MY ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE BEST GYM CLASSES IN LONDON

It can feel rather daunting to try a new work out class by yourself, let alone find one that you like and become a regular at.

Everyone knows the feeling, signing up to a new class, not quite knowing what to expect. I mean in the first place you put yourself in quite the vulnerable position because, let’s be honest, who apart from supermodels looks amazing in skin tight lycra Lycra AND who ever looks good sweating and red faced after an intense workout?! I certainly do not. Plus there is is always that underlying fear of being the one person that has no clue what to do and who everyone suddenly starts hysterically laughing at.

Of course most of the above are silly irrational fears because we are all in the same boat when it comes to exercising and I am yet to go to a class where I feel judged or the like. Quite on the contrary I have really enjoyed going to lots of different classes around London and trying new kinds of working out previously unknown to me. 

Needless to say the enjoyment of a class can be very much dependent on the instructor, the studio and the kind of exercise you like (I quite enjoy being pushed to my limits) but with classes in London rarely being cheap, you are hard pushed to find a good one under £15, I hope the below guides helps you a little to navigate your way through London’s ever expanding fitness scene and encourages you to give one of the classes a go! 

For me working out regularly has really helped with my anxiety, stress release and getting me to sleep so that the money I have spent on classes has never felt like a waste but rather a really good investment in my personal well being!


HIGH INTENSITY

BARRY'S BOOTCAMP

RATING: 5/5 

All my friends will tell you that I am a little Barry’s Bootcamp obsessed and I am not the only one. It may not be cheap, £22 for a single class although you can buy monthly packages that work out a lot cheaper, but for me it really is the best workout in London. The instructors are world class and push you further than you would ever in the gym by yourself. They also make every session different - yes, there is the basic set up of a mix of floor work using weights, benches, body weights and booty bands, and hard core running on a treadmill, but the length of rounds and exercises differ in every class so that you will never grow complacent or bored of the workout. 

It is an hour of hardcore working out but your level of fitness will improve very quickly if you start going regularly and you will notice real progress. I started on beginner speeds, the instructor will always give you three speed options, one for beginners, one for intermediate runners and one for the crazy advanced runners, and I nowadays almost solidly run intermediate speeds. 

Mentally and physically the red room, where the class takes place, will really push you and I am yet to try a work out after which I feel more satisfied, slightly exhausted but also full of endorphins. I personally love the East London studio, it’s pretty big, has the best staff (shoutout to my favourite front of house toned goddess Rachel) and runs classes seven days a week - from super early 6am sessions, which I personally love as someone that has lost all ability to sleep in, to late evening ones - one of my favourites is the 7:50pm back and chest session with Louis every Wednesday. 

It takes a bit of trial and error to figure out which instructors you like best but my personal favourites are Alex (who for a reason gets most of the prime time morning slots during the week), Sam and Louis (whose sessions are known as the hardest). Make sure to book ahead though, classes are always opened a week in advance and book out super quick. Also book a T space if possible, that means you start the session on a treadmill and then move to the floor  after your first round (F space) - I always find an easier way into the workout. Will I shut up about Barry’s any time soon?! Nope probably not and that is fully none #spon. See you in the red room or the dark, loud and sweaty downstairs space that is where the Barry’s magic happens.

Cost per class: £22 (but cheaper if bought in bulk or you go for one of their monthly packages)


SWEAT IT 

RATING: 2/5 

I am not going to sugarcoat it, Sweat IT very much feels like a ‘Barry’s light. There is the dark basement workout room, filled with treadmill and ‘rigs’ instead of benches for the floor work and there is the blue light filling the room instead of Barry’s iconic red light for added atmosphere. Classes are shorter (50 minutes which with all the changeovers felt too short) as well as shorter rounds and I was not a fan of their touch screen treadmills that made it hard to change speeds, especially when sprinting. I also didn’t feel their instructors were particularly infectious or encouraging and after three sessions trying out Sweat IT as part of their intro offer (£30 for 3 classes) I was left feeling like Sweat IT will burn some calories but leave you feeling a little meh otherwise.

Cost per class: £21 (but cheaper if bought in bulk or you go for one of their monthly packages)


1REBEL

RATING ;3/5 

Rebel1 again follows a similar workout pattern to Barry’s with treadmill intervals followed by bench / weight work. I did like the brand new Angel location with very snazzy fittings and changing rooms but again the class lacked the energy and excitement and I guess regular and committed clientele you get at Barry’s that pushes you that extra mile further. One perhaps to check out for newbies for this kind of workout as classes are shorter (45 minutes) and I did really like the new Angel studio which is super conveniently located right by the station. 

