UNDERCOVER: KICKBOXX

From the moment I went on the website and saw the video I knew that I was going to worked hard whatever class I booked into! I chose the beginners class after a conversation with their receptionist as I don't have much kickboxing. I was a little bit worried that it wouldn't be intense but I was assured that it would still kill me but that it would contain less advanced combinations... they were right!
I got to the studio and was waved up by the instructor. I love the interior of the whole building (annoyingly I forgot to take a picture and can't find one online, sorry!). Aaand the toilets were lovely and clean! I feel very strongly about good shower and toilet facilities and Kickboxx definitely ticks the box.

The class was quite small but everyone there was very friendly and I could tell that they were regulars so it had a really relaxed feel. We started the class running laps of the studio and doing press ups at each end. After this we stretched. By this point I was ready to get punching things! The class was split into sections, these were then repeated but with different exercises.  We started with combinations on the floor followed by what I like to call 'attacking the punch bag' with variations of the combos we'd just learnt. To split up the sections were exercises done for one or two minutes these was ridiculously hard! I had just used up all of my energy punching and kicking and then I had to do press ups, hold the plank position and punch the bad with one hand arrgghh (in a good way!).

When it came to attacking the punch bag, I loved it! It's great because you can apply as much force as you like so it really is one of those you get out what you put in type of classes. The first time on the punch bag I was a bit ropey. My pulse was racing and I was getting to the panting stage but with Jay-Z blaring and the instructor's encouragement I somehow got through it. I'm not sure where the energy came from but I was literally working as hard as I could for the whole class. I was in total outdoor bootcamp mode and definitely felt at the end of the class that I had punch, kicked and sweated enough to have earnt myself a lot of cocktails that evening!

The class is a great combination of kickboxing and a bootcamp class AND it's fun! I've already recommended the class to my house mates and friends and I suggest that everyone in and near the Crouch end area tries it. Your first class is free so you really have no excuse. The class will push you to your limits in that way cross country running used to at school, although somehow it is enjoyable!

Best bit... attacking the punch bag!

Worst bit... the gloves, if you don't have your own you can borrow but as with everywhere they are a bit smelly.

Good for...Toning and stretch

CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT: Vita Coco!

Coconut water is the latest thing for health apparently. Itʼs meant to be the best hangover cure around, make you feel tip-top, and be better for you than plain, old, normal water. One carton has more potassium than two bananas, alongside other electrolytes. The point of all of those is to help keep your bodyʼs fluid levels balanced, make you feel less sluggish post-exercise, and stop cramps during exercise. They also do lots of other, very scientific things, apparently!

Rhianna, Courtney Cox, Madonna and Jessica Simpson have both been snapped drinking the stuff, and Demi Moore loves it so much that sheʼs invested in Vita Coco! So, bearing all of this in mind, I set myself a challenge...if it makes you feel hydrated and gives you an energy boost...could I replace caffeine with coconut water for a week?
A case of the stuff arrived from the lovely people at Vita Coco, and I popped it all in the fridge to keep it nice & cool - and I felt full of optimism, and ready to take on a decaffeinated world.

I started there and then, and I must admit, the taste is a little unusual. Itʼs a little thicker in consistency than water, but not quite like juice. If youʼve ever been on holiday somewhere with coconuts growing nearby, cracked one and drunk straight from the nut, then youʼll know just what it tastes like. Basically, donʼt expect it to taste like the inside of a Bounty bar! Luckily, they also do flavoured ones (pineapple, passion fruit etc) that are a bit more interesting - the regular plain one is a bit bland.
I normally start the day with a cuppa before I leave the house, and I decided to swap that for a vita coco on my tube journey to work. I must admit that I arrived at the office feeling much less thirsty than usual, and I didnʼt feel like Iʼd missed my cuppa, but I was still ready for my morning coffee by 9.30. And rather than power on through, I crumbled and had an Americano anyway!

On the mornings that I went to the gym before work, it did make me feel more hydrated afterwards than just a glass of water. Iʼm not sure if itʼs a psychological thing, or if it really does hydrate you better, but I felt like Iʼd just had a sports drink rather than water. And coconut water has to be healthier than a sugary, brightly coloured sports drink, doesnʼt it?


In conclusion, I must admit that I failed to give up coffee properly, as Vita Coco canʼt feed the beast if you have a caffeine habit! But I did feel less thirsty and a bit healthier. I easily replaced my morning tea with the coconut water every day, and felt better for it, but still felt like I needed to indulge in a few coffees and green teas as well. As for the hangover cure bit....yep, thatʼs true too. It definitely settled my stomach and got rid of that weird furry- mouth feeling. Not that Booty Blogger would ever normally drink too much, I just thought it was only fair to test the theory for you all!


If you want me or any of the Fitness Freak team to take on a challenge from your brand - email me at BootyBlogger@fitness-freak.com Iʼm happy to be your guinea pig!