London's 50 best gyms and fitness centres
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Maggie Davis, Christine Koh Fleming, Fiona McAuslan, Andrew Shields
Posted: Tue Jan 8 2008
1-10 | 11-20 | 21-30 | 31-40 | 41-50
21 Body Control Studio
The Body Control Studio is owned by Conchita del Campo, who has been teaching Pilates since 1985. Here you can discuss your general medical history, lifestyle and postural details at your first session. There’s also detailed instruction on how to breathe correctly and engage the core stabilising muscles.
Body Control Studio, 15 Belsize Rd, NW6 (020 7483 0952/ www.pilates-studios.com) Swiss Cottage tube. Classes £22-£48 or £185 for ten.
22 Danceworks
Since 1982, Danceworks has offered Europe’s largest selection of classes in six well-appointed studios. You can choose from more than 160 dance, fitness, martial arts and yoga workouts each week. New trends include a burlesque dance course, poledancing and singing classes.
Danceworks, 16 Balderton St, W1 (020 7629 6183/www.danceworks.net) Bond St tube. Membership is £8.99 per month (12 month commitment), or £123 upfront Annual Fee. Classes £4-£8 drop-in rate with £5 daily membership charge for non-members.
23 Bikram Yoga North
Michele Pernetta was the first teacher to bring Bikram ‘hot’ yoga to the UK. She now has three schools across London. All teachers have trained under the technique’s founder, Bikram Choudhury at his LA school.
Bikram Yoga North, 173 Queen’s Crescents, NW5 (020 7692 6900/ www.bikramyoga.co.uk) Chalk Farm tube/Kentish Town tube/rail. Classes £13 drop-in, 10-class card £105. Feature continuesAdvertisement24 Wu’s Tai Chi Academy
The London Academy of Wu’s Tai Chi Chuan is one of 13 worldwide with direct connections to the Wu family. It’s run by Gary Wragg, a founder member and former chairman of the Tai Chi Union for Great Britain, whose aim is to provide the most authentic tai chi classes anywhere. An eight-session beginners’ course offers an introduction to the basic techniques; there are seven classes per week to choose from. You can also learn self-defence applications, meditation or chi kung.
Wu Tai Chi Academy, Unit 2A, 1st Floor, 449-453 Bethnal Green Rd, E2 (020 7033 3993/www.wustyle-europe.com) Bethnal Green tube. Cost £85/eight weeks.
25 Yoga Therapy Centre
The Yoga Therapy Centre is part of the Yoga Biomedical Centre, which researches yoga as a form of complementary medicine. Classes here include one-to-one and general sessions for pregnancy, arthritis, lower back pain, cancer, Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis and ME. New courses for 2008 include yoga for depression (with discussion groups) and yoga for weight loss. Discounted one-to-one consultations are offered on Fridays as part of a teachers’ training scheme.
Yoga Therapy Centre, Yoga Biomedical Trust, 90-92 Pentonville Rd, N1 (020 7689 3040/www.yogatherapy.org) Angel tube. Classes from £8.50 drop-in rate.
26 Bodymentors
Bodymentors founder Pip Jenkins and her team run courses from her small but well-equipped studio in north London as well as arranging home and office visits. Assessment focuses on stamina, nutrition, wellbeing and personal goals with programmes adapted to individual needs. One-on-one and group sessions (up to three people) are available individually or in blocks of 12 based on two sessions a week for a six-week cycle, with discounts for block bookings. A 30-minute, one-on-one kettlebells session is £30. Members of her team also operate a running clinic, sports therapy and even offer styling advice.
Bodymentors, (07830 312 106/www.bodymentors.co.uk) 476, 73 buses. Personal training £50 per hour, group sessions £70 per hour.
27 Boxing London
The bags may be well punched and the weights worn here, but the tuition with former super-middleweight contender Enzo Giordano is excellent and the atmosphere good-humoured and empowering. The classes – three each weekday and a couple at the weekend – attract both sexes and all standards.
Boxing London, 20 Hazelville Rd, N19 (07956 293 768/ www.boxinglondon.co.uk) Archway tube. Cost £8 per class plus £50 membership.
28 NY Pilates Studio
Daphne Pena-Higgs’ studio follows the teachings of Joseph Pilates as espoused by Romana Kryzanowska’s New York studio. The studio offers the full repertoire of Gratz equipment built to the specifications of the man himself.
NY Pilates Studio, 20 Lonsdale Road, NW6 (020 7372 3490/ www.nypilates.co.uk) Queens Park tube/rail. Classes £25-£55.
29 The Life Centre
This is one of London’s original yoga centres, having occupied a former church on a quiet street near Notting Hill Gate for more than 14 years. Elizabeth Stanley and Christine Letter have ensured that this smart, welcoming centre remains at the top of its game with over 60 classes a week including pregnancy yoga, mother-and-baby yoga and baby massage.