Cost per class: £21 (but cheaper if bought in bulk or you go for one of their monthly packages + £16 first timers class offer)


PSYCLE STAMINA 50

RATING: 5/5 

I am usually not a fan of the classic circuit training class, finding it a bit boring and laborious if I am honest, but I have to say I really LOVED the Stamina 50 class at Psycle. It was bloody hard and longer than your standard 30 minutes HIIT circuit training but Ryan was an excellent trainer (I did his Thursday evening class at Psycle's Mortimer Street studio) who guided us through how to use all the different stations. I also liked the variety of the stations in the circuit (rowing machines, box jumping, cycling) and the longer periods you spent at them rather than your standard minute. If you want to tone up quick this is the class for you, even me as regular gym goer was knackered after. 

The central London Psycle location happens to also be very nice, super modern and spread over several floors, with each floor dedicated to different kinds of work out - spinning, barre HIIT training, you name, and I found the staff there generally very helpful and nice especially to newbies!

Cost per class: £22 (but cheaper if bought in bulk + £22 first timers offer which buys you two classes and a buddy credit so you can take a friend)


SPINNING

BOOM CYCLE 

RATING: 5/5 

I was never used to be a big fan of spinning but instantly loved the no bullshit approach to it at Boom Cycle. The Holborn studio I frequent may not be the most fancy spinning studio but who cares - the classes here are affordable compared to some competitors (more on this later) and the instructors are bloody brilliant! Every class I have been to had a great sense of team spirit and even when I was far from good or steady on my bike during my first few classes I never felt judged or not part of the class. Forget about the fancy spinning studios with lots of hype and head to one of Boom Cycle's locations - they’ve made me a real spinning convert! My favourite instructor: Duncan - his Thursday evening class is addictive with great tunes and he really is the best and most encouraging instructor you could wish for!

Cost Per Class: £18 (but cheaper if bought in bulk + £29 first timers offer which buys you three classes)


PSYCLE 

RATING: 4/5 

I really liked the Shoreditch Psycle studio which is super modern and snazzy, the spinning studio even has a little light show going as you cycle away, and I also appreciated the variety of spinning classes they offer rather than just sticking to your standard 45 minute session. 

I tried the 60 minute class on a Sunday with Wolf which was challenging but manageable and Wolf was a great instructor that made sure all the moves were done right by his class and also had a fab selection of tunes. I am keen to try their 90 minute class soon and really rate their commitment to offering a bit of a different approach to spinning than most competitors in London.

Cost Per Class: £18 (but cheaper if bought in bulk + £29 first timers offer which buys you three classes)


SOUL CYCLE

RATING: 2/5 

I had the most disappointing of my spinning experiences so far at Soul Cycle. Soul Cycle is of course not to dissimilar to Barry’s in terms of its cult following in the States, so when they opened their first studio in London, just off Oxford street, there was A LOT of hype, many proclaiming the mecca of spinning had finally arrived in the UK.

I guess that meant my expectations were set high, particularly considering the rather heavy price tag of £24 for a 45 minute session, and I couldn’t help but be a little let down by the overall experience. The space itself isn’t effectively designed, changing rooms are way too small and cramped and overall it felt like they tried to squeeze too many paying customers into every class to make it a pleasant experience - even waiting outside the studio it was hard not step on someone’s spinning shoes. 

The class itself was not amazing, a little too preachy for more liking rather than about the spinning and considering the  price tag it just felt like I was paying to be at "the famous Soul Cycle" rather than to have a proper good spinning session.

Cost Per Class: £24 (but cheaper if bought in bulk + £16 first timers offer for one class)

BARRE

FLY LDN BARRE WITH COURTNEY

RATING: 5/5
This class at FLY LDN has to be my absolute favourite barre class in London. Courtney is a one of a kind energetic instructor whose classes offer the perfect mix of classic ballet elements and strength training, all to a super fab soundtrack. Your glutes will be on fire during the class and if you want to tone up in a fun way and are fan of ballet this is the class for you. For me the 45 minutes of his Saturday class fly by in no time! The studio itself, near Liverpool street station, is also super modern, with big changing room and never feels too cramped!

Cost Per Class: £17 (but cheaper if bought in bulk + £10 first timers offer for one class)

DEFINE MAT WITH BECKY

RATING: 5/5
I tried a few classes at Barre focused studio Define, near Oxford Circus, and thought they were all pretty great in terms of their level of teaching and studio amenities. My favourite class was Define Mat with the lovely Becky. It is not for the faint hearted, basically hardcore muscle building work with some ballet elements, weighted down by ankle weights, but boy do you get to work your muscles! Becky is also so encouraging and full of energy that the class, though quite advanced, still felt fun and I for sure felt the next day I had had a proper workout - perhaps not if you are after a classic Barre work out but perfect if you want to get toned.

