Yoga in The Shard

When Charlie asked me what I wanted to do during my final London weekend, I had no idea. There are so many wonderful things to see and do in London that it’s tough to choose just one activity.  Quite the London expert, Charlie chose the perfect activity to kick off our weekend of fun – Yoga in The Shard, London’s tallest building. 

IMG_1042

The class started at 8:30, quite early for a Saturday but they have to complete the yoga class before the viewing area opens to other visitors. Charlie and I arrived at The Shard around 8 am, not knowing whether we’d have to wait in line. Once going through security and the two different elevators lifts, gorgeous floor to ceiling views of London greeted us! Charlie and I arrived earlier than most, which allowed us front row mats, paired with gorgeous views of the miniature size London below us. Even though the weather was, unfortunately, overcast, we could still see St. Paul’s Cathedral, London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, The Gherkin and other famous London sights.

 View from the Shard IMG_0998

While enjoying the views, I couldn’t believe that we were going to practice yoga on the 68th floor, 1,016 feet above London! This is the most memorable yoga space I’ve visited!

IMG_1010

At 8:30 exactly, everyone was asked to take their place on the mats provided by Yogasphere. The teacher quickly introduced herself and asked the forty students whether there were injuries or anyone new to yoga. I appreciated that while it was such a large class, wrapping fully around the viewing room, she did her best to move around during class. Also, a second person, stationed towards the back of the class, helped those people who couldn’t view the primary teacher. Thanks to the instructors’ microphone everyone, regardless their mat position,  could hear the soothing music and her instructions.

IMG_1020

The hour-long class, which is open to all-levels, combined a mix of faster-paced flow in between a relaxing and restorative first and last ten minutes of class. There were people, men and women alike, of all shapes, sizes, and abilities. They tailor the class so anyone can follow, whether a practiced yogi who wants to do inversions and deepen the moves or a total beginner. I appreciated that the teachers took time to provide adjustments during a few of the binds and twists.

IMG_1050

After the class, Charlie and I took advantage of the 15-minute viewing time to take pictures and practice poses with the unbelievable background.

Whether you’re visiting London or a local, I recommend booking a Saturday yoga class in the shard. It’s a relaxing class and perfect way to enjoy the views from The Shard. While the 40-pound price isn’t cheap, tickets to the shard are typically 25 pounds just to go to the viewing deck, this is a great deal! If you’re a local, classes are also included on SoMuchMore London, a local fitness booking site.

Share Button
Follow:

1Rebel London – Your Body Will Thank You

This week I spent a quick 36 hours in London for a work training. The training, hosted by Contagious, talked all about consumer experience across the multiple consumer touch points. It was a fascinating eight hours, which allowed us to be inspired by other brands and companies.

When traveling, I love spending at least one morning trying out local fitness studios. As soon as Charlie heard I was coming, she suggested we go to 1Rebel together. The studio, which opened in London this January, offers two types of classes: RIDE (spin) and RESHAPE (treadmill & weights high intensity interval training). Always a fan of HIIT training, we opted to kick our butts into gear with their RESHAPE class.

1rebel 

1Rebel’s description of their RESHAPE class was quite accurate!

45 minutes of physical and mental intensity. Exertion that you never thought possible. This highly intensive group experience is designed to condition and resculpt selected muscle-groups. The latest Woodway 4Front treadmills and the bespoke and patented 1R workout platform will help mould your body and break your barriers.

Charlie, Margaret and I signed up for the RESHAPE lower body class with Mila, one of RESHAPE’s master trainers. One of the great things about 1Rebel is that they offer more than 6 classes per day, meaning that they have a class to meet your schedule. If you come in for their Full Body 30 during lunch, you even get a free Roots & Bulbs shake or juice!

 1Rebel UK Schedule

The workout: We entered the studio, greeted by black lights, pumping music and an energetic instructor. After checking for injuries she quickly instructed each of us to start in our pre-assigned spot, either on a numbered Woodway treadmill or at a weight bench. Our class was broken up into three different sets of treadmill workouts and weight workouts. The treadmill portions ranged from five to eight minutes and included lots of hills and two rounds of full sprints.  The treadmill portion was very similar to Barry’s Bootcamp, though I loved the way our instructor came up to each of us pushing us just a little bit faster. In addition, the final treadmill portion included dynamic mode, where we propel the treadmill belt with our own strength.

