The Best Boutique Fitness Studios In London
By Ellie Smith
3 weeks ago
Where to work up a sweat in the capital
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The London fitness scene is better than ever. Whether you’re into barre, boxing, spinning or strength training, there’s an exercise regime for everyone. Read on for a guide to the capital’s best boutique gyms.
Best Fitness Classes In London 2024
F45
Best For: An intense HIIT workout
With an ever-growing number of studios across London, you’ll likely find an F45 on your doorstep or near your place of work. The sessions are hard and fast, and combine HIIT with circuits and functional training. The result is a 45-minute class that will burn fat, build lean muscle and leave you drenched in sweat. There are 31 different classes to choose from, and with different circuits which you are guided through by on-hand instructors plus technique demonstrations shown on screens, you certainly won’t be bored.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: f45training.co.uk
Pilates Squared
Best For: Reformer pilates
The usual dread of going to a new gym has entirely evaporated by the time you roll up to the elegant townhouse in a leafy South Ken neighbourhood where the Pilates Squared studio is located. A large bay window lights up the intimate space where the highly-trained experts walk you through the hi-tech apparatus which includes Reformer machines and a Cadillac (the rather terrifying-looking metal frame with additions to help you stretch in all the right places). This is bespoke fitness at its very best – each new client receives an individual consultation from which a personalised program is devised to help them meet their goals.
Classes never have more than three people and the studio specialises in one-to-one training, so this is the place to go for expert individual attention. The focus is on perfect alignment, stretching and strengthening through Pilates which is beneficial for weight loss, a more toned body and even rehabilitation for injuries. Book in for a private session with founder Caron, or the charming and attentive Hakan who puts you immediately at ease (despite his military background). A true gem in London and needless to say, clients are lifelong and fiercely loyal – and the results obvious after just a few sessions.
Where: 27 Emperors Gate, London SW7 4HS
Explore: pilatessquared.co.uk
Sweat by BXR
Best For: All-round variety
Though the Marylebone BXR studio is members only, anyone can attend the pay-to-train classes at boutique fitness studio Sweat by BXR. The flagship is located beneath BXR London, with a second site recently opened in Canary Wharf, both offering classes designed to assist in creating, developing and maintaining the foundations of being an athlete, and improve strength and cardio. Keep an eye out for special residencies too, which have included world-renowned Justin Gelband, aka “the model whisperer”, who is responsible for the bodies of Victoria’s Secret Angels such as Candice Swanepoel, Miranda Kerr, Karlie Kloss and Irina Shayk.
A brand-new VersaClimber studio has just opened at the Marylebone branch, complete with state-of-the-art machines. This is a high-intensity cardio workout which mimics the feeling of climbing: expect to burn hundreds of calories and feel it everywhere. Each climber is equipped with a Bluetooth touch screen meaning you can record and save workouts, and watch how you progress week on week. Surround sound and LED strip lighting, plus a killer playlist, gives the class a fun, immersive feel too (and helps distract from the pain).
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: bxrlondon.com
The Engine Room
Best For: Rowing classes
Founded by personal trainer Chris Heron, The Engine Room offers three 50-minute rowing classes, all of which are technique focused – so if you’ve never rowed before, it’s the perfect chance to learn the tricks of the trade. The studio is located in a Grade-II listed converted church, with classes featuring blue strobe lighting, high-tech trackers and thudding music for top motivation.
Where: St Bedes Hall, London NW1 4DY
Explore: theengineroomlondon.com
Paola’s Body Barre
Best For: Barre workouts
Head to one of Paola’s 50-minute barre classes to feel the burn like never before, in muscles you never knew existed. A mixture of pilates, cardio, strength, ballet and dance-based moves, classes are harder than the average barre class. But your body will thank you for it – after just a few sessions you’ll feel leaner, stronger and more toned. There are a number of different variations of the class, but most incorporate the barre, as well as weights, balls, resistance bands and other exercise paraphernalia, with plenty of squats, pulses and planks. If you want to really challenge yourself, go for PBB Burn, a step up from the PBB Signature class notorious for its ‘burn factor’ – you can burn up to 700 calories in a class.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: paolasbodybarre.com
UN1T
Best For: Circuit training
‘We train as one’ is the mantra for fitness studio UN1T, which has just opened a new branch in Holborn. Prepare to be pushed out of your comfort zone as you work in a team in a series of cardio, strength and mobility focused classes in a circuit format, with 12 different stations for participants to work around – from weight lighting to rowing machines to climbing planks. Rumour has it if you’re spotted having a break the class will be punished with five burpees, so it’s certainly not one for the faint-hearted. Despite this there’s a really friendly atmosphere and the team-style structure is great for motivation – you’ll certainly leave on a high (if a tad exhausted).