Cost Per Class: £20 (but cheaper if bought in bulk + £30 first timers offer which buys you two classes and a buddy credit so you can take a friend)

BARRE @ BLOK
RATING: 1/5
Although I love the Blok studio in Shoreditch, its all very slick and modern, I have to be honest and say the classes I have tried, whether Barre or more HIIT based, have never been amazing considering THE price per class. They also have always felt a little oversubscribed, with Barre being so busy that you constantly felt like you were about to get kicked in the face at any point and instructors really don't get the chance to give proper feedback or corrections to individuals where needed. Maybe I was unlucky with the classes I have tried so far but for now only the great studio and changing rooms left a positive impression on me.

Cost Per Class: £17 (but cheaper if bought in bulk)

CHERRY BLOSSOM

Dress / Zara

Bag / Zara

Shoes / Zara

DUSSELDORF DREAMS

 Dress / Aeryne Paris @ Zalando

A GUIDE TO WHITSTABLE – THE PERFECT SEASIDE GETAWAY FOR SEAFOOD LOVERS

This summer I made it an aim of mine to explore the country I call home a little more, leaving my East London bubble behind to see what other sights, sounds and people there are to discover in England, and proving to myself that you can achieve that holiday feeling without getting on a plane. 

After a fantastic weekend by the sea in Deal I was keen to explore more British seaside towns and Whitstable, also in Kent, immediately sprung to mind. Why? Well with its proximity to London, decent train links, and reputation for great seafood it has quickly become the du jour day tripping destination for millennials wanting to escape the city for a day or two so I had seen and heard quite a lot of good things about Whitstable.

It definitely felt a little more “discovered” by the masses than Deal, but I still had an absolutely fab time there and was particularly impressed with the fresh seafood you can get your hands on at basically every corner, whether oysters right by the shore or at one of the many restaurants and beach huts, right by the sea, that specialise in lobster and the like.

We went for the Sunday and stayed the night, getting on relatively early trains back the next day, which I think was the perfect amount of time spent in Whitstable- if you are planning on staying longer definitely venture further afield to nearby Canterbury or Herne Hill. I will for sure return and I hope you will give Whitstable a go with some of the tips below- I’m still dreaming of that fresh lobster and would go back for that standard of seafood alone!

PS: We didn’t have the best weather, well more like gale force winds, but don’t worry too much about it - yes, a beachside picnic is always fun and something we weren’t able to do on this occasion but you can still have a wonder down promenade and look at the beautiful beach huts even if it’s a bit choppy and cold outside, and still have plenty of other things to do, especially if there are as many great indoor drinking and eating venues as there are in Whitstable.

HOW TO GET THERE: 

Getting there couldn't be easier. Just jump on the 1 hour and 20 minutes train from either Victoria or St Pancras station and you will be there in no time! The return ticket is under £25 and the journey feels quick, just make sure you and your travel companions book a train from the same London station – alas we only realised a day before that we had booked trains going to Whitstable at the same BUT one of us from Victoria and one of us from St Pancras

WHERE TO STAY:

THE FRONT ROOMS – A B&B WITH PINTEREST WORTHY INTERIORS

I came across The Front Rooms, a quirky little B&B run by former art gallery owner and interior stylist Julie Thorne, while searching the web for boutique hotel style places to spend the night at in Whitstable and definitely was not let down by the beautiful space she has created, a perfect little haven away from the stresses of London that served as perfect base for exploring Whitstable.

Of course, one has to bear in mind that this is not a big scale slick hotel like operation but the more personal and homely approach to hosting made this place even more special in my eyes. Julie welcomed us herself and gave us a plethora of tips of what to do and see while in Whitstable and the three rooms she rents out to visitors clearly have been decorated with a lot of attention to detail, love and labour. Think The White Company aesthetics meets scandi simplicity and you get an idea about the style of the rooms - beautiful white wooden floors, tasteful nods to the seaside and a fabulously comfy bed with crisp white sheets – I really wish I could have taken the room back to London with me.

Our room also had a lovely balcony that would have been even better with a sea view but was still nice for an afternoon drink. Indeed, The Front Rooms isn’t right by the sea but has a great location for a Whitstable staycation, a 5 minute walk to the harbour and beach and a 5 minute walk to the high street and Harbour street with all its cute cafes, shops and pubs.

Included in your stay is also a super cute breakfast delivered to your doorstep at your chosen time in the morning, which meant I had a super leisurely and relaxed start to my Monday morning with coffee, berries and freshly squeezed orange juice, left outside my door on an adorable white wooden tray.

