Enjoy a bit of yoga, then why not pop over to a class in the National History Museum this summer.
For 3 dates only you’ll have the chance to workout in the presents of Million year old bones and fossils, have a relaxation session towards the end of the class and then have the chance to enjoy an exhibition or gallery before the museum opens to the public for the day.
If this sounds like your cup of tea then click here to book a session, don’t forget to bring your mat!
Skiing and fitness go hand-in-hand, needless to say if you don’t have a reasonable level of fitness then skiing is going to be difficult, trust me I learnt that the hard way.
Chel-Ski in Fulham have introduced a new exercise class that teams Core & Strength Exercises with practical indoor slope experience, so not only are you getting some slope time in you’re also throwing some additional cardio in there for good measure.
Get 2 taster sessions, fully qualified tutor included, for 20 quid here.
The Time: Tuesdays and Saturdays 8am-9am & 9am-10am
The Place: 4 Sotheron Place, Michael Road, London SW6 2EJ
Cycle classes have just been upgraded from ‘hmm’ to ‘Yeah OK’, gone are the days of boring sessions and an hour of repetitive motion, it’s time to inject some excitement and technology into your ride.
At One 10 Cycle every pedal you push is recorded so you can keep track of your progress and achievements.
There’re 2 types of classes on offer at One 10, Paceline which is a fast paced, HIIT style workout where you can live track your progress against your fellow riders, and Nirvana which focuses more on an immersive full body work, where you move to the rhythm and enjoy the energetic music.
A juice and shake bar is also available onsite where you can pump self full of nature after your session.
So if you’re after a new style of spin workout then get your buns down to Baker Street, you’ll be sore but happy.
The Time: Class times vary, check time table here
The Place: 16 Baker Street, Marylebone, London, W1U 3BL
Price: You purchase credits to book sessions, £20 per class or you can block purchase credits at a discount
During these days of minimal sun we could all do with a dose of Caribbean culture and warmth, so this Saturday and Sunday head over to South Molton Street by Bond Street Station for some Bajan 5 star cuisine, a mixture of live music including Calypso and Jazz, Art, health and wellness demonstrations and last but not least Rum masterclasses.
Not a bad way to spend a chilly Saturday in May.
The Time: From Friday 5th – Sunday 7th May, all day
The place: South Molton Street, London, W1K 5QE
Price: It’s free baby (thought so attractions maybe have a cost)
Valentine’s Day is again upon us and you’re still date-less, but you hold onto the hope of getting a hot and sweaty this Tuesday, so what do you do?
Speed Dating Workout Session of course…what did you think I was talking about?!
Up Fitness are hosting a speed dating event on Valentines from 7pm in 2 of their London based location and 1 of their venues in Manchester.
10 men and 10 women will spend the evening traversing 10 exercise stations, and at the end of the workout all are invited to a local restaurant to continue the fun while dressed in more then spandex and trainers.
The Yuletide festivities have come & gone and you’re fulfilling your New Years resolution of going to the gym, but you’re lagging, you feel your resolve starting to waiver, the enthusiasm you felt on the 4th Jan seems to have buggered off by the 14th, what to do???
You could stick with it, push through the ‘wall’ and battle on. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact ‘Big Up’ to you for persevering.
If you’re REALLY struggling you could consider joining an independent gym / Personal Trainer who might offer a personalised approach to training and keep you interested in the sweaty world of fitness. If this sounds more like it then take a goosey gander at the suggestions below.
Road to Fitness UK
A jack of all trades and master of most Road to Fitness UK offers Personal Training, Martial Arts Tuition, First Aid Courses, Sports Massage and I think they also do stand up comedy…but only if you ask really nicely. Based in Loughton (but they travel throughout London), the company has been going for 6+ years so can aid in your fitness goals however big or small.
Based in Islington North London Gemma Ridley offers Home / Gym PT sessions, outdoor workouts, High Intensity cardio classes and Boxing sessions for all levels of fitness. I would recommend doing her cardio classes but only if you don’t mind being a wee bit wobbly legged afterward.
gemmaridley.co.uk
If Self Defence is more your thing then head over to Apolaki Krav Maga London in Bethnal Green, London’s only full time Krav Maga Academy.
Krav Maga: “a form of self-defence and physical training, first developed by the Israeli army in the 1940s, based on the use of reflexive responses to threatening situations.”*
Specialising in Krav Maga Self Defence, Dirty Boxing and 1 on 1 Self Defence sessions, the school also offers Apolaki SPD – Self Protection for Dwarfs. A bespoke self defence system designed by Eugene Grant and Apolaki Krav Maga Chief Instructor Kelina Cowell, the system is designed specifically for the body types and threats experienced by people with restricted growth syndrome.
Another month another tube strike, I hope everyone travelling through London today is making good progress, or has found a comfy spot somewhere to kip for the night. Now don’t get me wrong I support the RMT, but sometimes I wish their form of protest were slightly more helpful then a hindrance, for example allowing commuters to travel for free, in so doing keeping the support of the public while still offering a form of non-violent protest…I’m just saying.
