Even if your goal isn’t to turn into a bodybuilder, weights should be a key part of your exercise routine because lifting helps burn more fat, increases your metabolism and keeps your bones strong. Many HIIT classes incorporate a weights section into the workout but if you want to really focus on strength training, give these ones a go.

Check out our recs on the best barre, spin, pilates, boxing, HIIT and yoga classes too.

Strongman at Gymbox

If you’re going to do weights, then you might as well really do them. This Gymbox class borrows from Competitive Strongman, incorporating all manner of lifting heavy things into the class. You could be flipping tyres, dragging weighted sleds or pressing logs. Yeah, they’re not messing about with this one and it’s a great alternative the weights you’d normally find on the gym floor.

Ealing, Elephant & Castle, Farringdon, Stratford & Victoria
gymbox.com

Calisthenics at BLOK

Calisthenics is the weights workout for people who don’t want to lift any actual weights. You use your own bodyweight to improve your strength, endurance and fitness, and in the calisthenics class at BLOK, they get you pulling, pressing, lunging, twisting and bending all over the place, working both upper and lower body.

Clapton & Shoreditch
bloklondon.com

BLOK Photo credit: Max Oppenheim

Lift at Third Space

Luxe gym Third Space will have you building up your strength in no time with Lift. You’ll learn proper form and technique, and move through a combination of kettlebell and dumbbell lifts using progressively heavier weights (so yes, it will be hard) to work out your entire body and leave you feeling powerful.

City, Marylebone, Canary Wharf, Islington, Mayfair, Soho, Moorgate, Wimbledon & Tower Bridge
thirdspace.london