Pilates, Zumba, BodyPump — you’ve probably heard of all these dozens of times before but we’d dare say most people have never come across the world of ‘Stepper-Ton’: the fast-paced and exciting new dance-based exercise that’s quickly becoming one of the biggest crazes.
And it’s all happening right here in Manchester. Trendsetters, as usual.
To tell the truth, we’ve already lied to you; plenty of people will have come across Stepper-Ton already, they just might not have known the name. But if you’ve been on TikTok in the past few months, you’ve likely stumbled across videos of this bloke and his gym classes.
So energetic are his workout classes, several people assumed it was based in the USA and his followers were stunned to discover he teaches out of Manchester city centre.
The man we’re referring to is Julius Burphy, a personal trainer and online coach who specialises in his unique brand of fitness: a hip-hop and Afro-step class which combines fitness with irresistible classics and up-tempo tracks of the moment in what is undoubtedly one of the most fun workouts on the planet.
Building workouts based around using a single aerobic step and dance routines matched to the BPM of various dance-friendly tracks, Stepper-Ton isn’t just an enjoyable music-based way to exercise, it’s a real boot camp in both cardio and coordination.
Though we’re sure you’ve figured out plenty already, the unique class is described as an energetic ‘step aerobic’ workout like no other, with passion, fun and accessibility at its heart.
Burphy insists his goal has always been to “break out of the box of classes every other gym has to offer and introduce you to a fun way to train”, assuring that “whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just starting out, our classes are designed to make you get up and take your steps towards your fitness goals.”
His workout style and overall demeanour are so upbeat and high-energy, as promised, that the positivity his videos spread online has become infectious, gaining hundreds of millions of views. It hasn’t just turned into a fitness craze, his channel is now at the point where it even has its own beloved cast of fan favourite characters. Big up Maria and ‘pink shirt girl’.
Speaking to The Manc, the master himself told us a little bit about how the whole thing got started and the ethos behind Stepper-Ton.
“I’ve been a personal trainer and fitness Instructor for six years now. Working in the fitness industry for that long, I got bored of teaching the same types of classes you get in every other gym. None of them were a representation of me or how I’d want to teach my classes and that’s why I started Stepper-Ton two years ago during lockdown.
“After doing some research on classes that would best suit me, I was inspired by watching step aerobics videos that kept coming up on my feed from all over the world, and I noticed that it’s something we’ve lacked in Britain ever since the 80s and 90s.
“That’s when I realised that this was something I would love to bring back to the UK but with my own personal touch, so during lockdown I ordered a stepper and practised various routines at home. I then moved to JD Gyms where things really started taking off.”
Burphy’s increasingly popular workout movement is getting bigger and bigger by the day, with thousands following along with his routines online in their home workouts. The Stepper-Ton team has also collaborated with big brands like Gymshark and even appeared on This Morning back in August.
Clearly in love with what he does, Burphy went on to tell us, “One of the things I am most proud of is creating a beautiful community of people who love to step”, adding, “I really look forward to every class every week because we have the most fun together.”
As for what sets it apart from other workouts and forms of exercise, he says: “What makes Stepper-Ton different to other classes is my love for creating fun routines, high energy, but also gets you sweating because I incorporate workouts making sure everyone gets the most out of the classes.
“Having fun whilst burning calories. My great music taste plays a huge factor too [he’s not wrong]. For newcomers, I teach basic step routines as these are easier to follow, but also ensure to keep my regular members engaged by coming up with more challenging ‘End of Month’ routines which are slightly more challenging but also lots of fun.”
As he puts it, “Everyone gets to take part” — and they really do. Countless people are now queuing up to take part in a Stepper-Ton class right here in the city centre and not only has Burphy’s brand gained a cult following on social media but this man is genuinely adored by colleagues and class members.
If you reckon you’ve got a bit of rhythm and fancy your chances at keeping up with these lot, or even if you don’t and just fancy trying your hand at some beginner routines, you can find out more on the website and get booked in for a class HERE.
Taking place over at JD Gym over in Bridgewater House on Whitworth Street — just on the corner of Oxford Road opposite the Kimpton Hotel — just head downstairs and to the studio at the back of the gym and you’ll find the Stepper-Ton faithful having a blast.
Who knows, maybe you’ll even see us there one of these days…
Featured Image — Julius Burphy (via Instagram)/Stepper-Ton
Sport
Manchester City supporters groups call on club and fellow fans to ‘make their voices heard’
Danny Jones
A collection of Manchester City supporters groups has urged both the club and the fans themselves to “make [their] voice heard” this season, following this year’s protests over the new and “drastic” ticketing policy.
Man City fans gathered both before and after the game against Wolves back in April to make their feeling known regarding season ticket changes.
Appealing to manager Pep Guardiola directly, insisting that he needs their energy to get the kind of “alive” crowds he’s also called for in the past, ‘The 1984’ has now been joined by four other supporters trusts in reaffirming their aims for the new campaign.
Sharing a new joint statement on social media, the five fan groups say that “last season saw unprecedented off-pitch unrest among City fans in the post-Maine Road era”, and the only way to avoid further disruption is to listen and heed their warnings.
STATEMENT FROM CITY FAN GROUPS AS WE ENTER THE NEW SEASON
After last season's protests, 2025/26 sees the most drastic changes to season tickets we've ever had. We ask supporters to use their voices & the club to put fans first going forward.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Writing on behalf of the aforementioned 1894 group, Canal Street Blues, MCFC Fans Foodbank Support, Solid Citizens, Trade Union Blues and nearly 700 official members, as you can see, they penned a lengthy open letter to the club and the City Football Group (CFG).
