The Month in Sweat:
February 2017

February fitness events

February may be the shortest month, but it’s jam packed with London fitness events so there’s no excuse not to get your sweat on!

FREE
Adidas Studio LDN

Adidas women

Various days each week
152 Brick Lane, Shoreditch
messenger.com/t/adidaswomenuk

The latest instalment in Adidas’ grand plan to own the London fitness scene is a women’s studio in Brick lane. On the former site of the short-lived Life yoga studio (anyone remember that?) they’re hosting runs, yoga, product testing and workout classes – and it is good. Free and good!

We got a sneak preview before the studio opened last week and it’s a great space on multiple floors with changing rooms, lockers, kit and a kind of cafe bar downstairs. The timetable is announced weekly but regulars include a short run and yoga class on Wednesdays led by our friends and Adidas captains Olivia and Shakira, a longer run (around 8k) on Saturdays and then ad-hoc classes – last week featured HIIT sessions and nutrition workshops with Zanna Van Dijk, this week it’s Pilates.

You can book classes and see the timetable rather a clever Facebook messenger app here. If you’re having trouble viewing it, try on your phone, it doesn’t work so well on my laptop but works perfectly via mobile.

Work Out Like a Dog

work out like a dog

Daily from 30 Jan- 3 Feb, 07.30
Victoria Park, Hackney
eventbrite.co.uk

Ok, so this is slightly odd but hey, could be fun and it is for a good cause. Pet Charity Blue Cross have teamed up with personal trainer Born Barikor to devise a fitness class based on how dogs exercise. Yep, you read that right, dogs.

The session features HIIT ball fetching, frisbee, rolling over, digging, downward dogs, hurdles, agility exercises – and apparently howls of happiness! The class is designed to raise awareness of the number of dogs Blue Cross are seeing at their centres who have behavioural problems caused by neglect and lack of exercise. Classes are free but you are encouraged to make an online donation.

And if you can’t make it to Vicky Park, you can download the workout for gratis here.

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon Ballot

Royal parks Foundation Half Marathon

31 Jan-8 Feb
royalparkshalf.com

The Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon is celebrating its 10th anniversary on 8 October this year, and while there are now plenty of alternative 13.1-ers in the capital, this is still our favourite mass participation half.

It’s a beauty of a course, passing through four of the Royal Parks and alongside Queen Liz’s gaff and was the first race that made me realise how much fun running could be. (My first ever race was Run to the Beat the week before in 2009, it was 30 degrees and it was not fun). I’ve done it three times, in those halcyon early days when you could still get a place just by deciding you fancied doing it, the ballot is pretty fierce now.

Yoga Glow at God’s Own Junkyard

Yoga God's Own Junkyard

Every Saturday, 10am and 11am, £10
God’s Own Junkyard, Walthamstow
goodyogalife.com

You’ve done yoga up the Shard, you’ve downward dogged in Tower Bridge, where could possibly be next? How about in a room full of neon artwork and signs?

Every Saturday Good Yoga Life hold two Vinyasa flow classes at God’s Own Junkyard in Walthamstow – a neon sign store that’s also home to the wonderfully named Rolling Scones Cafe & Bar. We went along this weekend and it was lit (that’s what the kids say right?).

FREE
New Balance Run Club

New Balance Run Club

Every Tuesday, 18.30
New Balance flagship store, Oxford Street
strava.com/clubs
facebook.com/groups

It seems every brand is launching a run club at the moment, and we’re not complaining, it just means more great options for getting the training in. The latest is the NB run club, which had its inaugural session last week led by elite triathlete Heather Sellars. Not only is Heather lovely, she also has plenty of pointers to help you improve your running.

While the first session was more of a ‘get to know you’ social jog, future runs will feature structured intervals so everybody gets the most out of the workouts whatever their ability. Changing rooms, showers and lockers are available instore.

Ted Baker: Get Fit to a T with Xtend Barre

Ted Baker Fit to a T

1 Feb, 18.30; 2 Feb, 08.00; 4 Feb, 08.00, £10
Ted Baker, Commercial Street
eventbrite.co.uk

Ted Baker have launched a new collection of Fit to a T activewear, and to celebrate they’re holding some in-store classes with the guys from Xtend Barre.

