The Sprightly Spud

London is nothing short of an emporium of workout opportunities these days. From elite level gyms such as Third Space and KX, to outdoor bootcamps in the Royal parks, locals and visitors to the capital are spoilt for choice when it comes to training variety.

For many busy professionals in the ‘big smoke’, time is money. Consequently, the market for studios offering efficient, high intensity workout classes has blossomed…

Keen to live my city-slicker pipe dream, I mulled over Barry’s (which I’ve tried before), Psycle, and Rowbots – all of whom offered a variety of spicy sounding classes, in convenient locations. Eventually, I settled on 1Rebel, and shelled out a hard-earned £45 on a ‘Euro Triple’ deal. The usual fare for three rebel sessions is £70, or £49 if you’re a first – timer, leaving me unusually appreciative of England’s football fever.

The Vibe

With 11 locations across London, and 4 signature workouts, Rebel does seem to have an offering for everyone. Advertising ‘judgement free’, workouts with the ‘best’ trainers, audio and facilities, I was keen to see whether this bougie, boutique gym lived up to its reputation.

Booking my class a the ‘King of Gyms’ had been strikingly straightforward. I simply selected my desired studio and date, then picked a time that suited me. In spite of only booking an hour before I planned to train, there were plenty of slots available. I was impressed further by the fact that you can fine-tune your session experience in terms of your starting station and proximity to the speakers or trainer. Not only does this allow one to tailor the workout to your personal preferences, but it avoids the bun-fight for the ‘best’ spot which is common at most standard gyms.

Strolling into my nearest 1Rebel outpost, the Oxford Circus location, I was hit by an immediate buzz of endorphin-fuelled energy, the whirr of a hard-working blender, and a waft of some kind of posh-smelling body wash.

A friendly face greeted me at the desk, checked me in, and proceeded to offer me a refillable water bottle, and sumptuously fluffy shower towel. The changing rooms only added to the sense of luxury, particularly as the first adornment I spotted was a Smeg fridge stocked with ice cold sweat towels.

So far, it seemed that rebel had thought of, and catered to, every possible desire of its clientele.

The Workout

I’d opted for ‘Reshape – Full Body and Abs’ for my first session. Rebel’s classic workout format, the class features sprints, hills and endurance runs on the top-quality treadmill, interspersed with body-weight and dumbbell resistance training exercises at the weight box. Of course, the 45 minutes was put to the soundtrack of an astoundingly motivating playlist.

Martha, our trainer for the day, began my session with an induction to the class structure, treadmill, and weights. This ran like an intricately choreographed dance routine, and within 2 minutes, I was prepped and ready to go.

From a PT’s point of view, I was impressed with the quality of the session. Martha took the time to give us a proper warm-up, without interrupting the flow of the session. Each exercise was fully coached, an impressive feat when commanding a class of up to 42 adults.

Despite the potential for such a large class size, the session was completely immersive; as advertised. Mirrors have the effect of absorbing you in your own – somewhat unattractive – facial expressions, and the lighting, which rivals that of the finest nightclub, makes it tricky to decipher any features of fellow attendees. Consequently, I felt able to push my limits. Pumping tunes harmonised with my heartbeat, as I hit paces on the tread that I would never usually strive for, free from concern about the judgement of others.

After what felt like an extremely well balanced workout, I was fully invigorated and flush with endorphins. A 45 minute time-slot does seem to be the sweet spot when it comes to keeping the ‘pain cave’ just on the horizon.

The class’ commentary was centred around gratitude for your own body’s potential, shaking off the work week, and feeling powerful. I enjoyed the lack of mention of calories burned, weight loss or, god forbid, ‘toning’. Martha’s Reshape had a truly positive vibe, and I caught myself grinning into the mirror as my feet pounded the treadmill on multiple occasions, regardless of the burn in my quads.

Sunday saw me throwing myself into Georgia’s Reshape with gusto. The workout was completely different to Martha’s class the day before, yet equally as exhilarating and with an equally positive vibe. Treadmill hill efforts had me gasping for breath in the best way, and I particularly the burpee challenges – somewhat of a strong point for my CrossFit conditioned body.

1Rebel’s other workout styles are labelled ‘Rumble’, ‘Reformer’ and ‘Ride’. Exclusive to Oxford Circus, the first of these is a high octane boxing session, pairing intervals at the punch bag with resistance moves at the signature Rebel bench. Reformer capitalises on the fitness industry’s current infatuation; pilates. The full body workout is said to improve your strength, flexibility, coordination and overall fitness using state of the art Reformer beds. Of course, in true Rebel fashion, dynamic movements are backed up by house tunes and mood lighting. Finally, Ride is dubbed ‘the ultimate party on a bike’ – its spin with a Rebel twist. Available in either ‘Rhythm Ride’ or ‘Metric Ride’ varieties, either session is designed to have you vibing to a curated playlist, all whilst training both your cardio and muscular systems.

Post-Class Pampering

Admittedly, at my local gym and swimming pool, I’m lucky if I can summon up enough water pressure in a tap to wash my face before dashing off to work, so my standards for facilities are pretty low. Nevertheless, 1Rebel had me doing a double take as to whether I was in a spa.