IMG_8846The weight portion is where 1Rebel really differentiated itself from other classes I’ve taken. We used free weights and a weighted medicine ball to do a combination of squats, squat thrusts, jumps, burpees, and swings. These were absolutely killer and Mia didn’t allow any of us to give less than 100% effort. She corrected form frequently, quite bluntly calling us out when we were doing things incorrectly. The hardest portion for me was the last weight section when we did box jumps on the steps followed by leg raises.

IMG_8844 IMG_8847 IMG_8820My only negative comment about the workout was the weight bench. In the dark, I had a hard time finding the correct weights and then accessing them from the bench. The bench, which was similar to an elevated step, had all the weights racked so tightly beneath it that I couldn’t see the weight until I removed it, causing many awkward fumbles.

1 Rebel Weight Bench

Otherwise, as promised, the class was 45 minutes of non-stop high intensity workout. I barely had time to pause for swigs of water, which meant my heart rate stayed high the whole time.

The Locker Room Situation: Before hearing about 1Rebel’s workouts, I heard about their locker rooms. I kid you not! When this new kid on the block opened in London, everyone was raving about their large locker rooms which includes copper code lockers, cold towels, more than 10 private showers, multiple beauty bars including hair straighteners, blow dryers, deodorant and other beauty products. Getting ready in the locker room was a treat yesterday, versus a stress.  (Picture source)

1rebel womens locker room

Refuel: After your class, 1Rebel makes it easy to refuel. Their healthy cafe, Roots and Bulbs, offered fresh made smoothies, juices and other small bites. Similar to Barry’s Bootcamp, you may order your juice or smoothie ahead so it’s waiting for you after class. The Whey of the Gods smoothie, which included almond milk, banana, maca, peanut butter, whey protein and sesame seeds kept me fueled all morning and was DELICIOUS! I want to try and recreate this smoothie at home!

IMG_8839

Pricing: They have a special price of 10 pounds for your first class. After that, individual classes are 20 pounds or may be purchased in packages which reduce the price. In addition, 1Rebel is available on the London Classpass.

Would I go again? Heck yes! I loved the class and 24 hours later I can feel that the combination of treadmill sprints, hills, box jumps, and medicine ball exercises worked my muscles in new ways. If I lived in London, I would definitely go at least once a week.

Share Button
Follow:

Free Workout in London – Project Awesome

Waking up early to squeeze in a workout before work is never easy. In fact, for many, it feels downright impossible.

Project Awesome, helps get London out of bed each Wednesday and Friday morning by promising them free fitness, enthusiasm and fun. Especially helpful during the rainy, cold, dark mornings one can’t help but smile when they hear the commotion coming from The Scoop, the group’s Wednesday meeting location. Similar to the November Project in the United States, Project Awesome is all about showing up and holding yourself accountable to working out regardless the weather!

Displaying IMG_7201.JPG

Danny Bent, an enthusiastic and spirited guy sporting short shorts and tons of muscles, makes the workout feel like a party. He brings a great playlist and speaker each week and screams the workout to the group in a non-threatening, supportive manner.  In fact, he gives sweaty hugs to all the newbies and prides himself on knowing everyone’s name!

DSC_0043

Each Wednesday the group completes a body weight workout that lasts 45 minutes. The workout varies but many things are consistently a part of the routine: squats, burpees, pushups and stairs. The ampitheatre lends itself to stair climbing. They are a killer workout since they are so steep. My calves and glutes were burning after just a few minutes!

Displaying DSC_0018.JPGDisplaying DSC_0036.jpgDSC_0042

Luckily we mixed up the stairs and body weight workouts with my running over Tower Bridge. I couldn’t get over the sunshine and views yesterday morning as a group of us chatted our way back and forth over the bridge. As we passed fellow project members we gave high fives and motivated each runner to go just a bit faster.

Displaying IMG_7203.JPG

These pictures can’t do the energy levels justice! Everyone was smiling their way through the workout, even during the group squats which lasted almost five minutes! At the end of every workout the group takes a pictures, a fun way to document the fun. As you can see there were around 40 people at yesterday’s class, ranging in age from 10 years old to mid 40s.

If you’re traveling to London or a local, head over to the Facebook page to find out more and join Charlie and company for their weekly workout. I guarantee you will feel the burn and have a blast! They meet each Wednesday at The Scoop, next to Tower Bridge, at 6:30am and each Friday at Primrose Hill. Don’t be surprised if someone hugs you upon arrival, screams your name as you’re dashing up the stairs or invites you to coffee afterwards. This group is all about the fun and camaraderie!

DSC_0048

Share Button
Follow: