Men\'s Health UK - 10.2019

88 MEN’S HEALTH

thirdspace.london

THE YARD AT THIRD SPACE

The Best

Functional Space

It’s emblematic of the

current landscape that the

thing all high-end, luxury

health clubs most want to

boast about is not their spa,

pool or yoga studio, but the

raw, gritty functionality of their

training spaces. The Yard is

undoubtedly a diamond in the

rough-and-readiness. Situated

within the 100,000-square-

foot, three-floor complex at

WITH A SPRINT TRACK AND

MORE TOYS THAN HAMLEYS,

THE YARD IS UNBEATABLE

Third Space Canary Wharf, it

boasts a multi-purpose rig,

sprint track and sleds, along

with all the usual apparatus.

The mezzanine also houses

a fully equipped combat zone

(martial arts being the trend

that will not tap out), while

classes include WODs,

kettlebell tutorials and

strongman training, under

the guidance of high-level

instructors. Your frangipani

salt scrub can wait.

Delivering the feel of an

exclusive boutique on

a national scale is tough

going. But Virgin Active does

exactly that, with 43 venues

nationwide (and membership

packages starting at a

decidedly un-boutique £45

per month). Gym floors

are kitted out with more

paraphernalia than you could

shake a kettlebell at – from the

usual free weights and cardio

machines to the more niche

monkey bars, boxing rings

and SkillMills, in certain

venues – but it’s the class

offerings that really make this

chain stand apart. Its intensive

Heat class (that’s “high-

energy athletic training”)

offers a punchy calorie burn,

while the CrossFit-esque

Grid Games gives members

across the country a chance

to face off against each other

in a lung-busting time trial.

Our favourite new offering?

The Mayfair venue’s Row

Strong – an uber-hip

combination of rowing and

Olympic lifting. Very 2019.

PureGym

puregym.com

A non-mover in our

annual audit, this

zero-contract, 24-hour gym is

the smart bet for any man on

a budget, with memberships

starting at £11 a month – an

outlay that barely buys you 20

minutes of graft in most trendy

London studios. It’s a package

made for go, not show.

Nuffield Health

nuffieldhealth.com

The non-profit health-

care group has your

well-being in mind. As well

as access to the gym, classes

and pool, it offers all members

free “health MOTs”, with

guidance from a personal

trainer, plus a discount

on services such as

physiotherapy. Because there

is more to fitness than biceps.

RUNNERS-UP

virginactive.co.uk

VIRGIN ACTIVE

VIRGIN ACTIVE IS
A CLASS APART

The Best

Gym Chain

ADDITIONAL REPORTING: CHARLOTTE DALY | ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY: PHILIP HAYNES, JONATHAN BEAN