There was not one whiff of a cramped, dribbly shower, as a delightfully hot torrent of water rinsed away any leftover sweat. The ample cubicle was stocked with body wash, shampoo, and conditioner from high-performance skincare brand, Wildsmith. Concocted from 100% natural essential oils, the luxury cleansers left my skin feeling nourished, hydrated and fresh. Sufficed to say, I applied plentiful quantities of all the heavenly scented toiletries, and left the shower (swaddled in my fluffy towel) smelling like a botanical garden.

Usually, my post-workout bathing routine ends here, but complementary hair masks, straigteners and body lotion had me strutting down Oxford Circus feeling like a full-blown celebrity.

For those looking for an even more indulgent preening experience (or simply wishing to kill a workout and a haircut with one stone), the gym offers ‘Rebel + Blow’ at St Mary Axe, Victoria and Broadgate, where one can enjoy a selection of blow dries, braids, up dos and cuts.

Gym at 9, wedding at 10 vibes.

The Refuel

1Rebel’s level of client care inevitably stretches to the post-session refuel. Available to pre-order in the changing rooms or when you book your class, the 1Rebel Bar offers a variety of juices and smoothies designed by the Shake Chef. With flavours and nutritional profiles suitable for every palette and diet, there was no chance I was missing out on a post-workout beverage. The ‘Vitamin See’ was my treat of choice, an ‘immune boosting, hydrating and refreshing’ drink made with apple and orange juice, mango, strawberry, ginger, and multivitamin powder.

It was divine.

Not only do 1Rebel’s nutritional offerings re-energise and re-build, but they’re environmentally friendly too. The ‘One Shake One Tree’ campaign means that for every juicy energy boost purchased, a tree is planted in a Madagascan mangrove forest.

Tastes good, does good.

So, who’s it for?

Put simply. I think anyone could be a rebel. With enough effort and motivation, the nature of the workout means it will automatically adapt to your personal fitness levels. You choose your dumbbell weight, treadmill speed and level of intensity. The skilled trainers are happy to adapt any movements that could trigger existing injuries, and are notably caring.

For newbies, or anyone returning to training after a break, the gym offer ‘Rebuild’ sessions. A version of the Reshape class which runs at 75% of the usual intensity. This provides the ideal solution if you’re keen to try a session, but feeling slightly intimidated.

The variety of genders and ages of ‘rebels’ in the classes I sampled was also pretty balanced, and there was certainly no ‘us and them’ atmosphere between regular attendees and one-off participants.

Overall, ‘inclusive’ was my key takeaway.

Health is Wealth

£25 for 45 minutes of exercise may seem pretty extortionate to some, and undoubtedly, 1Rebel is no budget training solution. This said, the more sessions you commit to, the cheaper they become. Bundles of 1, 3, 5, 10,15, 20, 30 and 50 sessions are available to purchase on the 1Rebel website. The latter option comes in at a breathtaking £890, but is the best value package, at £17.80 per class.

For London locals, 1Rebel offer memberships too. The most committed rebels can train to their heart’s content with an unlimited pass (facilitating 7 class bookings per week). This translates to a rolling 12 month contract, at £189 per month. Alternatively, those looking to subscribe to just a few rebel classes each month, can buy 2 or 5 session memberships, at £40 or £80 per month respectively.

When compared to the capital’s other most renowned fitness class providers, Rebel performs economically well…

Barry’s charges £26 for a singular pass and £899 for 50. Though the price difference seems pretty minimal, Barry’s only offer one type of workout, whereas Rebel have four. Similarly, Psycle ask £26 for a one-off session, or £890 for a package of 50 studio credits. Though their roots lie (unsurprisingly) in their ‘Ride’ session, Psycle do also offer ‘Barre’, ‘Strength’, ‘Yoga’ and ‘Reformer’.

In summary, 1Rebel is certainly no more expensive than its competition. It goes without saying that more budget-friendly fitness regimes are available, with low-cost Central London gym memberships up for grabs at under £30 per month. Nevertheless, its vital to consider the value of quality coaching, equipment, class variety, and – most importantly – the enjoyability of your session. The 1Rebel studios are also strewn with little luxuries, sparking the sense that you are the main character in your wellness journey.

Better than Barry’s?

Widely recognised as the original HIIT workout, a Barry’s class is a sure-fire way to break a sweat, and their signature ‘Red Room’ does have the vibe of a good nightclub. Though not unpleasant, my personal experience of Barry’s was a little more intimidating than Rebel, and they certainly offer more variety in their class types.

There is something to be said for the fact that Barry’s are now a global brand. With studios in 14 countries, you could attend a session anywhere in the world, and know you were in for a solid session.

For me, however, the more wholesome mood of 1Rebel has my heart.

The low-down

Springing down Oxford Street, freshly showered and skin dewy with complementary cosmetics, I truly felt like my best self. The endorphins were hitting and I was giddy with a post-workout glow. I enjoyed my Reshape classes so much that I spent the journey back to my hotel browsing the 1Rebel careers page. Despite their being no suitable vacancies at the moment, my first time as a rebel will certainly not be my last.