It’s here. January. The month of diets, dry weekends and gruelling gym sessions.
We’ve all been here before, so to help you avoid monotonous hours spent running on the treadmill and gym memberships that won’t last, StyleNest’s Clarissa Lenherr has worked-out her way around London to find the best studios and workouts that will help you get you to your goals, whilst having, dare we say it, fun!
BXR – Sweat by BXR climb to the beat
If you need a bit of motivation and a serious cardio sweat, BXR is the studio for you. As I wait to check-in for my class, I notice everyone around me is super buff – muscles, toned abs and hands filled with Joe in the Juice smoothies (they have their own exclusive Joe in the Juice shop inside BXR). It is motivation enough for me to consider a juice cleanse, before I realise that a few weeks of Sweat by BXR classes will be more than enough for me to reach my goals. First on my list was their Boxing skills class, a seriously entertaining class filled with uppercuts, hooks and occasional burpees – eek! Time flies by, and I can’t believe it’s over so quickly. All my anger has been punched out of me and I had quite a few laughs on the way – it helps that their trainers know how to make you smile through gritted teeth!
I am back later that week for their Climb to the Beat class. The class is 45 minutes of climbing on a Versa Climber, a vertical machine that has you working out every part of your body, for the fullest cardio impact. Most of the time I can’t breathe, and I get through two towels of sweat. It is a killer burn, so if that’s what you’re after, that is what they deliver.
BXR classes can be purchased on their website at www.bxrlondon.com
RUN JUNKIE – Signature Class
I am laughing, I am running, I am sweating and I am actually having fun – who says that after spending 30 minutes on a treadmill? Enter Run Junkie. Launching this January with their first pop up in Lululemon Marylebone, Run Junkie is the latest fitness concept that consists of a full body workout on the Skillmill, a self powered treadmill – the first running studio of its kind!
I was lucky enough to have a preview class with one of the founders, Rebecca Harvey, and trainer Rory Knight. I tried their sprint class which consists of a variety of speed drills and body weight exercises. At all times I was able to adjust my resistance, meaning I could go as hard (or soft!) as I liked. This combined with their adrenalin pumping music that is designed to make you “run to the beat” (and you actually do!), makes for one highly addictive work-out!
One of my favourite parts of the class is the personalised real-time data that is shared with the trainer, allowing them to personalise your training. Results are sent to you after the class, giving you the data you need to improve on your performance for the next session.
The Run Junkie pop up opens on the 13th of January through to the 28th of January so don’t miss out on ticket sales!
Buy tickets now at run-junkie.zingfit.com and find out more on their website at www.run-junkie.com
Core The Studio – Personal Training/pilates
Nestled between antique and jewellry shops on Kensington Church Street, Core The Studio is a boutique studio offering pilates group sessions, one on one classes and personal training. Max Zeigler, one of the co-founders, has trained Olympic athletes, celebrities that he is too modest to name and women in their nineties who can deadlift twice as much as I can! We start with a few rounds of boxing and squats to warm up before we move to their outside gym area – a green terrace area they have devoted to all kinds of evil – weights, pull up bars and devices I can’t even begin to explain. After whimpering at the idea of doing pull ups, through a few tweaks and some good old fashioned practice, Max was able to get me to my first ever pull up!
The studio offers a number of group reformer-based pilates with their other founder Natalie, and for those who need specific gains, either of them can be booked for private sessions via their website – www.corethestudio.com
Heartcore’s Ride
Heartcore launched over ten years ago and has been rapidly expanding their beautiful set of studios across London. Initially a purely pilates-focused studio, they now serve up everything from candlelight yoga to Strength and Conditioning classes and, most recently, spinning. I had tried their reformer-based pilates and barre classes, so when I heard about Ride, their new spin class available at Hampstead and Notting Hill studios, I was very keen to sign up. Great beats, a gorgeously zen designed space (think banana leaf plants, whitewashed wooden floors and candles) and a seriously motivational instructor – the class was everything I wanted it to be: fun, invigorating and a hell of a sweat! The classes are intimate and great for all levels – so whether you are a newby or hardcore spin-freak, Ride will leave you feeling uplifted and challenged.
Find out more and book your class at www.heartcore.co.uk
F45 – Full Body Workout
As I descend the stairs for my F45 full body attack, I feel a bit nervous. Downstairs I can hear trainers shouting and alarms beeping, and as I peek through the door, I see sweat. Lots of it. I knew before I booked F45 that it was going to be hard. The Australian franchise has a serious reputation that offers serious results!
Just the class list is an insight: a day at the docks, Hollywood, Panther. You get the jist. My class is T10, a 45 minute strength and cardio class comprising of 10 rounds of circuit like moves, repeated four times. Think rowing machines, squat thrusts, rope swings and 20kg squats. It is not for the faint-hearted but it is certainly addictive. I found that the next week I am back again, ready for a dose of endorphins, and a good burn.
F45 classes can be booked online at www.F45training.co.uk