“Despite recent success on the field,” they say, “two major in-stadium protests took place, with an estimated 16,000+ fans delaying their entry at the Leicester and Wolves games, and thousands more joining silent protests.
“The triggers were rising ticket prices, season ticket availability, poor supporter engagement (including the Club refusing to meet City Matters on ticket prices for months), and away fans in home sections – often linked to third-party resellers like Viagogo, whose new partnership with the Club proved the breaking point.”
They also conceded that the freeze in the cost of a full season ticket and reduced matchday prices were a welcome breath of fresh air and stirred hope for better fan engagement moving forward.
However, as the statement continues, “Unfortunately, the Club has instead introduced sweeping changes to season ticket terms and conditions, hitting some of our most loyal supporters and damaging long-standing fan culture.”
You can see all of the new and almost universally opposed ticket changes listed in full via bullet points above, but standouts include an unprecedented ’10-game personal attendance policy’ – the first of its kind in English football – stricter ticket transfer rules, and even new facial recognition scanners.
We completely agree. No warning in the middle of summer, communicated by one email on the same day that it was announced? Horrendous.
— MCFC Fans Foodbank Support (@MCFCfoodbank) August 21, 2025
Fan reaction online has been as you would expect; most City supporters are in almost overwhelming agreement with the concerns raised in the latest communication, particularly in the minimum attendance and transfer rules, adding: “the latter directly undermines the stated aim of ‘keeping the stadium full.'”
“There are also fears some of these rules won’t apply equally to hospitality season ticket holders, introducing worries of inequality between fans,” the statement continues.
“These changes create unnecessary workload for ticket office staff, introduce barriers for digitally excluded fans, force some into paid memberships, and erode supporter culture.
“All [the] while, City Matters, our elected Fan Advisory Board, has repeatedly faced delays and broken deadlines for meeting minutes, with the most recent minutes now 59 days overdue from the June meeting. No one wants constant conflict with the Club, but when official channels fail, protest becomes the only option. Last season proved that fan action can drive change.”
“We call on all Blues to:
Track and record if and how these changes affect you.
Make your voice heard – online, via City Matters, and through fan groups.
Join fan groups such as 1894, the Disabled Supporters Association, Canal Street Blues, Trade Union Blues, and your local OSC branch to discuss issues with fellow Blues.”
Lastly, they have called on the club to rethink their current policies surrounding personal attendance and ticket transfers, “take a ‘fans first’ approach when it comes to all future policies affecting supporters, engaging in meaningful consultation with fan representatives,” and publish fan meetings “on time.”
What do you make of the supporter groups’ statement and, more importantly, how do you feel about recent changes to season tickets and matchday admission, City fans?
Manchester United appoint new Academy Director with more youth players set to join first-team training
Danny Jones
Manchester United have appointed a new Academy Director in the form of former footballer turned coach Stephen Torpey.
Signing the retired Kirkby-born forward from fellow Premier League side Brentford FC, Torpey arrives at the newly regenerated Carrington Training Complex with a strong pedigree.
The 43-year-old – who spent time at Greater Manchester clubs like Altrincham, Atherton Laburnum Rovers, Staylbridge Celtic and FC United as a pro – joined Brentford last January, but has now made the move up North.
Announced this week, Stephen Torpey officially will replace former academy boss Nick Cox, who left the club after the best part of a decade back in June.
ℹ️ Stephen Torpey has been appointed Academy Director of Manchester United.
Having been reportedly head-hunted by INEOS and Man United’s Director of Football, Jason Wilcox (who is still only recently installed himself), the ex-Bees coach was confirmed on Thursday, 21 August.
Speaking on the appointment, Wilcox wrote in a club statement: “After an extensive recruitment process, we are delighted to have appointed Stephen at such an exciting time for our Academy.
“Stephen’s record of youth development is outstanding; throughout his career, he has played a significant role in the development of some of the most talented players in the country.
“We will work closely together to ensure that the Academy continues to foster the right environment to nurture our young players individually while developing the best talent ready to excel in our first team.”
As for Torpey, he said: “I am really proud to have this opportunity to lead Manchester United’s Academy. It is obviously a great time to be joining as the club enters an exciting new era; I can’t wait to play my role in continuing the incredible tradition of youth development here.”
Torpey went on to add: “After spending time with the leadership team, it is clear that the Academy will always remain key to the identity of Manchester United, with our primary aim being to produce players ready to support a first team capable of challenging for the biggest honours.”
You can find out more about the new United Academy Director, Stephen Torpey, and his background here.
Having famously disproven the ‘you can’t win anything with kids’ belief put forward by Alan Hansen on multiple occasions over the past three decades, it looks like manager Ruben Amorim is once again looking to turn inwards to find future gems in addition to a plethora of new signings.
Brentford also have a reputation for blooding in previously unknown young players along with their clever ‘Moneyball’ recruitment, especially as they have risen up the football pyramid in recent years, so United supporters will no doubt he hoping for similar results at Old Trafford.
The UEFA A-licensed coach has worked with both Man City and Liverpool youth setups, not to mention overseeing the relaunch of Brentford’s full academy programme from U9s to U18s; boasting a wealth of experience, and it already looks like even more youngsters are set to be gradually pushed forward.
Amorim has already given minutes to the likes of Ayden Heaven, Harry Amass, Tyler Fredricson and Chido Obi, just to name a few. With that in mind, it looks like others will soon be flirting with first-team training and perhaps senior appearances.
Danny Jones -
15th September 2023 
