“No Soldiers Left” paves the way through the barriers of pain To self-awareness
From the Summer 2024 issue of Dazed. The latest issue is available to buy. here.
“Comfort is suicide” is just one of the many war novel-esque mantras that flood the Instagram feed of London collective No Soldiers Left Behind (NSLB). Another is “No individual is better than family.” Formed in 2023 by friends Femi, Joey, and FK, NSLB is a semi-anonymous London collective that fuses fitness and streetwear culture, hosting military-style Saturday workout sessions, as well as guerrilla clothing pop-ups, guided exercise events, and video campaigns. “You could say our main focus is fitness, but we’re just trying to teach men how to be creative and challenge themselves,” says Femi. “At first, we went to the gym together, lifting heavy and doing weight training. Soon, we realized we needed more mobility in our training because we were stiff and out of breath during everyday movements, which led us to explore international fitness trends.”
“When people get comfortable, they lose the passion and drive that burns within them,” member Charlie Jones told me over email about the group’s principles. “That drive to push for better is exactly the mentality the Mandem have in our sessions. NSLB shows you what life is like when it’s not stagnant.” These aren’t just generic social media aphorisms; they take what they say seriously when it comes to enforcing discipline. Femi explained to me one new rule they’ve introduced: anyone who is late to a training session will be fined £5. “I commend the members for embracing that. Punctuality has improved a lot,” he says.
The money from late fines goes towards team-bonding activities such as go-karting and paintballing, he explains. “In our sessions, we never repeat the same thing as last time. Sometimes we try a new fruit that we’ve never heard of before. The team also recommends books such as the Autobiography of Malcolm X, George Orwell’s 1984 and Rob Greene’s Mastery. In between running, boxing and gymnastics, [the gravity-defying discipline that harnesses core strength]”We’re pushed to our limits. It’s not about who’s the strongest or how many repetitions they can do — all of that is secondary. We’re stripping ourselves down to our weakest point. It’s almost like an ego death.”
Outside of athletics, NSLB’s fashion collaborations are on the rise. Recently, New York luxury streetwear brand Aimée Leon Dore featured members of its core team, along with Loyle Carner, Gabriel Moses, and Declan Rice, in its London-themed lookbook, “The World’s Borough,” photographed by Walid Labri. “There are no street-level brands in the activewear space,” says Femi. “When you look at streetwear, people are wearing Cortez, Clint, and Always. [Do What You Should Do]”Streetwear is doing great right now, but when you look at activewear, there are only billion-dollar brands. From our perspective, no one is making clothes that can be worn on the street or in the gym.” Here, Femi explains how NSLB got off the ground and what’s in store for the collective.
Femi, please tell us how you got to where you are today.
Femi: My first video on TikTok was the beginning of my content creation journey. Before that, I was involved in several projects with brands such as Rising Ballers. When I joined TikTok, I decided to go further and see what I could do. I had always wanted to create a brand, make clothes and start a movement to get people outside. The first stage was to create a platform where people could listen to me. It was then that I decided to enter the fashion world. [if ] You are well dressed [and] You look good and people like your opinion.
“If you come to a session and you think you’re just going to hang out, you don’t even realize you’re working your cardio.” – Femi
Can you explain NSLB’s Instagram handle, @youwasntder?
Femi: This is a reminder of our humility and the mentality that a lot of kids from rural areas have. When we faced difficulties as kids, we would say, “You weren’t there,” and that formed the mentality that we all share. We’re all from rural areas. We’ve experienced difficulties. No one will reach out and help us. But when you gain a little bit of influence, suddenly everyone in the neighborhood is your friend. But it’s like, “Brother, you weren’t there when it was difficult, you weren’t there when we were training in the park in the winter.” Now it’s summer, the video is viral, and we have a little bit of influence around. Do you want to get involved? No, brother, you weren’t there.
It feels like intersectionality within the fitness community is a big priority for NSLB, can you expand on that?
Femi: Statistically, black people are more susceptible to heart disease, diabetes, and many other diseases. There is a stigma of being a black man, but we are solidifying that. We are showing people that it is cool to be legal, and we are not pushing the typical street life of selling drugs, making music, and bullying other black kids. That is not cool. It is cool to fight in a controlled environment, like a boxing ring. That is what we are promoting. It is cool to read books and gain knowledge. When you talk to people, you have to be able to express your ideas clearly. You have to carry yourself well and express yourself accurately when you walk into any room. Express your area, your background, your upbringing. That is the message we are pushing on people, and it is just appealing to the subconscious. People who come to the sessions and think they are just hanging out, they don’t even realize they are working their cardio.
Would it be fair to say that NSLB is not just about fitness levels, but about your overall attitude towards life?
Femi: It’s not that you have to be at a certain level of strength, or have a certain amount of money, or be from a certain area. It’s more about your personality. It’s about how you’ve been integrated. We had the opportunity to charge for the sessions, but we don’t want to.
Can you elaborate on the clothing you guys have released so far?
Femi: Our clothes can be used to train, run, or walk around in. We’ve done marathon kits. We’ve done half-tights. How many guys in your neighborhood run in half-tights? We’ve done matching shorts and sweatshirts to give you that Muhammad Ali/Rocky Balboa vibe. We’re also going to be releasing a tracksuit for the cold weather that you can walk around in and train in. We have a lot of work in the works. We want to be innovative while still being cool and natural. We make things that we would want to wear ourselves.
For readers interested in attending either session, what can they expect?
Femi: When you come here, respecting the session and being on time is the number one priority. The session starts at 9am. If you’re 9:01 you’re late. If you’re late you pay a fine. That fine goes into the NSLB fund and goes to the athletes at the end of the year. You need to know your limits. You need to know how far you can go and how far you’re willing to push yourself. Your self-esteem will remain intact, but you will be weaker and more vulnerable during training.
What’s next for the NSLB brand?
Femi: Fashion is going to be huge this year. I’m looking forward to getting people out and hosting events. Now that I’m making some money, I have a little bit more budget. I’m excited. I’m looking forward to the activations, the fashion, and [integrating sessions exclusively for] Women. Those are the three areas.
Grooming: TAKUYA UCHIYAMA (using BUMBLE AND BUMBLE), Photography Assistant: RORY COLE, Styling Assistants: STOYAN CHUCHURANOV, ALVARO MERINO DE MENDOZA, ELOISE COLLET, Production Assistant: GRACE CUTHBERTSON
