UNDERCOVER: FITTER LONDON

You know when you book into a Saturday morning class and as soon as your alarm goes off on Saturday you regret it? Well that didn't happen to me. I'd e-mailed Matt at Fitter London at the beginning of the week and he told me to just turn up to class and that there was no need to book. I had heard from the Fitness Freak team that I was in for an intense class. I still wasn't dreading it. I woke up before my alarm so ate my breakfast then strolled to the tube. I was pretty excited, despite being slightly fueled by last nights' cocktails.

I found the Fitness First where the classes are held. It wasn't until I queued up outside the studio where the previous Fitter London class was happening (10.30am circuits) that the fear began. The room was full of sweaty people working ridiculously hard. They were smiling and having fun but I instantly wanted to kick myself for the extra couple of cocktails last night, no matter how fun they were! On Saturday mornings Fitter London's classes happen at Fitness First. Very easy to find and the gym has  nicest front of house staff I've met in a long time. Very friendly and really helpful. The first class is free and you don't have to book. But don't let that put you off or worry you because the studio is a good size and there is plenty of equipment for both the 10.30 and 11.30 class so you will get in. 




                    

The instructor, Matt, was really thorough and helped the newbies with technique but also made sure to push the regulars. I was told the format of the class changes on a weekly basis but that they work on lots of glute activation and abs/lower back. Which is perfect for me as I know my glutes can get lazy. The class also seems to target that under bum bit that appears when you've treated yourself to too many cakes... In the class itself we used giant kettlebells. Not the pretty, colourful ones I was used to. The weights are the same but they look like Russian weightlifting kettlebells. So I felt pretty awesome swinging them around. We partnered up and took turns to perform reps of different exercises. Whilst your partner is doing one exercise, you do another. The sections were between 5-8 minutes long so having a partner really helped you push yourself, as you knew you had to switch with them soon. 

The class is different to any other kettlebell class I have taken before. I have never been in a class where so much attention is paid to the muscles that people don't know how to active. At the end of the class lay on mats and used the kettlebells to work on our arms, abs and backs and I could really feel everything engage properly. As a result I was able to challenge myself and use a heavier weight (when Matt passed it to me I thought he was mad, but I survived!). I absolutely loved the class. It was hard core and really works on endurance as well as strength. On Sunday morning when I woke up even my forearms ached, so you know it was a good class. I really want to try the circuit class next and think I may become a regular.

Best bit... The intensity of the workout

Worst bit...Not being able to book

Good for..abs, arms, glutes, thighs

UNDERCOVER: Flow Yoga, Pineapple Studios

Hello fitness freaks.

The classes here are excellent, and although they can be quite demanding and high-impact, they are always fun. 

You can walk in at any time in the day and there will be something going on, and they have a HUGE range of classes.  I rocked up on a Monday night, on a whim, and I decided to go for a more relaxed class.  Dynamic flow yoga is actually more tiring than your usual class; theres not much time to stop and rest like there sometimes is! You move from pose to pose in a flowing manner and the focus is on holding the poses with strength, breathing well and being strong (basically, it does what it says on the tin).

The teacher was really supportive, and made everyone feel like it was a one-to-one class. She offered options for the less yoga-tastic in the group and pushed the regulars to take each pose further.  It was one of the best yoga classes I have done. Having said all of that, its slightly off-putting to be able to hear the pumping music leaking in from next door while you’re in ‘relaxation’ at the end of the class!

All in all, a great class.  Challenging without being horrendous, nice friendly group (good job really, as we were all jammed in pretty close) and fab teacher.

Best bit – felt challenged but also relaxed

Worst bit – the studio is more set-up for pumping dance classes than relaxing yoga

Good for – improving your yoga

Score – 8/10

What: Dynamic Flow Yoga

When: Monday 6pm

Where: PINEAPPLE DANCE STUDIOS, 7 Langley Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9JA

How much: £7.00 (plus small fee for walk-in customers)

UNDERCOVER: Vibration enhances exercise. Good Vibes

So, everyone keeps banging on about power plates, and how they give you have a really intense workout in half the time. Sold! Less time, better results….music to my ears.

Turns out there are loads of places you can do a free trial, but then it does become quite expensive if you like it a lot and want to go every day. But I’m not one to ever turn down a freebie, so I hopped on down to the glow studios in Covent Garden for a class.

The class involves a succession of 1 minute poses or moves, on the plate.  For example, 1 minute of squats, then another minute of push ups.  The vibrations are pretty intense (think washing machine on spin cycle) but you get used to that pretty quickly.  And the vibration does mean that you have to work harder to hold each pose, and you can feel your core muscles tense to help out with your balance. Having said that, I didn’t feel the burn very much the next day.

The class was led by a lovely chappy, and there were only 3 of us (I think the maximum is 6) so it was intimate and there was no room for slacking! The instructor could have explained the moves in a little more detail as I was a newbie, and the other two were clearly pros, but there wasn’t anything too taxing, and he demonstrated most moves first.

All in all, it was quick and easy, and would be a great way of squeezing in some exercise if you struggle to drag yourself to the gym.

And p.s…..sitting down on the plate for the bum stretches is not for the faint hearted or easily embarrassed!

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Best bit – quick and a small class

Worst bit – daggy music & couldn’t feel it the next day

Good for – a quick fix on the way to work or in your lunch break. Something is ALWAYS better than nothing.

Score – 7/10

Good Vibes Covent Garden

14 – 16 Betterton Street

London WC2H 9BU

TIME: Every 30 mins at peak times of the day

COST: free trial, and then an average of approx £16 a class after that.

Lovely studios, small but clean changing rooms with free posh moisturiser and lockers.  The receptionist was also really cheery and friendly.