Oh November, you really do have some absolutely smashing fitness events occurring. The free Disco Yoga with Christmas songs is a particular highlight – and yes, we know we haven’t even had Bonfire Night yet.
KOBOX Fright Club
1 November, £30
The London Bridge Experience
koboxlondon.com
Like your boxing bloodcurdling? You’re in luck. Swanky group boxing studio KOBOX is heading to the London Bridge Experience this Halloween. With six terrifying workouts inspired by some of the scariest horror films ever, there’ll be screams, there’ll be sweat, and there’ll be instructors dressed as god knows what. Limited places left.
Ps. KOBOX opened a new studio in Baker Street last week, handy if you work round those parts.
FREE
Yoga for Cyclists
1 November
Temple Cycles, Brick Lane
eventbrite.co.uk
Hip flexors tight? Back giving you jip? This 60-minute class will sort you right out. Taught by yoga teacher and osteopath Jessica, it’s designed with cyclists in mind so it’s going to get you right in the niggly bits. Suitable for beginners the classes are going to be a regular monthly event – it’s only this first class that’s free though so check it out.
Squat Workshop
3 November
Frame Kings Cross, £20
moveyourframe.com
Squat it like it’s hot with this 90-minute workshop taught by someone who knows the move inside out – 2018 Team GB Powerlifter Jasmine Lake. Stripping it back to ensure you’ve got the basics right, Jasmine will teach you how to squat for your body type, how to make sure you’re activating the right muscles and how to progress with weights and reps. Sounds like one of the most useful workshops we’ve come across in a long time – although looks like it’s about to sell out so get in quick.
FREE
BabaBoom Kebab Chase
4 November
Between BabaBoom Battersea and Baba Boom Islington
bababoom.london
Posh kebab makers BabaBoom are also runners, which is very handy because on the first Sunday of each month they’re offering up free kebabs to anyone who runs between their two restaurants in Battersea and Islington. I did this earlier in the year and would wholeheartedly recommend the coal-fired cauliflower with pomegranate and tahini, and flatbread, oh and chips, obvs. If you fancy doing it as a group, Advent Running are planning a social 10-miler between the two this weekend, – join the Facebook group to see event details.
FREE
ASICS Celebration of Light Run and After Party
6 November
Asics Store, Regent Street
eventbrite.fr
To kick off the festive season, Asics are hosting a special Lite-Show 5km run from their Regent’s Street store (Lite-Show is the name of Asics reflective kit but we’re holding out for some glow sticks here). When you get back there’s an afterparty with tunes from DJ Melody Kane, instore discounts and free product customisation from top footwear artists. It’s free but you need to sign up to secure your spot.
FREE
Lululemon ambassador triple threat
8 November
Lululemon Covent Garden
eventbrite.co.uk
In a special evening event, Lululemon are offering three free workouts one after the other. First off there’s a run and HIIT session. Then it’s over to Another_Space Covent Garden for a spin class. And to finish it’s yoga back at the lululemon store. Man you’re going to need that shavasana. This is a case of first there, first places so turn up super early with elbows sharpened if you want a spot.
The Maverick Silva Dark Series Surrey
10 November, £20 for 5km, £25 for 10km, £30 for 15km
Denbies Wine Estate, Dorking, Surrey
maverick-race.com
There’s a whole series of these dark trail races and you should do one as they were some of our favourite events of last year. Basically you strap on a head torch and run through the pitch black woods and fields of the great British countryside. Pretend you’re being followed by a baddie, makes you run much faster. The Surrey event is really easy to get to from London (we’re going) and there are other dark races in Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Dorset as well as daytime trail races across the country. Maverick are proper ace.
Another_Space Fire & Ice
9, 10, 11 November, £50
Another_Space Covent Garden and Harvey Nichols
anotherspace.london
We’re quite intrigued by cryotherapy chambers, maybe not intrigued enough to freeze our butts off in one though. If you want to give it a try however, this could be right up your street. Another_Space are offering a combo of a sweaty 45-minute hot yoga class at the Covent Garden studio followed by three minutes in the 111 Cryo Chamber at Harvey Nichols. The Cryotherapy Chamber stimulates the immune and circulatory system and may help with increased recovery and healing times after training. If nothing else it’ll look good on Insta.
FREE
Hollywood Jazz with Christie Lee Manning and Stuart Winter
12 November
Lululemon Covent Garden
eventbrite.co.uk
Just reading the name of this dance class gets those jazz hands going eh? Christie and Stuart from Pineapple Dance Studios are taking you back to the 1930s with some classic jazz moves from the golden Hollywood era. Think Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire – well if Ginger Rogers was prone to tripping over her own feet anyway. Details are on the link above but it’s first come, first served so get there early to guarantee your spot.
FREE
Beer Hawk Running Club
12 November
Beer Hawk, Southbank
facebook.com
Friend of the show, James Poole of Advent Running fame is leading a monthly run from the new Beer Hawk bar and bottle shop on the Southbank. It’s a structured run session – so it could be intervals, fartlek or anything else that takes James’ fancy – and it’s suitable for all abilities. These sessions are ace and beer is ace too, which is lucky as you get a free one at the end.