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: un1t.com
Digme
Best For: Spin classes
There’s no hiding at the back in Digme’s spin classes: your performance will be tracked on a virtual display board, ensuring top effort from everyone. But don’t let this put you off: the studio is designed to strip back all the intimidating features which often put people off, and there’s actually a really relaxed, friendly atmosphere. They also offer HIIT classes, as well as a challenging ‘Matrix’ class, which uses TRXs kettlebells, and SkillMills (non-motorised treadmills), featuring a mixture of running, conditioning and movement.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: digmefitness.com
The Fore
Best For: Full-body fitness
The Fore in King’s Cross houses one of the toughest functional fitnesses classes in town, as well as a swanky co-working area, café, treatment rooms and calendar of regular wellness workshops and activities. It’s a distinctly holistic approach to health and wellbeing as per the vision of founder Hannah Lanel, who has personally curated the space (and furnished it with swanky Tom Dixon lights and Andrew Martin furniture) to ensure you want to hang out there all day. But once you get past the squishy sofas… The signature workout is certainly not ‘chilled out vibes’. A full-body functional fitness class that uses only three pieces of equipment, you’ll be put through your paces in 45 minutes of circuits, from sprinting and sled pushing on the Skillmill (a next-level treadmill that’s doubly efficient) to rotation training on the Rip Trainer at the first UK gym that’s got the skill to teach it. With elite trainers who ensure your form and technique are always on point, there’s no hiding here – but you’ll be thankful when your strength, speed, endurance and mobility drastically improve after just a few weeks. Take things up a notch with a PT session (Callum is perfect levels of patient and pushy) and make sure to enjoy all the lux mod cons while you’re at it. If you’re going to go hard, this is the way to do it.
Where: 14-18 Handyside Street, Kings Cross, London N1C 4DN
Explore: the-fore.co.uk
Nobu Pilates
Best For: Pilates classes
In a global first for Nobu Hospitality, a Pilates studio has opened at Nobu Hotel London Portman Square. A large, light-filled room overlooking Portman Square, the studio is a Pilates enthusiast’s dream: think reformers, Cadillacs and towers, with wall-to-wall mirrors and plenty of space. The lovely Marsha Lindsay runs the show here, offering three signature classes exclusive to Nobu: Power, Precision and Pure Pilates. Power offers a HIIT-style class, which incorporates jump-board choreography and up-tempo exercises, while Precision is a sculpting class focusing on targeting specific muscle groups. Pure, meanwhile, honours the original style of Joseph Pilates, reinforcing the importance of a strong core and good posture. Afterwards, refuel with a cold-pressed juice and snack from the next-door café – or head downstairs for some well-earned sushi.
Where: 22 Portman Square, London W1H 7BG
Explore: london-portman.nobuhotels.com
The Louisa Drake Method
Best For: Dance-based workouts
Years as a dancer, choreographer, trainer to the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham, and expert in multiple disciplines – Louisa Drake certainly has many strings to her bow, but the most impressive has to be how she’s combined them all to create her own unique method, and it’s taken London by storm. Loved by fashion insiders and high-profile jet-setters alike, the Louisa Drake Method mixes the most transformative elements of Pilates, barre, yoga and dance in a full-body workout that targets the exact muscles needed for the longer, leaner, stronger body of your dreams. Alternating between resistance, condition, cardio and stretching, classes in the charming Fitzrovia studio are small, fast-paced and often led by Louisa herself. This is boutique fitness at its best, but don’t expect a walk in the park – results like these require hard work, so be prepared to be put through your paces. Shape Changer and Sculpt are the most hardcore, while Pilates fans should give Refine a go – it uses a MOTR (essentially a portable, more versatile reformer) to take the Method to the next level.
