Advertising Feature: Team Spirit

Since arriving in Cambridge last September, global fitness phenomenon F45 has taken the city by storm. Velvet looks at the innovative training model and chats to one gym-goer who’s seen fantastic results. .

What is F45?

F45 was born in Australia in 2012 and now has over 1,000 studios worldwide.

The F45 mantra is ‘Team Training Life Saving’.

Each class is accessible for all levels of ability and time-based so members go at their own pace (fast or slow) and lift weights that suits them.

F45 is all about creating a fun and exclusive community of people that want challenging and effective workouts which deliver results.

The trainers are able to provide a lot of attention in classes so members feel like they are having a personal training session within a group class environment. With a mix of cardio and resistance classes, F45 is designed so members can come every day without ‘over training’.

Class Act

There’s more than 30 classes, which are all based on different layouts and timings and designed to achieve different things. F45 change the timetable every 12 weeks so members get to sample new classes regularly. They will never do the same workout twice at F45. Here’s a flavour of four fun fitness classes on offer. . .

West Hollywood runs on a Saturday and is a special hour-long class with a live DJ in the studio.

It’s a fun fast circuit with a mix of cardio and strength. “It’s our funnest day of the week!” says F45 Cambridge Station owner Sarah Craske

Docklands is a cardio class, and the sets change in timings each lap. It’s one of the tougher classes with 60 second sets, a mix of body weight and weighted moves using equipment such as hammers, kettle bells and towers. It’s a sweaty one!

MKatz is a resistance class so has a slower pace. A circuit style, with drop set timing, it uses barbells. Dumbbells, resistance bands and body weight, before finishing with a team 2-minute plank

Athletica is an F45 signature cardio class. There’s different timings and a very fast pace. Expect three pods of exercises such as battle ropes, box jumps and sprints. The team love Athletica as it shows exactly what F45 is all about

In Training

Emily Dell, 26, a distributor marketing specialist, who lives in Cambridge, has been training at F45 for three months and has found the experience life-enhancing. . .

What made you enrol at F45 Cambridge Station – and what were your goals?

I have a friend who works as a trainer in an F45 studio in Australia so I have known the brand for a while. One of my friends and current trainers at the time started promoting F45 and the style of classes which got me interested. My main goal was/is to lose weight but also if I get fitter along the way that’s good too.

Had you been a member of gyms previously?

I have been a member of probably every gym going in the past, Gymophobics, big gyms such as PureGym and Nuffield Health, plus bootcamps.

How has the F45 experience been?

I’ve had a great experience with F45 class so far; you never get bored because you don’t do the same class twice. The coaches are great for motivating you, but always making sure your technique is good so you are not injuring yourself. The F45 community is great; all the members motivate each other, check on each other, push each other. I’ve made some really great friends at F45 and we hold each other accountable to our goals.

What are your favourite classes?

My favourite is the hour-long Hollywood class on a Saturday morning. It’s great having a live DJ there to keep you going (and DJ Ed always brings the tunes!). Also, I like that it’s a hybrid of cardio and resistance; it’s really challenging but you get a great feeling when you reach the end.

What have you achieved since joining F45?

We are currently on the sixth week of the F45 Challenge and I am just over 18 pounds down. My target is to lose 2 stone during the 8-week challenge. I am pushing myself a lot more in terms of cardio and what I can do, the trainers have helped me to do that. Also, I feel a lot stronger in the resistance sessions, so I am pushing myself in terms of weight. I feel safe to do this knowing there is a trainer around who can help me to make sure my technique is right and I am handling the weights correctly.

Would you recommend F45 to friends?

I would definitely recommend F45 to a friend and I often do. I’ve had friends join F45 based on my recommendation and they absolutely love it and are getting really good results.

F45 Training Cambridge Station is at 60 Station Road, Cambridge, CB1 2JH. Find out more at f45training.com