Core Collective Gym | Kensington

Last week we had the pleasure (and pain) of attending the incredibly stylish gym of the it crowd, Core Collective in Holland Pack. Tucked away behind bustling High St Kensington this luxurious gym is housed in ultra-modern studios and made up entirely of class based exercises, which are instructed by trainers who look like models (well, most of them are!)

When you walk into the gym, you are greeted by a host of gorgeous ladies, who hand you a super soft towel and take you down to the changing room of dreams. Influenced by a raw, urban style, the facilities include huge waterfall showers complete with a range of great products for you to use at your leisure. The girls have their own make-up and hair station, complete with ghd straighteners, hair products and a bowl full of hair bands so you are totally workout ready.

We were lucky enough to try out the Velocity class, which is 45 minutes of high intensity, athletic interval training, taught by expert Roo Hamer, a fantastic instructor who will push you to do your best with no rest time; be warned. During the class we were put through our paces in an intense warm up which consisted of a lot of squats and were then required to pair up for a series of seven exercises that included pushing a heavy cart across the room, a rowing machine and some raised arm dips. In between the two sets of seven exercises we had a core Pilates style workout which focused on the abs and giving us a chance to rest certain muscles that had been pushed to their limits. We went in terrified but we left with a feeling of accomplishment and Roo was always on hand to make sure exercises were done correctly.

Other classes at Core Collective include Resistance, which is a 45 minute TRX class using suspension training to work your strength across your body and build your stamina. Accelerate is Core Collective's answer to spinning which is low impact but high energy, plus you get to cycle to some great music. A new addition is Sculpt which is a dynamic, ballet inspired class that helps you tone, lengthen and define.

After enjoying the great changing room facilities we headed up to the new Core Kitchen to enjoy some well-deserved cocktails and sample some delicious, healthy treats from their menu. Snacks included rare steak with a coconut horseradish, soft cheese stuffed mini peppers, polenta cake and chargrilled broccoli with an amazing miso glaze.

We felt thoroughly welcomed by the Core Collective team and were packed off with a goody bag full of healthy treats and an invitation to take part in some other classes, just in time for summer body prep. The great thing about a class based gym is that you will never lack the motivation when faced with a lot of equipment you aren't quite sure on how to use. The fitness instructors will help you get the exercises right for the goal you are trying to achieve and find the perfect class for you. The beauty of it is that you can buy a package of classes and try them all!

For more information on Core Collective and class bookings please contact your Lifestyle Manager. Interested in becoming a Member? Request more information