April 24, 2023
The best fitness studios in London for classes: from boxing to reformer | 2023
Spring is creeping in and before you blink it’ll be summer. You’re here wondering whether your desire to workout is slipping away, but we’ve all been there! Our writer Kaya is here with your definitive guide to endorphin-boosting studios, stand-alone gyms and sweat-fuelled sessions to make you crave many many more.
These are perfect on the days you’re commuting to the office, pre or post workday and even for a spontaneous mental health boost on those down days (that we all have).
Although the rise of fitness from home workouts has seen huge expansion, nothing beats an in-person workout with passionate trainers, competitive counterparts and of course a juicy playlist.
These are the top 10 favourite fitness spots to get your sweat on… with prices, and trainer spotlights!
With its flagship located in the heart of Marylebone, BXR London is the world’s first high-end boxing gym. BXR launched in January 2017 and spans 12,000 square feet across two floors with a full-size boxing ring by Ringcraft at its core.
In 2017 BXR London launched Sweat by BXR, its boutique pay-to-train concept which offers group training classes based on cardio, strength and conditioning, boxing skills and mobility. At Canary Wharf, Sweat by BXR utilises VersaClimb, a low-impact climb where you push for an insane vertical mile height.
Locations: Canary Wharf, Marylebone, Bishopsgate
Price: Introductory sweat for £15 or grab sweat pack (x4 classes) for £40
Coach spotlight: Ashleigh Frost is a ball of energy and motivation, she makes you feel like you can do literally anything. If you like to be pushed HARD, book in a session with Kate Moss and if you want a mini rave, Maddy Ingram is your gal.
FS8 is the revolutionary fitness movement brought to you by industry leaders, F45 Training, which is set to revolutionise the way you work out whilst improving your physical and psychological well-being.
This multi-modality, circuit-based, group training concept combines the benefits of Yoga, Pilates, and Tone into one 50-minute session. FS8 allows you to enter a new era of mindful movement and discover the latest low-impact exercise innovation, and honestly my core has never been so stable. You also use muscles that you’ve never known about before, the perfect challenge for somebody who loves reformer and weight training and this combines both.
Location: Oxford Circus
Price: 5 sessions for £49 (trial package)
Coach Spotlight: Emily Rutherwood is the go-to trainer here who trained for FS8 in Auz! A professionally trained dancer who has technique and passion at the heart of her sessions! If you’re looking for enthusiasm and energy, book a session with Gia in too.
StrongHer | Strictly Women Only
The mission of East London’s fitness studio StrongHer is to create an inclusive community of women, all with a shared love for fitness and well-being through effective strength and resistance training and straightforward nutritional education.
All levels (beginner, intermediate or workout pros) are welcome as well as those who identify as women, which means non-binary and transgender too! With strength & conditioning, HIIT, weight training and mobility classes available, you’ll be spoilt for choice. With some amazing coaches including Shaz, Abi and Lana, you’ll be pumped for your next session.
Price: Get a 7-day unlimited intro pack offer for £35 to try studio classes & the gym
Location: Bethnal Green, East London
Coach spotlight: Senior Trainer Abi Skipper is here for Mobility fun fitness, and she brings the goods! If you want to beasted in your session, book a spot with Lana though!
Victus Soul offers a number of different workouts including HIIT&RUN, HIIT&BOX, STRENGTH, RUN & BOX, each aired with meticulous programming, hard work and their signature dynamic recovery.
Whichever class you choose, functional fitness, primal movements and the key principles of boxing, running and strength training are at the core of their programming. This formula promotes a results-driven, dynamic and varied workout with a science-based active recovery to ensure participants can train for tomorrow.
Get ready to embark on a journey that will see you discovering new limits!
Price: 1 class intro offer for £14, or a 3 class intro pack for £45
Location: Aldgate East
Coach Spotlight: Amanda has the ultimate workout playlist and her energy makes it feel like your workouts are over in the blink of an eye. If you’re looking for a mindset shift or motivation during your workout and final stretches Neha’s class is perfect.
Expect MORE burpees, box jumps and moves that’ll leave you utterly destroyed but on a high from the team that’s there to pump you up and get you sweating.
The F45 Old Street one is badass! Ran by dream duo Adam and Pip – the positive, pumped-up owners who are ready to help you at every turn.
