Men\'s Health UK - 10.2019

The Coolest

Fitness Class

kxu.co.uk

KXU THE GAMES

Don’t be fooled by the name:

the Games are most definitely

not something you play. Billed

as a test of both physical

prowess and mental mettle

(“The words ‘I can’t’ or ‘I’m

done’ don’t exist,” the website

claims), the class delivers

exactly what you want: it

pushes you out of your comfort

zone in a way that your regular

workouts rarely can. Over 60

minutes, attendees tackle

a series of stations, working

with battle ropes, tyres, prowler

sleds, Atlas stones, “circus”

dumbbells and sledgehammers

• classic strongman tools. And
  to get to grips with them?
  Receive some tutoring
  from a very strong woman,
  KXU coach Laura “Biceps”
  Hoggins. We can assure you
  that her nickname is earned.

SoulCycle

soul-cycle.com

The New York “status class”

has finally landed in the UK.

And, as much as we wanted to

remain coolly sceptical of its

candlelit studios and soulful

mantras, MH is a convert. It’s

the ultimate endorphin rush: a

hugely enjoyable and effective

high-energy cardio sesh.

David Lloyd Lift and Row

davidlloyd.co.uk

Not all of the smartest classes

are born in boutiques. Health

club David Lloyd’s Lift and Row,

created in partnership with

British Rowing, combines

functional resistance kit such

as TRX trainers and ropes (the

“lift” part) with rowing sessions

to ensure every box is ticked.

RUNNERS-UP

TEST YOUR LIMITS WITH
A RELENTLESSLY BRUTAL
STRONGMAN WORKOUT

SUPPORT THE GYM MAKING

CHANGE AT THE SHARP

END OF KNIFE CRIME

92 MEN’S HEALTH

steelwarriors.co.uk

STEEL WARRIORS

The 2019

Community

Heroes

The greatest fitness

enterprises change minds,

as well as bodies – and our

newest category celebrates

just that. Since the start of

2019, there have been more

than 80 deaths related to knife

crime in London alone. Steel

Warriors is fighting back,

melting down knives taken off

the streets and repurposing

them to build calisthenics

parks. “Gyms are expensive,

but here we provide a free way

of helping young people to

develop physical confidence,

so they feel able to walk

the streets unarmed,” says

founder Ben Wintour. It also

helps to draw attention to

the issue with its roster of

high-profile supporters

(Anthony Joshua is an

ambassador). The team aims

to build 20 more street gyms

over the coming years, with

the support of partners Co-op.

Right now, you’ll have to make

a trip to Langdon Park in

Poplar to test your mettle.

Te r r a H a l e

terrahale.com

Surely the UK’s wokest gym,

Terra Hale has a lot of eco cred.

Its spin bikes generate its

electricity, it’s plastic-free, and

the weight plates are made

from recycled tyres. Oh, and

it’s currently organising a ride

across north-east India, during

which it’ll be planting trees.

Yo rk M a s t e r s B ox i n g C l u b

salvationarmy.org.uk

Run by the Salvation Army,

York Masters provides weekly

drop-in boxing classes for the

homeless. So far, it has helped

at least four people break their

dependence on drugs and

alcohol, while improving the

mental health of many others

• a hard-hitting initiative.

RUNNERS-UP