I couldn’t think of a more perfect place than The Front Rooms to spend the night at whilst in Whitstable- not only gorgeously decorated, you will take a million pictures the minute you walk through the door, but offering wonderful hospitality to its guests, with Julie really making you feel at home and altogether offering a great experience I can only recommend. There are only 3 rooms so make sure you get yourself booked in with plenty of time in advance.


WHERE TO DRINK:

THE OLD NEPTUNE

This old-school boozer is located right by the beach and is the perfect spot to take in the shoreline whilst enjoying a drink. It was a bit too windy while we perched on one of their wooden outdoor benches with prime sea view but we still managed to enjoy a glass of wine out of one of their very classy plastic cup. For me The Old Neptune perfect first stop on your Whitstable exploration day and I’d be keen to go back when it’s a bit warmer and sunnier.

ROYAL NAVAL RESERVE PUB

We stumbled across this pub by accident while on the lookout for somewhere to enjoy an outside drink at. It may not look like much from the outside but the Royal Naval Reserve pub has a lovely hidden beer garden, bathed in sunlight, at the back with plenty of benches and also served a very decently priced Aperol Spritz (£6), making it the perfect spot to spend a few afternoon hours chatting away at. Staff were also super friendly and inside, including toilets newly refurbished.


WHERE TO EAT:

LUNCH @ DAVID BROWN DELICATESSEN   

Once we had dropped off our bags and had a little wonder down the seafront and high street we were in need of a little lunch and immediately loved the look of this little delicatessen / wine bar that looked more like a proper Spanish tapas joint with its wooden bar, high stools and delicious cheese and charcuterie on display than a Whitstable high street fixture. 

Try and nap one of the two outside tables, we perfectly timed our visit, and make the most of the fantastic lunch menu. The menu, written on a chalk board at the entrance, may be short, 3 or 4 mains all under £12 and including steak, fresh prawns and lamb, a few starters and desserts, but is outstanding value for money and shows a real cooking flair that you would be paying triple for in London. We got a generously portioned antipasti platter for £10 to start but the real highlight was a heaping big plate of incredible crab spaghetti, shared on this occasion but one portion would fill you up for the day, which was one if not the best crab pasta dishes I have ever had. 

A ridiculous amount of fresh crab meat in a perfectly seasoned tomato sauce and all of that for a shockingly cheap £10 for this plate of perfection. We washed down this outstanding lunch, they are not open for dinner so make sure you come before 3pm, with a lovely bottle of white wine, they also have a vast and well priced selection of wines, which came recommended to us by the loveliest waitress that made sure we felt incredibly well looked after from the minute we sat down. David Brown is an utter gem, a delicatessen that showcases a real love for food and wine and I have to say I would go back to Whitstable to eat off their outstanding lunch menu any day. A must stop on your visit.


ALL THE SEAFOOD @ THE LOBSTER SHACK

Of course we had to eat some lobster while in Whitstable seeing as it is famous for exactly that (and oysters which neither me nor my travel companion Anne-Lise are too keen so apologies for the lack of recommendations in that area) and wanted to do so in a setting by the sea to make the most of the sunset at dinner time.

My lovely colleague Abi, who already made my Deal trip with her reliable list of places to eat and drink at, recommended The Lobster Shack, an unpretentious seafood restaurant with self service and no reservation, but with an unrivalled view of the beach, offering outside benches to eat at if the weather is good but also with a lovely big dining rooms that has big windows so you don’t feel like you are missing out by eating inside.

There are huge seafood platters on offer, perfect if there is a group of you (if I remember right they are about £59 for a platter of every seafood you can think of and are big enough to easily feed 4-5 people as a starter), but also a selection of other smaller seafood starters – we went for a big pot of fresh prawns with a lovely Marie Rose dip for £4, so simple but so damn good if the quality of ingredients is this good.

For mains you can get your fish and chips fix if you fancy but really the lobster is the star of the show here. You can have yours simply served with melted butter and herbs, with added chorizo or like we did ‘Thermidor’ with a bubbly cheese topping. You get a pretty big tail, served with chips and a yummy cucumber salad for £22, not cheap but so worth it for any seafood lover and worth the train journey down for me alone.

The Lobster Shack isn’t fancy dining but who needs that when you can have amazing seafood at prices we would only dream of in London RIGHT by the sea. Make sure to get a picture of you as lobster (it will make sense when you get there) before your dinner and get there early enough, it is not the most known spot YET but does fill up quickly with locals and those in the know. 

With a view and seafood like that at our dinner at The Lobster Shack was for sure one of the most memorable dining experience I have had in the UK and does prove there is some amazing food to be had outside London! 

HORSE POWER

Shirt / Ganni

Shorts / Monki

SEA SALT IN THE AIR

Sunglasses / Urban Outfitters

Dress / Zara

Earrings / Zara

Boots / Office