Price: 10 classes for £220, but these guys regularly have trial offers on so keep your eyes peeled
Location: Old Street, just by the station!
Coach spotlight: Seon brings the nod of approval and validation that you’re doing a great job when working out, but don’t expect him to let you off the hook if you try to go down a weight or do one less rep (based on experience) – he will know.
If you tend to get bored of fitness classes easily (we’re totally guilty) Digme offers stylish and fun workouts guaranteed to make you break a sweat.
Their cycling classes are fan favourites – flashing lights and funky music is the perfect setting for a 45-min burn. They’ve got three types of Cycle, Perform (all about the data), Rhythm (all about the music) and Ride (the best of both!).
But we also love their HIIT programmes, and the stretch and mobility options for days when we just cannot bring ourselves to go HAM. Having recently launched Barre and Yoga, you’ve got the options you need for that perfect mix of training.
Price: 1 class £23, Intro offer 3 classes for £21 (if you sign-up to their mailing list!)
Location: Four studios over London, Bank, Richmond, Moorgate, Covent Garden
Coach Spotlight: Chloe Laureyns has the SPIN class sessions going on, evergy, all the vibes and good good times.
Everybody knows 1Rebel as one of the sexiest studios around! Choose from classics like Rumble (boxing), Reshape (Treadmill and floor) or Ride or their latest Rig or Reformer Pilates, you’re spoilt for choice. My personal go-to is Rumble as the class combines classic boxing technique with strength-based floor work or HIIT to sculpt muscles and break a real sweat! Are you up for it? P.S. The changing rooms are my second favourite place minus the studio… They are just beautiful and have everything you need post-workout.
Price: from £25/class or first three classes for £49
Location: 11 London sites, and multiple concepts including Reshape (treadmill sprints and weights), Ride (cycle), Rig (hybrid fitness concept combining HIIT, circuits and functional training, plus Reformer pilates, Rebel is fast becoming one of the best gyms in London.
Coach Spotlight: Luke is the Rumble OG and kills it every single time, but I’m also loving Katie for Reshape – she’s spicy and she knows it!
Rebelling against the watered-down trends seen in the ever-growing fitness market, we’re going back to basics and discover the true Classical methodology, (specifically called ‘Contrology, Pilates’) in its most authentic form.
Championing low-impact, restorative workouts that transform the body, Exhale Pilates are on a mission to revive the original works of Joseph Pilates, this includes the lesser-known ‘Tower Class’ not regularly seen here in the UK. With a celeb-studded client list (including Harry Styles, Christian Eriksen and Kelly Brook) – the founder Gaby is a leading industry authority in the Global Pilates community – helping stroke victims to walk again and training a number of renowned professional athletes through recovery.
Price: £50 tower intro which includes x1 private session, x1 tower class, x2 week expiry. You can also book one class for £35
Location: North Finchley or Primrose Hill
Coach spotlight: Gaby of course with her wealth of knowledge and skill! Hannah is also wonderful.
The Fore is a gorgeous workout studio that means business. This is one of the newer additions to the King’s Cross development and when you walk in you’re not disappointed. The space is beautifully bespoke with a co-working space, gorgeous sofas and natural light from every angle. That said, it’s undoubtedly one of London’s toughest exercise classes and with TXR, HIIT, Boxing, Yoga and PT available, you can pick your poison.
Price: £20/class or wider membership options
Location: Kings Cross
Coach spotlight: Fortitude with Mike was a killer unique class that combines TXR, the RIP Trainer Technogym’s Skillmill, to test every element of your fitness, build endurance, speed and flexibility. Boxing and Conditioning with Oliver Lee was also epic.
The original high-intensity interval workout. Barry’s tones muscle and maximise fat loss with a combination of running and weights. The cult workouts are divided between intervals on the treadmill and strength training on the floor. Each day at Barry’s they focus on a different area from the full body (upper or lower) to the chest back & abs. If you’re looking for high-intensity interval training that will push you to your limits, look no further.
Price: £53 (3 class newbie pack) or £24/class
Locations: Multiple London Locations! East, West, Central, Soho, St Pauls, Canary Wharf
Written by Kaya Cheshire for Luxuria Lifestyle London and International