Where: Until, Unit 111 Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DU
Explore: louisadrake.com
SoulCycle
Best For: Spin classes
After much anticipation from London’s spinning brigade, indoor cycling empire SoulCycle opened its first international studio in Soho in 2019. Since launching over a decade ago, the brand has developed a massive cult-like following in America, with clientele including the likes of Beyoncé and Michelle Obama. It’s also inspired a new wave of spin studios this side of the pond such as Psycle, 1Rebel and Boom Cycle, all featuring pumping music, motivational instructors and the concept of riding to the beat. But SoulCycle promises something different: a mind-body-soul experience, which is not just about burning calories – although you’ll certainly do a lot of that too. There’s a lot of talk about energy, positive mantras and getting into the zone, each studio has its own crystal, classes are candlelit, and phones are banned. And be warned: you might be asked to high-five your neighbour. But it seems Londoners are hooked – the 63-bike strong classes tend to completely fill up (and new social distancing measures mean less spots per class), and even David Beckham was spotted there.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: soul-cycle.com
1Rebel
Best For: Immersive spin classes
Bright lights, a stage, multi-tiered flooring: 1Rebel’s Ride studio in Victoria is more like a theatre than a gym. And in many ways it is a performance, but one where the 80-bike strong audience must take part too. A celebrity-style spin instructor is elevated on a platform, which becomes encased with a circle of lights at numerous points during the class. The 3D sound system, Ibiza-style lighting and special effects transport you another world – one where exercise is actually fun. But don’t expect an easy ride: the mixture of sprints, hill climbs and hand-weight exercises is a lethal combination. Power through, and you could burn up to 800 calories in one class. There are six 1Rebel gyms across the city, including a recently opened studio in Angel. Here it’s all about the Reshape class, which is not spinning but equally – and perhaps even more so – gruelling. Expect to be mentally and physically challenged in a series of high-powered treadmill sessions and dynamic weight sequences, designed to push you to exertion.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: 1rebel.com
1Rebel
Best For: All-round variety
One of London’s top boutique fitness studios is 1Rebel (formerly Core Collective), which is made up entirely of class-based workouts. The hyper-modern and swish facilities include state-of-the-art changing rooms with luxurious showers, products and even a hair station with straighteners and plenty of hairbands to get you class-ready. There’s a great range of classes to choose from, including high-energy hybrid rowing and weights classes, spinning, circuits, power yoga, and TRX/kettlebell fusion classes. Be prepared to be well and truly put through your paces, before rewarding yourself with some delicious food and a smoothie at the on-site cafe. They have three studios in Kensington, Knightsbridge and St John’s Wood.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: 1rebel.com
KARVE
Best For: Transformer Pilates
London’s coolest new fitness spot is KARVE, a New York-inspired studio on High Street Kensington pioneering the Transformer Pilates method. It’s low-impact – but don’t let that trick you into thinking it’ll be easy. A step up from classic reformer, this 50-minute workout is designed to ‘karve’ the body and mind, using time under tension techniques, pulses and isometric holds to initiate a serious burn. Expect 50 minutes of tricep dips, side planks and lunges performed on the machine, with a breathing meditation at the end to re-establish the mind-body connection.
Where: 198 Kensington High Street, London W8 7RG
Explore: karve.club
Barrecore
Best For: Barre workouts
Famous for sculpting the bodies of everyone from Pippa Middleton to Rita Ora, Barrecore is a hybrid of ballet, pilates and yoga, designed to tone, lengthen and strengthen. Worlds away from sweat-inducing HIIT classes, here it’s all about small, low-intensity movements and pulses – but don’t be fooled: the burn is real. Expect to feel muscles shake like never before, particularly your glutes, thighs and lower abs. Barrecore have many studios across the city in areas including Wandsworth, Islington, Notting Hill and a recently opened studio on the King’s Road in Chelsea.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: barrecore.com
Psycle
Best For: Spin classes
Immersive, high-energy and energetic, a Psycle class is much more than your average indoor cycling session. Part workout, part nightclub, you can expect to be greeted with thumping music, whether it’s 7am in the morning or 7pm at night, replicating the buzz and excitement of a night out. Workouts are led by some of the capital’s best instructors, so be prepared to be put through your paces – Psycle’s cycling classes offer a full body workout, featuring killer hand weights sessions to ensure your upper body gets some TLC as well as your spinning legs. There are now have studios in Mortimer Street, Notting Hill, Clapham, Shoreditch and a new opening in Victoria, with some offering other classes such as barre, yoga, reformer pilates and strength training. Fist-pumping, cheering and high-fiving optional, but strongly encouraged.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: psyclelondon.com
Coach London
Best For: Strength endurance
Recently opened in St James’s Square, Coach London is a sleek health space complete with a state-of-the-art gym and luxurious changing rooms. But perhaps the most interesting element is its new concept group fitness class, Kinesis, which offers something entirely new amid a crowded market. It involves using just your body weight to explore movement patterns, designed to create a heightened awareness of your individual joints and muscles. Across a 45-minute session, you’ll flow from one movement to the next, manipulating tempo and the direction of force based on personal ability and body composition. Slow, controlled movements will teach you to activate muscles in a new way, over time helping to improve mobility and stability as well as strength endurance and skill.
