DANCE CARDIO

Move over Zumba, there’s a new kid in town. If you’re looking for a fun workout that will unleash your inner diva and leave you feeling like a backing dancer for Beyoncé, look no further. At Your Beat (atyourbeat.com) is all about finding your own rhythm while reaching your full potential as a dancer.

You don’t need to have a background in dance, just an open mind and a willingness to slay and be sexy, as you hair whip and booty pop your way through the routine. Classes from £10.

BOXING BOUTIQUES

Boxing has been given a stylish new makeover thanks to KOBOX (koboxlondon.com) in Chelsea. Known as the place where ‘fight club meets nightclub’, this banging boutique has revolutionised the sport, making it accessible to all and a firm fave with celebrities and athletes alike.

After an hour of punching sequences, body-weight exercises and working up an almighty sweat, you’ll leave feeling empowered and hungry for more. This addictive concept hasn’t gone unnoticed, as the capital sees the opening of boxing-themed gym BXR (bxrlondon.com) in Marylebone this year.

SOCIAL SWEAT

Long gone are the days of sweating it alone on a treadmill at the gym with nothing but your headphones for company. Time-stricken Londoners are now being encouraged to become active social butterflies by combining their workout with meeting new people. While a social fitness app named Fitssi (fitssi.com) aims to connect like-minded people through shared personal-training sessions, BOOM Cycle (boomcycle.co.uk) has been getting people out of
the bar and onto the bike by offering a cheeky glass of prosecco on a Friday. Or why not make a full night of it with The Wellscene (thewellscene.club) at one of its yoga or fitness pop-ups? Prices vary.

MIXED FORMAT

Just one form of exercise isn’t near enough these days; now it’s all about mixing it up by incorporating many varieties of training in one. Studios across London now offer a fitness fusion by combining classes such as HIIT with spin, boxing with ballet and yoga with cardio.

Not only does this add variety to your workout, but the different disciplines keep your body guessing, which activates more muscles and accelerates fat burn. Revamp your workout with the Louisa Drake Method (louisadrake.com). It mixes elements of resistance, cardio and stretch for fast and effective results.

ENDURANCE

Pushing you to your limits: this is where you’ll really see what you’re made of. Marathons, triathlons and obstacle courses are not new concepts and remain incredibly popular. What you’re going to see more of, though, is endurance challenges conducted within the gym.

These are usually in the form of back-to-back classes that you try to complete consecutively for a week, such as Barry’s Bootcamp Hellweek (barrysbootcamp.com), KOBOX Fight Club (koboxlondon.com) and F45’s (f45training.co.uk) introductory offer of seven classes in seven days. Working out three days a week just doesn’t cut it any more!

WATER WORKOUTS

Set to make a splash in the fitness world (sorry, we couldn’t resist) are water workouts: the ultimate way to increase core strength and stability. If you think this is going to be a leisurely jaunt down to your local swimming pool for a spot of aqua aerobics, then you’re quite mistaken.

Floatfit® is a 30-minute HIIT class conducted on a giant float known as an aqua base® which you balance on top of while doing burpees, lunges and even high knees! Find out more at aquaphysical.com

MINDFULNESS

A lot of what we do is mind over matter, but no more so than in fitness. How many of you have listened to that voice inside your head and talked yourself out of going to the gym or finished a set when there were more reps left in you? Plenty I can imagine, the Balance staff included!

Many people turn to exercise to help them deal with stress, anxiety and even depression, which is why it’s now just as important to exercise your mind as it is your body. This is why you’re going to see a rise in fitness classes ending with a meditation session or an influx of exercises encouraging you to focus on the present moment. ESPA (espalifeatcorinthia.com) at Corinthia is offering mindful fitness sessions.

SIGN UP

The number of Londoners who are members of fitness clubs now exceeds an impressive 1.5 million

FIT AND WELL

The NHS recommends two types of weekly exercise: aerobic activity and strength exercises that work on all your major muscles.