Dunton Grill, Old Kent Road – if you know, you know.
Face: Oof, grilled chicken and rice.
Moses: The one thing I really like about every individual is that everyone's willing to try, everyone's willing to put in the work. If it's difficult, they're willing to give it a crack and not complain about it, really. That's my favourite thing, of course – all the individuals, the lovely people at Overnyte.
I stay connected by…
Moses: seeing everyone at every session at Overnyte.
Zav: I stay connected by turning up to Overnyte. It makes me feel connected because sometimes if I’m having a hard day, and I need to socialise with my friends, I know that it’s a good time guaranteed.
I keep moving by… Moses: the people around me.
Face: putting one foot in front of the other one.
Arwa: remembering my younger self.
Advice you’d give to your younger self?
Face: Forget all the distractions, focus on the things that mean something, and stay consistent. Kyla: I would tell my younger self that I am a lot stronger than I think I am.
Who’s most likely to be late to a session?
Moses: Most definitely Kyla
Face: Kyla
Night out or early riser?
Moses: Early riser, I like to have my days.
Face: Oof, night out.
Best post-workout meal?
Moses: Definitely Lebanese Dunton Grill, Old Kent Road – if you know, you know.
Face: Oof, grilled chicken and rice.
What's your definition of strength?
Moses: My definition of strength is perseverance. Doing something that’s difficult but still being able to try.
Face: I feel like just the capability to resist, in whatever sense that means, whether that's kind of resisting the urge to be lazy and not do anything, resisting the ground when you're doing a push-up, resisting negative emotions, or whatever. I just feel like strength in any sense is the ability to resist.
Kyla: To me, strength is continuing to go, even if it gets hard. You’ve just gotta keep going and keep grinding. Maybe take a break, but don’t stop.
If you recorded a voice note to yourself to listen to this time next year, what would it say?
Moses: Keep your head down, lock in and eventually everything will come together.
Kyla: I would say, ‘Kyla, I love you loads. I hope you’re able to do a muscle-up at this point. But regardless of what you’re doing, I’m sure it’ll be what’s best for us and I’m very, very proud of you.’
What tips and advice would you give to young people looking for a sense of togetherness and community?
Moses: For young people looking for a sense of togetherness and community – follow your interests first and foremost. Naturally everything [else] will follow behind. In regards to community, if you seek [out] your interests first, people who are just like you will be right there.
Kyla: I would definitely say speak to your friends. You never know which friend will have a friend of a friend of a friend who’s doing something you’d love. Try things out as well, don’t let not knowing how to do something or being scared stop you from finding potentially a new passion. Just be open, and go on socials.
Moses: My definition of strength is perseverance. Doing something that’s difficult but still being able to try.
Face: I feel like just the capability to resist, in whatever sense that means, whether that's kind of resisting the urge to be lazy and not do anything, resisting the ground when you're doing a push-up, resisting negative emotions, or whatever. I just feel like strength in any sense is the ability to resist.
Kyla: To me, strength is continuing to go, even if it gets hard. You’ve just gotta keep going and keep grinding. Maybe take a break, but don’t stop.
If you recorded a voice note to yourself to listen to this time next year, what would it say?
Moses: Keep your head down, lock in and eventually everything will come together.
Kyla: I would say, ‘Kyla, I love you loads. I hope you’re able to do a muscle-up at this point. But regardless of what you’re doing, I’m sure it’ll be what’s best for us and I’m very, very proud of you.’
What tips and advice would you give to young people looking for a sense of togetherness and community?
Moses: For young people looking for a sense of togetherness and community – follow your interests first and foremost. Naturally everything [else] will follow behind. In regards to community, if you seek [out] your interests first, people who are just like you will be right there.
Kyla: I would definitely say speak to your friends. You never know which friend will have a friend of a friend of a friend who’s doing something you’d love. Try things out as well, don’t let not knowing how to do something or being scared stop you from finding potentially a new passion. Just be open, and go on socials.