The Life Centre, 15 Edge St, W8 (020 7221 4602/www.thelifecentre.com) Notting Hill Gate tube. Classes £11 one-hour drop-in rate, £12 for 75 minutes.
30 Integra Training
As the name suggests, an integrated approach to fitness is the aim of Michael Goulden and his team, who draw on movement studies, bodywork, psychology and nutrition when working with clients in their small, bright studio. Specialities include rehabilitation, strength training and sports conditioning. It also operates at Andaz Hotel by Liverpool Street station.
Old Truman Brewery, 91 Brick Lane, E1 (020 7193 0862/ www.integra-training.net) Aldgate East tube. Cost £60 per hour (£45 per hour for two people or more).- Add your comment to this feature
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31 comments
I am unashamedly a complete Bikram Yoga nut and having being do it for over four years now. Without it I would not have been able to even think about running the London Marathon yet alone do it. I been hearing a lot good things about Bikram Yoga Soho for some time now and last week I went to see what all the talk is about. Wow now I know. Clean, great atmosphere and HOT & SWEATY. If you’re into Bikram you must go there is - IT’S FANTASTIC!
aquaterra in islington has a decent pool but is overcrowded. dont know much about the gym as i dont use it. some of the staff are bit wotless and not very upto speed with whats going on when you ask them an easy question regarding the facilities that they offer.
I don't agree with Steve or Mandy. I love Bikram yoga and have also been to many of the Bikram yoga studios in London, and several in Australia - and Bikram Yoga Soho is by far the most pretentious, clinical, crowded and unpleasant studio I have been to, with the rudest and unfriendliest staff. The location is good, but I try to avoid this studio if I can.
Jen- apparently there is a Bikram studio opening in Canary Wharf this summer. Just do a search in "International" on www.bikramyoga.com
This is a great compilation! Great work Time Out!
Just to make a general note and a piece of advice:
I made the unfortunate mistake of joining Fitness First Black Label - AKA Globogym (for those of you who have watched dodgeball).
While the staff and trainers at my local branch were very friendly and made the gym feel as much as a homely environment as one could expect from such a large facility, dealing with head office was a NIGHTMARE! I would not wish this upon anyone. From troubles with cancelling my membership, misinformation, and problems with the direct debits i found my mouth got the biggest workout of all arguing with people over the phone!
My best piece of advice - stick to your local 'small guy' fitness club as much as possible. The people are usually friendlier, you get more personalised service and you don't get caught up in the loads of corporate hotlines.
The Factory Gym (North London) have so many new classes, Bollywood fusion, belly dancing as well as new classes in the next few weeks I am eager to try, like the Jazz fusion and newly added street dance class (even though I have no rhythm). Don't underestimate the power of dance for a full work out!!
Does anyone know of any Bikram yoga classes in Canary Wharf?
I used Gymbox on the pay-as-you go option ... however, this did not turn out to be the case.
Following the cancellation of my membership they continued to extract money from my account and the staff's attitude completely changed when dealing with customer complaints.
Very very disappointing
The aquaterra at Islington is dreadful. The free weight training areas consist of one tiny rubber mat in front of a mirror but the free weight rack is in the same space, so anyone who wants to grab a weight has to somehow get around the person who is using the tiny mat to train. There is another tiny mat area but "priority" is given to staff who have clients to train, to the extent that they barged around me without even waiting for my set to finish. So rude, what kind of work out ethos is that? Also, only one pair of 3kg free weights, although this is the most popular size used by women. Dirty. Machines time limited to 15 minutes. bureaucratic. Dull. Dingy. Depressing.
Steve's comments aobut Bikram Yoga Soho is spot on! It rocks! I did the ten day trial then signed up for the year. Just a few minutes walk from Oxford St tube and so so hot!
Does anyone know the biggest sports centre in London? I'm after somewhere with 3 indoor basketball courts, as well as 3 astro turfs...? Any ideas?
Thanks
Sam
plese can u send me address of beep test classes held in north london thank you
Swiss Cottage is truly dreadful. It has just taken them the best part of 3 months to fix the broken air conditioning and it's only 3 years old! There are far too many members (seeing as Camden/GLL only seem to interested in maximising revenue) and the staff couldn't care less. Granted the raw materials are there for a great gym but by God do they make a pig's ear of it.
Where can I find a gym in Central London that I can work out at cheap as a non-member? I'm only visiting London for two weeks but am serious need of a gym that I can work out in. Can any please give some budget/economical suggestions?
I agree, The Circus Space has a great set of classes and is located near Old Street. There are several other places you can go for fun, circus-oriented fitness classes in London. The Hangar, near Woolwich Dockyard, is one. I hear you can take hula hooping near Oval. And Acroyoga near Finsbury Park. It would be great to see an article on some fun classes like this that don't involve a traditional gym.