London's toughest workouts: have you tried any of the most hardcore classes in the capital?

Yahoo

10-02-2025

London has some of the world's toughest classes on offer, with top trainers like Tracy Anderson (who has worked as PT to celebrities from Gwyneth Paltrow to Jennifer Lopez) opening up studios, and increasing boutique offerings, such as the soon-to-open The Method in Notting Hill. There's something for everyone from dance classes to strength training, tech-motivated score boards to military-inspired workouts. But don't forget: a tough session doesn't always have to complicated or fancy. Here are the ones we think are the most hardcore in the capital:
FRAME has just launched three new 'HIGH ON HORMONES' super classes designed to complement your hormones (not something all gyms take into account). The sweatiest is Strong AF, which, as co-founder Pip Black says, is designed from when you're feeling 'a bit all over the place, lacking focus, hormonal, or perimenopausal.' She adds, 'you'll leave feeling pretty invincible - and smug about your fast progress.' A unique class that urges you to work with your body for max results.
moveyourframe.com
Tracy Anderson has trained celebrities from Gwyneth Paltrow to J. LO and Tracey Ellis Ross – and now has her first studio in the UK at SURRENNE in Belgravia featuring her muscle-quivering signature Tracy Anderson Method workouts, designed to minimises impact on joints, but burns triple the calories.
This is an exclusive class: Membership is £10,000 a year, with an initial £5,000 joining fee.
surrenne.com
Rucking – walking or jogging with a weighted vest on - is one of the biggest fitness trends this year – as promoted by health podcasters including Peter Attia who notes its benefits for bone density, muscle mass as well as brain health. GYMBOX has taken it to the next level, with a class that combines pounding the streets with a pack on (progressing up to 10kg), as well as a sweaty session on the rig, at three of its London gyms.
The aim, according to Hannah Curtis Nunn, Group Fitness Director at Gymbox, is that members will be inspired to 'take on the Three Peaks challenge and want to summit the three biggest mountains in the UK.' Lofty ambitions for you and your glutes.
gymbox.com
The Lagree Method, also known as the Megaformer Workout, is the most booked class in its native US with fans including Michelle Obama, Jennifer Aniston and Meghan Markle. It's a low-impact, high-intensity method that incorporates bodybuilding principles and moves on a reformer Pilates machines that tightens and tones supposedly in as little as 20-minutes – but don't think it's an easy option. You'll be left shaking – but hopefully with the arms of the former First Lady.
lagreefitness.com
Famous for pushing you to your fitness limits, Barry's is a high-intensity, and seriously demanding interval training (HIIT) workout that alternates between treadmill sprints and weight training with fit-mad celeb fans including David Beckham (who goes to the Euston branch, FYI). From this week they've just launched a collaboration between the functional mushroom brand DIRTEA and HERMOSA the protein powder to create an exclusive recovery shake. Try it, you'll need all the help you can get.
barrys.com
A class doesn't have to be complicated or in a fancy studio to bring on a mega burn. Strength training at the east London studio E7 Movement takes place in its cosy railway arch - but be prepared to sweat – hard. Expect burpees, planks and weighted glute work to push you to the max.
e7movement.com
Torn between weights and sprinting? 1Rebel's Reshape class combines both. It inspires lovers and haters in equal measure – but no one denies that it is a HARD class, swapping between hardcore sprints (sometimes with a 'parachute' to increase resistance, sometimes up steep hills) and heavy weights sets. Expect to get stronger but also faster – excellent news for runners with a PB in mind.
1rebel.com
F45 is notorious for its fast and tough functional group training classes that focuses on improving strength, endurance, and overall fitness. The classes rotate between different exercises that work your full body, combining HIIT, circuit training, are typically split into 2-3 people teams, and last 45 minutes (hence the name). It's tech-driven: you see results in real time on a big screen to spur you on.
f45training.com
If you're craving a night out without the booze or late bedtime, Kobox could scratch that itch: it blends high-intensity, authentic boxing with functional training in a nightclub atmosphere (think dark rooms and loud beats).
The 50-minute sessions (and you'll feel every minute) alternate between learning its signature six-punch system along with functional exercises that build a boxer's strength, endurance, and agility. Trainers estimate you can burn up to 600 calories in a sweaty session.
kobox.co.uk
The Method is founded with positivity – not punishment – at its core. The luxe state of the art gym features classes which fuse techniques from the worlds of ballet, yoga, dance, HIIT and Pilates. But don't be fooled into thinking they're easy. Blast is a revolutionary full-body workout that strengthens the body – while dancing along to banging beats, meaning you leave feeling high on endorphins. You just have to wait until February 3 for its grand opening.
themethod.com