So with the tube being a nightmare at the moment I wanted to find some alternative ways of travelling through the Capital, examples:
Boris Bikes (or Barclays cycle hire): if you can find one to use they are really handy and you don’t even need to register to use them, although if you want to use them regularly it would make sense to register as a member of the hire scheme. There’re docking stations all over the place, including 150 new stations throughout south west London, and free if you only use the bikes for 30mins at a time, FREE, love it. www.tfl.gov.uk/modes/cycling/
River Taxi: You didn’t know the river had a taxi, well welcome to a brand new world my friend. Thames Clippers offers a 20min service between all the major piers including Waterloo, London Bridge and Canary Wharf, extending out to Putney, Woolwich and Vauxhal. Single tickets start from £4.00, a little pricer for Returns but you get a discount if you use a Pay As You Go Oyster Card. Imagine your day beginning with a calming river ride, avoiding all the traffic, lovely stuff. www.thamesclippers.com/commuters
Liftsharing: Who knew this was a thing in London, but apparently liftsharing is becoming more popular and is environmental-friendly. There’re a number networks and organisations arranging carsharing, so if it’s a route you plan to go down make sure you do your homework, don’t get into any old car and stay safe. Here are a few sites I’ve found; www.liftshare.com, www.carpooling.co.uk, www.carpoolworld.com
Skating & Scootering: We’ve all seen people (adult people) scooting down the road after dropping the kids to school, or in the city going to and from work, and you have to admit that it looks like crazy fun. 60mins of scooting action can burn between 800 – 1000 calories (depending on your weight, height etc etc) , that alone sounds better then fighting your way onto a bus, and they aren’t that expensive, on www.slickwillies.co.uk‘s site prices start from roughly £60.00, however if that is a little to steep you could try www.ebay.co.uk for a bargin, or www.freecycle.org, a bloody brilliant site were you can get things for free…there’s that word again.
The same can be said for skating, you can burn a crap load of calories, laugh at those waiting at the bus stops and look pretty darn cool while you do so. www.slickwillies.co.uk starting prices for rollerskates are from £50.00, £80.00 for rollerblades, however there’re a number of other wheelie retails through London and the interweb.
The other alternative is walking or Running, which is excellent cardio and again FREE. Believe it or not but there’re a few walking clubs around London and the U.K., along with running groups, why not band together and make the journey to and from work more sociable. Check out www.metropolitan-walkers.org.uk, www.londoncityrunners.com or start your own groups at www.meetup.com
Best of luck fellow Londoners, we’ll get through this together!
“Until the arrival of motorised transport London was mainly a walking city. There are now signs of a revival thanks to traffic calming measures and the increasing realisation that walking is not only an easy option to keep fit but also a great way to enjoy the delights of the most exciting city on the planet. Transport for London which, believe it or not has a statutory duty to promote walking, is now taking its role seriously.”
I read this blog post on londonist.com I thought it was pretty cool so wanted to pass it on.
If anyone gives it ago let us gossiping pigeons know how you got on.
The next session will be on Sunday 6th Jan, from 11am-12pm in the bandstand in Parliament Hill Fields.
To access the bandstand use the entrance by William Ellis School, on Highgate Road. You can call or text Mary Adshead on 020 7609 6145 / 07969 408 661 to join the session, email on mary.adshead@laughternetwork.co.uk, or simply just turn up.
Happy Laughing!
Laughter Yoga is a combination of Laughter Exercises with Yogic Breathing. so that you increase the amount of oxygen in your body whilst being playful resulting in you feeling healthier, more energised and alive.
“When we laugh we change, when we change, the world changes.” Dr M Kataria
Please wrap up warm, and bring a mat if you’d like to lie down for the relaxation at the end.
For more info visit their site www. laughternetwork.co.uk
Date: Every first Sunday of each month throughout the year; February 5, March 4, April 1 etc
Venue: Near the Bandstand in Parliament Hill Fields, on Hampstead Heath, London NW5 1QR (nearest heath access by William Ellis School on Highgate road, go past the tennis courts, turn left at the drinking fountain, and the bandstand is just past the cafe, on your right)
‘We laugh for ourselves and world peace in this beautiful spot.’
They opened to the public in the late eighties and are housed inside an old pipe engineering works, which is located within Mile End Park, a five-minute walk from Mile End Tube Station – it has grown to the current size, sporting approx. 16,000 sq. ft (1500 sq. m) of climbing surface.
They cater for the complete novice through to the seasoned professional offering a range of courses on and off site. The centre is widely used by other development charities, groups, schools and recreational users.
There is extensive “Bouldering” at all levels, Top-Roped and Lead Climbing as well as more advanced Training areas – “The Board Room“, and our famous “Monkey House”.
The relaxed and informal social atmosphere created by the staff, regular customers and clubs; in addition to the services available make it – “the place to be climbing in London”.
Opening Hours
Normal Hours
Monday – Thursday 12.00 pm – 9.30 pm
Friday 12.00 pm – 9.00 pm
Saturday and Sunday 10.00 am – 6.00 pm
Holiday Hours
Bank Holidays 10.00 am – 6.00 pm
Christmas to New Year Click for details
Go to the website to check out prices
www.mileendwall.org.uk
Mile End Climbing Wall
Haverfield Road
London
E3 5BE
