From barbells to boxing, rowing machines to treadmills, I’ve tried and tested the Best High-Impact Workouts in London that guarantee a sweaty session. This is your curated guide to London’s best studios for your high-impact workout.
Rowbots
Rowing; a sport renowned for its intensity and call on mental resilience. But the solitude of sitting on the rower for hours on end several days a week doesn’t have much appeal, does it? ROWBOTS is trailblazing a new generation of fitness, placing psychology and mindset in the spotlight by taking mental conditioning a step further with a selection of gruelling workouts with split intervals of functional movements and the rower, created to achieve particular mental milestones and goals. Classes are obsessively calibrated by a team of experts from competition power-lifters, Olympic rowers, professional athletes and mental health professionals to create a holistic workout for your mind and body, each class steeped in science. The introduction to your session isn’t too dissimilar from that of a yoga or meditation class, where instructors handwrite the daily affirmation on a wall of encompassing mirrors and you then begin on the rowing machine. Grit your teeth throughout the workout with this intention in mind, and finish with a 10-minute meditation to reflect on your performance while the coaches remind you that there’s always something positive to take away from every session. It’s time to get yourself into The Machine Room and #SwitchOn!
Who’s it for?
Those wanting to challenge their mental resilience as much as getting a serious sweat on.
Locations:
Fitzrovia and The City
Cost:
Individual class £22, memberships from £78p/m.
Facilities:
Full shower facilities with Cloud9 hair appliances and luxury wash products; easy to use coded lockers, refuel smoothie bar.
CrossFit Putney
This is not just your regular CrossFit gym with the classic, stripped back functional facilities. Based under four towering railway arches, the industrial character of CrossFit Putney is ignited with life by the superior equipment and visuals – not to mention spaces such as their polished cafe with a full menu made by nutritionists, so you can socialise over a smoothie after your workout or even use as your workspace.
Their philosophy goes beyond the hardcore methodology associated to CrossFit. In a discussion with Co-Founder Sarah Molloy, she shares that their gym is not just a place to train your body, but a space to make long-lasting friends, or a space to network and discover a home from home. This also ties into their approach to programming; coaches meet with new members before their first class to discuss their experience, their goals and overall health, ensuring you feel fully comfortable in class and your experience with them meets these needs. There’s really no reason to feel intimidated by the grungy demonstration given off by CrossFit. Sure you’ll get to throw around heavy iron barbells and hurl yourself over the gymnastics rig, but in your time with CrossFit Putney you can explore wider options with the addition of Strength & Conditioning classes, Weightlifting, Yoga, Calisthenics, and Personal Training. Delve deeper into your regular fitness routine and become part of a truly welcoming community!
Who’s it for?
Those wanting to become a part of a close-knit community and train towards individual goals
Location:
Putney
Cost:
Individual class £22, memberships from £175 p/m.
Facilities:
Full shower facilities with GHD hair appliances and luxury wash products; easy to use coded lockers, cafe with a smoothie bar, wifi and charging points.
1Rebel
The cool kid of the boutique gym block; everyone’s heard of 1Rebel. The Hollywood-esque dressing tables in the changing rooms amusingly tie into this portrayal, and the fact their trainers are pretty much celebrities of the London gym scene. But that’s not to say this is a place of style over substance – their four signature classes are not for the faint-hearted. Reshape is a full-throttle cardio class with half your time being put through your paces on the treadmill and half your time on the floor for dynamic movements, using both bodyweight and dumbbells to target particular parts of the body. Despise the treadmill? Get your step count in with boxing combinations and kicks in the Rumble class, or find yourself rising and descending on the bike in the three-tiered amphitheatre that is the spin studio at Victoria (also available at other locations, but this studio is too unique to miss – it’s basically a nightclub). Alternatively, try out their newest concept; Rig – an adult playground for the hardest of fitness fanatics (currently available at the Hammersmith studio). Test your endurance on the cardio-killer assault bike and rowing machine, interspersed with rounds of weighted sequences on the bench and pull-ups on the rig.
Who’s it for?
For the commuter wanting a quick in and out gym routine.
Locations:
Hammersmith, Oxford Circus, Holborn, Angel, Victoria, Southbank, Bayswater, Broadgate, St Mary’s Axe
Cost:
Individual class £23, class bundles from £100
Facilities:
Full shower facilities with GHD hair appliances and luxury wash products; easy to use coded lockers, refuel smoothie bar.
Core Collective
There’s one word for this studio; slick. The facilities, trainers and members alike – everything and ev eryone here boasts style! Nevertheless, the crowd are really friendly, while trainers are attentive and hands on to mould your movement and help you get the most out of your session. Guided by their four-dimensional offering Sweat, Strength, Sculpt, and Recover, Core Collective offer a full spectrum of fitness classes to meet your needs whether it’s to get your heart racing and endorphins flowing, or sticking to the mat and strengthening your core. To keep your workout routine fresh I recommend buying one of their class packages, so you can mix and match sessions and curate the ultimate personalised programme. I personally loved getting lost in the labyrinth of showers amongst the cool copper piping and muted lighting. There’s really no excuse to not get dolled up after class all while you can help yourself to Malin & Goetz products and Cloud Nine hair appliances. Read my full review of their newest class, TEAM/SWEAT here.
Who’s it for?
Perfect for those wanting variety in their training using distinct sessions to complement one another
Locations:
High Street Kensington, Knightsbridge, St Johns Wood
Cost:
Individual class £25, class bundles from £100
Facilities:
Full shower facilities with Cloud Nine hair appliances and luxury wash products; easy to use lockers, refuel smoothie bar and a full menu at High Street Kensington.
Jab
We all know that boxers are some of the highest-performing individuals on the planet, with the most ruthless of training routines and a tenacious mindset to meet the physical demands of their sport. This is emulated into the Jab philosophy; the philosophy that, “We don’t work out, we train”. The inspiring yet utterly humble coaches take their members from a basic foundation of training, transforming their performances to that of a level of athleticism with classes that are programmed to teach you the fundamentals and enrich new skills. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or never boxed before, throw yourself into ‘Fight Week’; Jab’s ultimate challenge is held 5 times a year, which is there to set your benchmarks and test yourself beyond your day to day training. Find yourself amongst the camaraderie of the Jab community as you each soldier on with 7 gruelling sessions in 7 days, and complete the week feeling triumphant. Not quite ready for it? Their community challenges are once a month and will allow you to develop confidence as you put your skills to the test.
Who’s it for?
For those wanting to train with goals in mind, beyond “just a workout”.
Location:
Mayfair
Cost:
Individual class £27.50, class bundles from £245.
Facilities:
Full shower facilities with GHD hair appliances and luxury wash products; easy to use lockers, refuel smoothie bar.