As well as a 60-minute barre workout fusing dance and pilates moves, you’ll receive a free yoga mat to take home, snacks from Rude Health, complimentary hair braiding by the Braid Bar, and exclusive discounts and offers at Xtend Barre and Ted Baker (15% off everything in store on the day and further discounts on activewear for the rest of the month) so you pretty much treble your ticket cost immediately, bargain.

FREE
Roadside Maintenance Workshop

Bike maintenance

1 Feb, 19.00
Cycle Republic Battersea and Bloomsbury
eventbrite.co.uk

Like cycling, but not sure how to fix things if something goes wrong? This basic bike maintenance workshop will teach you how to repair punctures, adjust your gears and other essential skills. Handy for those times you’re cycling home in the rain and your tyre pops miles from a bike shop. There’s a full list of alternative dates and workshops across the country here.

WeTrain events

We Train Two Toned Warehouse Workout

Various dates, times and locations, from £20
wetrain.com

If you’re looking for something a little bit different, WeTrain host a number of one-off classes with various instructors designed to be experiences you can enjoy with friends. We tried their Candlelit Yoga with Acoustic Guitar and it was a really nice Friday night alternative to the pub.

This month there are loads of different options to chose from but the No Bullsh*t Wellness workshop on the 22nd – targeting your body, brain and belly with barre, nutrition tips, a food workshop, bubbles and a dose of badassery sounds right up our street.

Other Feb highlights include the Two Toned Warehouse Workout on the 23rd, held over two floors in a cool warehouse in Brixton, it’s led by fitness faves Tara Margulies and Kim Hartwell (there’s live music and cocktails to finish).

FREE
Triathlon Part 1 – Swimming, 2 Feb
Triathlon Part 2 – Running, 16 Feb
Triathlon Part 3 – Bikes and Wheels, 2 March

triathlon

From 18.00, Giant Store St Paul’s
eventbrite.co.uk

London’s biggest bike store is hosting a series of free triathlon based events over the coming weeks looking at different aspects of the sport– swim, bike and run. There’ll be talks from experienced triathletes, Q&As so you can get any of your burning tri questions answered, and representatives from key sporting brands to talk you through products. You get free food and coffee as well, which is always grand.

Fare Healthy

Ella Mills Fare Healthy

4-5 Feb, 09.30-17.30, £25 per day
Old Truman Brewery, Shoreditch
farehealthy.com

This two-day festival of food, fitness and all round wellbeing is hitting the Truman Brewery for the third year. The line up includes talks and demonstrations from health experts and cooks including Deliciously Ella, Hemsley & Hemsley and Anna Jones (author of my favourite ever cook book A Modern Way to Eat), as well as exercise classes and yoga sessions.

You can book free consultations with nutritionists and lifestyle coaches in the self-love surgery, or you can just work your way round all the stalls and pop-up restaurants and see how many free food samples you can get down your gullet!

Ministry Does Fitness: The Arches – Gym Studio and Bar

Ministry Does Fitness

From 6 Feb, various classes and times each week, intro offer 7 days unlimited for £14
The Arches, Elephant and Castle
ministrydoesfitness.com

After the success of its pop-up fitness events, super club Ministry of Sound is opening a dedicated fitness studio (once the club’s booze storage vault) and it has a bar!

Classes include HIIT cardio training, strength classes, endurance classes designed for those who run, cycle or play sport, core and full body workouts. As you’d expect, music plays a big part and all classes are set to specially designed playlists.

FREE
Candlelit Yoga with Andy Yogalinsky

lululemon candlelit yoga

7 Feb, 19.30
lululemon Spitalfields
facebook.com/events

It’s cold and dark out there so this sounds bloody lovely. A gentle and relaxing yoga class, concentrating on breath and relaxing into poses in a warm candlelit room. Apparently, instructor Andy used to be a national gymnast in Argentina so she knows her stuff. Like most lululemon classes this is first come, first mat, so sneak out of work early if you want to guarantee a place.

DeadDrop Fitness: Operation Kill Cupid

Dropdead Fitness

11 Feb, 12.00, from £22.90
Secret Central London location
deaddropfitness.co.uk

The whole Valentine’s thing leave you feeling slightly sick? Then this secret run mission is for you. Grab your friends and in teams of 2-5 you’ll follow clues that lead you around central London on a secret mission to assassinate Cupid. The emphasis here is on fun rather than speed and participants can choose between 5k, 8k and 10k distances – there’ll be a medal and a social beer waiting for you at the finish.

