There is more to keeping fit than hand weights and running. As more and more novel fitness ideas emerge around the Capital, we round up the cream of the crop
Words Rachel Worth
Tired of the same old workout? With summer fast approaching, our motivation to get fitter can prove as fleeting as the season itself. Banish monotony this year with these six new fitness ideas
‘Voga’
Looking good while working out need no longer be an impossible task. ‘Voga’ is an apt portmanteau for a workout that fuses fitness and fashion. Set to an 80s House beat (with, of course, plenty of Madonna thrown in) you can work up a sweat while striking a pose. Founder Juliet Murrell’s main mission is to empower, with her breath-synchronised yoga moves merged with the expressiveness of dance. As the ‘House of Voga’ itself puts it, “fitness has never been so fabulous, and being fabulous has never been so fun.”
The London Friday Night Skate
Every Friday at 8pm, something extraordinary happens at Hyde Park Corner. Skating enthusiasts from far and wide strap on their blades and take to the city in this fun and alternative exercise experience. The Friday Night Skate is aimed at competent rollerbladers, though beginners should give the Sunday Stroll a go instead. This relaxed route begins at Serpentine Road every Sunday at 2pm and is perfect for those who prefer a gentler pace.
Hardcore Parkour
Parkour is a training discipline developed from military obstacle course training. Recently recognised as an Olympic sport, now is a perfect time to take to the great outdoors (or indoors) with gusto. Vault over walls, jump off rails and see your environment and body in a new light at The Chainstore Parkour Academy. This East London facility is the first of its kind in the UK, featuring an indoor training zone mimicking an outdoor urban environment. The academy has coaches onsite and offers either single sessions or classes.
parkourgenerations.com/chainstore
Sunset Aquathlon Series
If you favour water over land when it comes to working out, you’ll be pleased to hear that four Aquathlons are taking place in Hyde Park over the summer. The route is simple: a 500m swim in the Serpentine then a double lap, 5k run in the park. You can enter as a relay team (with two people sharing each leg) or, if you’re up for a challenge, as an individual. Whether amateur or Olympian, all participants will receive medals and goodie bags for their efforts. The first aquathlon will take place on 8 June at The Serpentine Lido Cafe and entry is £25.
silverfit.org.uk/sunset-aquathlon-hyde-park-2016
The Colour Run
Become a living canvas on 11 June by taking part in Wembley Park’s Colour Run. There is no competitive element to this event; whether you are 8 or 80 you can choose to skip, jump or dance your way to the finish line. And, with the NSPCC as the event’s official charity partner, fun for a good cause is the order of the day. As you cross the line after 5km of being pelted with powdered paint, join the ‘Finish Festival’. DJs, giveaways and even more splashes of colour promise to make this an unmissable event.
nspcc.org.uk/what-you-can-do/events/color-run
TruBe
Need a helping hand with your workout regime? Innovative personal-training app TruBe has has launched its ‘Summer Boost’ programme. The programme aims to aid users in hitting their health targets in the lead up to summer. Priced at £250 per month, a consultation will be followed by eight personal training sessions.
“TruBe’s Summer Boost Programme caters to exactly what the individual needs.”Founder and director Daria Kantor explains. “With our versatile selection of highly qualified trainers, users can hand-pick which workout they want, when they want it and where. Extensive, personalised notes and a progress log are inputed into the app following each session, so trainers are fully up to date and aware of what the client needs at the next.”