Psycle Clapham Opening
12 November, intro offer £30 for 3 credits
Battersea Rise, Clapham Junction
psyclelondon.com
Boutique indoor cycling studio Psycle is opening its first outpost south of the river this month. It’s in Clapham – well, they say Clapham, we say Battersea – just up the road from the Junction. With 52 bikes, the timetable is yet to be announced but you can already buy intro credit offers to ensure you’re one of the first to get your butt on those brand new saddles.
Yoga at the Natural History Museum
18 November, £35
The Natural History Museum, South Kensington
nhm.ac.uk
This monthly event is usually sold out way in advance but amazingly there are tickets left for 18 November, get on it. Taking place in the Hintze Hall under the huge skeleton of a blue whale, the nature-themed yoga class sees you flowing and stretching before the museum has even opened its doors. Class finishes with a gong bath and then you have free access to the museum’s Life in the Dark exhibition. I’ve been wanting to do this for ages, must sign up.
Strictly Come Frame
22 and 29 November, 6 and 13 December, £13
Frame Fitzrovia
tickets.designmynight.com
If you’re obsessed with the Saturday night sequin fest that is Strictly Come Dancing, get yourself signed up for this workshop at Frame forthwith. The full-body dance workout uses energetic moves from the Jive, Cha Cha and Samba and slows it down with the Waltz and Rumba. it doesn’t matter if you’re more pissed snogs in the pub than Pussycat Doll, all levels are welcome. (That last reference probs only makes sense if you have a secret addiction to the Daily Mail sidebar of shame).
FREE
Disco Yoga Christmas Song Special
24 November
Winterville, Clapham Common
winterville.co.uk
Oh. My. Good golly gosh this sounds amazing! Once you’ve got Halloween and Bonfire night out the way, it’s time to move on to Christmas and we can’t think of a camper way to celebrate. Disco Yoga are hosting a free Christmas special at alternative Winter festival Winterville on Clapham Common. Add some sparkle to your visage at the glitter station, and enjoy an hour of yoga to a Christmas song soundtrack played by a live DJ. Fabulous.
Ps. the ticket details are impossible to find on the Winterville website, we’re hoping this is a good thing as it means they won’t sell out in seconds. Secure your free place here.
The Broadgate Tower Run Up
24 November, from £30
Broadgate Tower, City of London
totalmotionevents.co.uk
We’re going to be honest, this sounds quad-zappingly horrendous but if you’re one of those chipper chaps who bounds up the tube escalators every morning, you’re probably going to love it. Now in its third year, the Broadgate Tower Run Up is a vertical run up the Broadgate Tower – we’re starting to see where they got that name. You can choose from a single climb of 35 floors, three climbs (which is a quarter of a mile) or 12 climbs for a full vertical mile. The full mile is sold out although there are still charity places available – including with the Fire Fighters Charity who give you the option to do it in full fire kit.
New studio: Hot yoga for a fiver
Buy before 30 November, use until 31 December
Sadhana Yoga & Wellbeing studio, Dalston
sadhana-wellbeing.com
There’s a new yoga studio in town and as a special opening offer you can try it out for just a fiver. Sadhana’s second studio in Dalston (they already have one in Clapham Junction) offers Bikram Hot Yoga, Vinyasa, Yin, Dynamic, Body and Sculpt classes. They’ve also got some candlelight classes going down, just the thing on these dark nights.
Managing Your Emotions for Success in Running
24 November, £26.46
ASICS store, Oxford Street
eventbrite.com
This one’s for those who take their running seriously. If you’re gunning for a PB but struggle with the mental pressure of races or maybe find you’re not enjoying running as much as you could, do what the pros do and employ a bit of sports psychology. This two-hour workshop exploring how psychological training could benefit you is led by experts including an Olympic level Psych coach who works with amateurs and elites, a psychotherapist who helps runners align their mind and body and ASICS frontrunner Marcus Brown who uses optimism and resilience to help him achieve his goals.
Yule Jog – Christmas Lights Tour
Various dates from 26 November to 22 December, from £13
Near Temple or Tower Hill stations
secretlondonruns.com
It’s Christmaaaaaaassssssssss! (Soonish). Get your jingle on with these 5 or 10km guided runs to discover London’s finest Christmas lights, trees and markets. You get jingle bells and a Santa hat to wear along the way.
Also happening this month:
Barry’s Bootcamp is turning 20 this month and it’s opening its first UK studio outside of London in Manchester’s Spinningfields. Sign up here to get all the Bazza’s Manchester goss.
The Cancer Research trail running series Tough 10 is hitting Box Hill, Cannock Chase, Leeds and Manchester with some off-road 10ks. Great events, particularly if you’re looking for a first taste of the trails.
It’s the final adidas City Run of 2018 in Fulham on 18 November. It’s sold out but if you’ve already got a place we’ll see you there.
Loads of outdoor ice rinks are opening in November. We can’t skate for long enough to get any fitness benefits but check out Skate at Somerset house, the Natural History Museum, Skyline skating at John Lewis, the Tower of London and curling at Roof East for starters.
December fitness events? Know of any? Send the info to charlotte@lungesandlycra.co.uk. Merci buckets.