Love working out? So do we. From animal yoga to boxing and the latest intense high-energy workouts, we can’t get enough of a really uplifting (and knackering!) exercise class.
Where: F45 Tottenham Court Road
114-115 Tottenham Court Rd, London W1T 5AH
Duration: 60 minutes
The Promise: F45, short for Functional 45, is the latest group training concept from Australia sweeping our shores and studio franchises are multiplying faster than a colony of bunnies in mating season. It is currently the second largest functional training network after Crossfit and it was born out of the desire to bridge the gap between personal training and commercial gyms. They claim to be the most innovative, challenging and systemized team training workout in the world and I was just about to find out the truth.
Our Verdict: Functional training is the current buzzword in fitness training and it means that the body is trained for activities performed in everyday life. Rather than moving just a singular joint or muscle, several body parts are stimulated and consequently a whole group of muscles is trained.
Every day has a different theme and the class names are certainly innovative. For example ‘Romans’ focuses on strength while ‘Athletica’s main aim is to improve cardio. I decided to try the ‘Hollywood’ at their brand new Tottenham Court Road flagship studio, which is like a greatest hits medley of all their classes. 60 minutes long as opposed to the regular 45 minutes, it’s a full body workout performed with the musical support of a live DJ – always an extra bonus.
27 stations, each exercise 40 seconds with a 10 second break for change over, then a minute break and off you go and do it all over again.
The room is a little smaller than expected but laid out brilliantly, so it never feels tight or claustrophobic. If like me, you have the memory of a gold fish and keep forgetting what exercises you are supposed to do, there are helpful screens that show the moves for every single station.
There are also not one but two helpful instructors to support, correct postures and provide general good vibes. There was a lot of high-fiving and everyone was having a blast
The class is hard (especially with a slight Saturday morning hangover) but because you do so many different exercises and move through loads of different stations, it feels achievable and it definitely never gets boring.
I’m an F45 convert and can’t wait to try all the different classes.
This could be a life changing opportunity.