Where: 3 St. James’s Square, London SW1Y 4JU
Explore: coachlondon.uk
cyKO at Raffles
Best For: Spin classes
cyKO is transforming the iconic nightclub Raffles into a spin studio hosting 45-minute high-intensity classes. Promising an unbeatable sound system, strobe lighting and laser beams, this class offers a truly incredible and fun workout, with all the benefits of a night on the town and none of the hangover.
Where: 287 King’s Road, London SW3 5EW
Explore: cyko.uk
Bodyism
Best For: All-round variety
This luxe Notting Hill gym is a hotspot for A-listers, with Pippa Middleton, David Beckham and David Gandy all having visited. Situated on Westbourne Grove, it offers a 360-approach to wellness focused on connecting heart, mind, body and soul. Those who like varied workouts will love the Bodyism Signature class, a fusion of pilates, yoga, interval training and meditation – with an advanced option stepping things up a notch with gliders and ankle weights. The studio also offers barre, a full body conditioning workout which uses isometric movements to tone and lengthen muscle. Afterwards, grab a bite to eat from the on-site café, which serves up an array of shakes, smoothie bowls, pancakes and salads.
Where: 222-224 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RH
Explore: bodyism.com
JOHN REED
Best For: All-round variety (set to club music)
Straddling the fine line between gym and nightclub, JOHN REED is one of Berlin’s best fitness exports. Think DJ sets amidst weightlifting reps, and a huge range of group workouts are scheduled in weekly. The Liverpool Street gym offers everything; from HIIT to Boxing to Hot Yoga, and follows it all up with after-workout mixers. It’s a neat community at this boutique space, and you’re guaranteed to work hard, play harder.
Where: 90 Liverpool Street, London EC2M 2AT
Explore: johnreed.fitness
Rumble
Best For: HIIT classes
Carbon neutral fitness studio Rumble opens up a new hub in Fitzrovia this September, where it will be hosting its infamous Rumble HIIT Circuit class to help build muscle and stamina. Circuits change daily and focus on different parts of the body, with burn and build workouts focusing on upper body, lower body, full body, abs and booty. Members can workout with the aid of built-in screens on the walls, with trainers on hand to help motivate you through the session. The Fitzrovia location is the latest addition to the Rumble family, with other locations in London including Dalston, Primrose and Shoreditch. Rumble, which was founded by Ukrainian-born Lenka Chubuklieva, will also be supporting charity We Help Ukrainians via the studio and by personally assisting at the charity’s warehouse.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore:rumble-gym.com
KXU
Best For: All-round variety
The pay-as-you-go sister venue to luxe members’ club KX, KXU is a sleek wellness space perched in a leafy corner of Pavilion Road. It’s beautifully designed, with an on-site café serving smoothies and nutritious snacks, plus a medi-spa complete with an infrared sauna, cryotherapy chamber and aesthetic clinic. Fitness classes on offer include the renowned Paola’s Body Barre – for the ultimate burn, opt for Extreme Sculpt with Sophie – plus yoga, spinning, and ‘HIIT and run’, which combines treadmill work with resistance training exercises. There’s also Evolve, which includes a mix of bodyweight and weighted workouts, and The Games, a highly challenging class which will take you out of your comfort zone – think sled pushes, tyre flipping and much more.
The latest class concept is Glutes & Core, a targeted session taught by trainers Alex Rogers and Maddy Jupp. Expect to work often neglected muscle groups in a challenging and structured workout – your glutes and abs will be on fire.