Half Price Tae Box Fit, Hatha Yoga gone Weightless and Aerial Hoop

aerial hoop

Tae Box Fit, 10.00; Weightless Hatha Yoga, 11.00; Beginners Aerial Hoop, 14.00; 12 Feb, £6.50 each or £15 for all three
Pole Fit London, Stockwell
polefitlondon.com

Fancy trying out a new class this month? On 12 Feb, Pole Fit are offering three of their popular classes for the rather bargainous price of £6.50 each – or, if you’re feeling hardcore, you can do all three for £15 with a break for lunch.

In Tae Box Fit you’ll combine martial arts and cardio fitness with skills and pad work; with weightless Hatha Yoga you’ll start with yoga on the floor and then progress to moves on the silk hammocks; lastly, in aerial hoop, you’ll learn to perform tricks on a suspended hoop – then it’s time to run away and join the circus.

For more details email anna@polefitlondon.com.

Outdoor Adventure and Camping Show
Triathlon Show London
The London Bike Show
Oceans Festival

London bike show

16-19 Feb, from £12
Excel London, Docklands
outdooradventureshow.co.uk

There are four big expos running alongside each other at Excel on the weekend of 16-19 Feb, with everything from adventure playgrounds where you can try slacklining and caving to street velodromes, survival skills camps, wetsuit testing, stalls, talks and even real life whales and dolphins. One ticket gives you access to all four shows.

Run for Chocolate

Run for Chocolate

18 Feb, from £10
Dorney Lake, Windsor
runforchocolate.co.uk

If you’re after a fun atmosphere rather than a PB, Run for Chocolate is a friendly, untimed 5k run where all participants are rewarded with unlimited hot chocolate, a chocolatey medal and a buff. Good one to take the kids to as it’s open to all ages.

If you’re marathon training however, skip the chocolate and head to Dorney Lake the following day for the winter half marathon (19 Feb, £35), it’s fast, flat and just over four laps of the lake, can get windy though.

Yin & Gin

yin and gin

24 Feb, 18.45, £20
Coate Studios, Hackney
billetto.co.uk/yin-gin

We like yoga, we like gin, we very much like the sound of this. Brought to you by Good Yoga Life, this is the perfect Friday night option if you’re trying to be healthy – but not too healthy! After a 60min yin and yang yoga class focusing on strength, flow and restorative postures, you get to hang out with all your fellow yogis and enjoy a couple of complimentary Opihr Oriental Spiced Gins. Nice one.

The Maverick Innov-8 Original Sussex

Maverick Sussex

25 Feb, 10am, from £17.50
maverick-race.com

Yes, Maverick is back! We ran quite a few of this series of trail runs last year and they were all great. Ideal for all levels of trail runner from total beginner to mud-splattered veteran, the friendly runs take place in areas of outstanding natural beauty – so when you’re knackered from climbing hills you can have a breather and enjoy the views.

The first race of 2017 is in the South Downs National Park (easy to get to by train from London Victoria) there are short, 7km, middle, 13km, and long, 23km, distances and all finishers receive a medal and – new this year – a bottle of Maverick Trail Ale. Oh, and if you usually run with your dog, there are loads of canicrossers so take the pup along.

Also Happening This Month…

Hot Yoga Society are opening a hot yoga ‘bubble’ (a purpose built pop-up heated yoga studio complete with LED lighting) at indoor cycling studio Cyclebeat in Bank on 13 Feb, do the double with cycling and yoga or enjoy single classes of each.

Gymbox are opening a new concept gym MOB45 in Farringdon. All classes are in intense 45 minute bursts and you still have the free weights, machines etc of a standard gym.

Our friend PT Mollie is holding a 5k run followed by yoga at Best’s bootcamp on 11 Feb. All attendees get a goody bag and the £20 fee goes towards Plantlife charity. Book here.

Feeling frazzled? Frame are hosting a series of Werk Your Stress classes this month including meditation and mindfulness workshops, boxing and hypnotherapy for anxiety.

Know of any exciting fitness stuff happening in March? Drop us a line charlotte@lungesandlycra.co.uk

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