Movement: something I would argue is a basic human need, when in recent years it has been tarnished by the brush of diet culture. Sadly, it is often promoted as a form of punishment or as a method to redeem ourselves from our foes. For this reason, it is linked to choice and has led to two camps, with those that voluntarily choose to exercise being glorified and those that choose to abstain considered lazy. Ironically, such negative connotations have pushed many of us further away from it, rather than brought us closer to this need that is grounded in human nature. We hear it all the time; “I don’t have time”, “I can’t afford it”, or “I don’t have access”, but I have an alternative perspective on it. I suspect the vast majority of you reading this do have the opportunity, you’re just deciding not to exercise it. In fact you have the capacity to prioritise movement or to prioritise your health and wellbeing and for this reason, movement is in fact a privilege.

Privilege: “A special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group”.

The pandemic is proof of this. While a lot of us were forced to stay inside with little to do, many of us turned to exercise to harness our positive spirit. We were ordering kettlebells for our home “gym”, or even investing in a Peloton bike. We turned to loungewear instead of party outfits, lured into that matching Lulu set we could finally justify while we were sitting inside for 23 hours a day. The concern for our wellbeing grew astronomically – physical wellbeing, social wellbeing, mental wellbeing; all of us were concerned with the choice to optimise our wellbeing, when in reality there were many people so far removed from making this choice for themselves. In even more recent times, the Ukrainian crisis is further evidence of this privilege. Civilians have been stripped of their rights and with that they have been stripped of the ability to exercise their right to wellbeing. 

So what’s my point you may ask. Am I going to bully you into exercise now? No, quite the opposite. My point is to highlight that we are blind to our privilege and all the time diet and popular culture surrounds us, it undermines the blessing of movement. Movement is not this loathsome thing we must force ourselves to do for the goal of self-betterment or worse, social approval. All the time we make these excuses, we are denying ourselves the experience of losing ourselves to movement, or harnessing movement as mental relief, as something fun, as something to share common ground with those outside of our usual social groups. My mission is to help you discover the beauty of movement and its power to elevate us physically, emotionally and socially. 

Local councils offer one solution with community fitness; gyms are generally affordable and found in almost every location across the country, but these tend to conjure up visions of dirty swimming pools, and changing rooms with only a trickling push-button shower. I’m here to prove that community fitness spans so much further than those tired-looking gyms and in fact, you can even find yourself amongst some of the country’s state of the art facilities thanks to the Puresport Fitness Club. 

With a philosophy deep-rooted in nature, Puresport is far more than just a world-class CBD brand. As a holistic lifestyle brand incorporating natural products, wellness, and community, it has developed quite a cult-following since starting the UK’s largest free weekly Run Club back in April 2021. This is a community of 100s, gathering together to move their bodies in nature every Wednesday in Battersea Park and now further afield in locations such as Bristol and Liverpool. Thanks to its stratospheric success, less than one year on the brand has already diffused into the luxury fitness space, hosting a series of FREE weekly fitness classes in London’s top gyms. No this is not a drill. Whether you’re a fitness newbie or a gym bnoc, this is your call to get involved with the nation’s leading wellbeing community.

What’s the deal?

Like a race for Glastonbury tickets, spots go live every Friday for the following Thursday. Each week is a different venue, so keep a close eye out via the Puresport newsletter and the @puresportclubs Instagram page. So far we’ve seen events at Core Collective, The Yard Peckham, Crank London and One Ldn – all of which offer one-off class passes at your standard London prices so you’re getting a really good deal here. Grab your space for next weeks’ event directly via the Puresport events page. 

What to expect?

In terms of the movement, expect anything from rowing to cycling, weightlifting to CrossFit, all at a range of top locations across the country with all sessions being led by expert trainers to guide all levels of fitness. With sessions open to all abilities and at minimal to no cost, what’s your excuse not to go?

Who’s it for? 

Anyone! The Puresport community offers a safe space for you to step outside of your comfort zone and break those initial nerves of meeting new people. Sessions are truly scalable for any ability and you can expect to be encouraged by an open-armed community that has developed its own sense of belonging. It’s that added extra you may need to test the waters of fitness, or better; forge friendships that foster prolonged enjoyment in spending time with one another.

My experience at the Puresport x WIT event

I attended the Puresport x WIT Fitness takeover which was very well-organised while maintaining a totally relaxed atmosphere. Sometimes these one-off events are almost too organised, to the point where the hosts are so fixated on sticking to the itinerary that it feels a bit strained and lacks spontaneity. This event was nothing like that with even the event organisers getting involved themselves – there was no aura of “We’re better than” or “We’re fitter than” attendees, so the sense of community was indisputable. Few of us feel fully comfortable walking into a room full of people where we’re then expected to exchange words, but I have to say it was really easy to open up conversation with anyone here. There were many of us that had come alone, which is a testament to the inclusive community Puresport Fitness Club have created! 

The workout itself involved getting into teams of 4 and splitting the workload of two sweat-inducing AMRAP’s (‘as many rounds as possible’) between us; think all those lactic-spurring cardio machines like the rower and the assault bike combined with synchronised bodyweight movements. There were no weights and no high-skill movements, that way everyone could really get stuck in regardless of their fitness level. The beats were blared and our MC, the unmissable Gus Vaz Tostes, was spewing with words of encouragement so we really got to work amongst the roaring atmosphere. 

By the end we were all with our hands on our knees, lungs burnt and gasping for air, but still managed to knock a few fist bumps and stayed behind to chat afterwards. You really do feel immersed in this unique community! 

Final thoughts

Going back to my original point, I firmly believe that we need to embrace a culture where as individuals we feel empowered to take charge of our wellbeing and discover the power of movement to elevate us physically, emotionally and socially. Puresport are at the forefront of this movement with their holistic brand philosophy, and in offering a truly inclusive space for anyone to become better, healthier and happier individuals with the Puresport Fitness Club. This is also much more than individualistic self-betterment; the Club embodies a community for attendees to return and create friendships that genuinely enrich their physical and mental health. They’re breeding a culture that makes movement enjoyable and truly accessible to all, so there’s really no better time than to change up your routine with the Puresport Fitness Club!

Follow @puresportclubs or the Puresport events page for details of upcoming events.