Where: 241 Pavilion Rd, London SW1X 0BP
Explore: kxu.co.uk
Third Space, Moorgate
Best For: A balance of fitness and wellness
Luxury fitness and health group Third Space has just opened up a new location in Moorgate; the eighth in the club’s chain of world-class training and recovery sites. Offering over 100 classes a week alongside personal training from highly-qualified trainers and a Natural Fitness Food outlet (with meals created by a specialised in-house nutritionist), this is a hub for wellness and fitness enthusiasts alike. Facilities include a circular combat caged arena, intelligent cycling studio, HIIT studio, Elieko strength areas and recovery lounge for the wind-down. And when you want to get your heart rate back down? You can head over to the recovery lounge or sauna, backlit by a Himalayan sea salt wall, where you can soak up the relaxing atmosphere.
‘We are so proud and excited to open the latest Third Space club in Moorgate. We always strive to provide a space that suits each member’s specific needs and this club is no different,’ says Colin Waggett, CEO of Third Space. ‘This launch marks our ongoing expansion plans and I can’t wait to welcome members into the site and support their training and recovery efforts.’
Where: 16 South Place, London EC2M 2AQ
Explore: thirdspace.london
Heartcore
Best For: Advanced Pilates
With seven studios dotted all over the city, Heartcore is renowned for offering some of the most challenging Pilates classes in London. The luxe studio is most famous for its reformer classes, which feature special machines developed by founder Jessie Blum, with signature sessions lasting 60 minutes and promising a full-body workout. Recently the studio added a new concept: mat Pilates, currently available at the Bayswater branch. Designed as an immersive experience, the class features infrared heating and is set to the beat of music. Don’t expect an easy ride: this is a tough class which will burn all your muscles and get you sweating, with some fun free movement thrown in there to up those endorphins.
Where: Multiple locations
Explore: weareheartcore.com
Circuit Society
Best For: Circuit training
One of the fastest growing gym chains in London, Circuit Society was founded by Shane Collins and franchises by Liz Benjamin. The studio is a one stop shop for sculpting, toning, energising and maintaining your optimum fitness via 45-minute circuit classes. No two are the same, and participants rotate through six stations where they can build strength and endurance with a mix of cardio and HIRT (High Intensity Resistance Training). Circuit Society’s classes are known to torch up to 800 calories in one class.
Circuit Society’s latest outpost – the third to open in London – in Bayswater also offers 45 minute boxing and TRX classes. Fancy a one-to-one session? Trainers at Circuit Society are also available for PT and nutritional guidance.
Where:3 Porchester Gardens, London W2 4SJ
Explore: circuitsociety.fit
Step Aerobics at Frame, Shoreditch
Fancy stepping to your own beat? London fitness studio Frame (known for its fun workouts set to themed playlists) is taking us back to the 90s with its step aerobics sessions, which bring together high-intensity, cardio and conditioning for a full-body workout with a twist. Classes are currently only available at Frame’s Shoreditch outpost.
Where: 29 New Inn Yard, Hackney, London, EC2A 3EY
Explore: Frame Step Aerobics will be available at the Shoreditch location only. moveyourframe.com
Reformcore, Chelsea
Fans of Barrecore will be thrilled to find out that the minds behind the operation have launched a new fitness class in London dedicated to reformer Pilates, with a flagship on King’s Road in Chelsea opening this January. Expect 50-minute, high-energy classes designed by expert trainers for power, strength and core fitness.
Where: 107 King’s Road, London SW3 4PA
Explore: reformcore.com
Studio FIX, Kensington
A recent addition to the west London fitness scene is Studio FIX, a sleek space just off High Street Kensington. Spread across multiple floors and spanning 7,500 sq ft of space, the shiny new studio has six different class concepts, offering something for all your different workout needs. Get your burn on at PBB signature, the beloved barre/Pilates hybrid concept from fitness queen Paola Di Lanzo, get your sweat on in a high-energy HIIT class, or work on your weight lifting technique at the Strength-Based Lift class. There are also boxing and yoga classes – plus it’s one of the first studios in London to offer Lagree Megaformer, a new wave style of reformer Pilates. With aesthetic changing rooms plus a smoothie and coffee lounge, this buzzy new spot really offers everything.
Where: 42-44 Kensington High St, London W8 4PD
Explore: studiofix.co.uk
Featured image: Geert Pieters, Unsplash
