Braving a night in Infernos might seem like a workout, but it isn’t your best option for fitness. If you are looking for a challenge, then gyms in Clapham have it.
Clapham isn’t just about gyms, either. It has an amazing selection of classes, sports, and studios. You can find ultimate frisbee alongside HiiT Bootcamp classes, indoor pools with water polo, or even Quidditch on the Common. Chances are that Clapham has anything you might be interested in and a few you didn’t know you needed.
Balancing out the chaotic energy of Clapham High Street are several highly rated pilates and yoga studios as well as outdoor classes. Yes, the big chain gyms have classes, but it’s well worth checking out some of the more dedicated studios like Milo and The Bull, Oncore, Psycle & Train Yard.
Clapham has a huge and passionate CrossFit and functional fitness community. Many gyms will offer elements of cross-functional fitness or have some facilities if you want to work through your own routine. However, again, it’s worth looking at centres that have specialised in the area.
Gymnasium, HEX, Reach & Shapesmiths are great options around Clapham North.
Weight lifting is a healthy addition to any fitness plan, but if you want to focus on strength training in itself, you’ll want centres and coaches a little more specialised in Olympic lifting, powerlifting, and strength training.
Check out Lift Studios LDN for a women’s only strength studio or Train Yard, Hex, and Puregym (Lambeth)
If spinning is what you’re thinking, there are plenty of options in Clapham. Most of the large gym chains have spin studios and regular classes timetabled. For the dedicated spinthusiasts there are very highly rated studios.
Check out Oncore, Psycle, and SpinWorks but make sure to book ahead as sessions are popular at peak times.
Runners are spoilt for choice in South London but Clapham Common has to be a contender for top spot. A lap around the green space will be around 3.2km, perfect for a quick endorphin hit and two laps will get you into the zone. For those counting steps, it will add about 7,000 to your daily target.
Outdoor training with fresh air, green views and the social pressure of the general public are great motivations for outdoor fitness or bootcamp sessions. The weather gives another challenge over the colder months, so wrap up warm while you’re not active.
Thrive is a great social fitness group on the Common and One Element runs several classes on the south side. However, the Common also hosts tennis, football, and basketball.
Marking the end of Wandsworth and taking a chunk out of Battersea, Clapham Junction claims several great gyms, Crossfit clubs, and spin studios. That the station is actually in Battersea can cause some confusion in location names, but everything within 300 metres of the station can be considered Clapham Junction. As a major transport hub, the timing of the big commute is key. Hence, classes are the heroes here. Jump in with Psycle‘s immersive Ride class (spin), hardcore HiiT at Fitness First, or one of Shapesmiths‘ crossfit sessions. Just don’t forget to book early to beat the crowd!
With 220 acres of green space, Clapham Common is a monster. Most summer evenings will see it filled with picnics, drinks, and the occasional festival. However, most mornings, it will host bootcamps, personal training sessions, and sports. Any outdoor activity will be at the mercy of the weather but being outdoors, even in winter, has its benefits.
It can be a little intimidating to join an outdoor class, walking over to a group of strangers and hoping you’re in the right place. With Clapham Common though, you needn’t worry. There are so many classes that everyone will have been in that situation at least once. Running clubs, circuits, kettlebells, HiiT, Yoga, Pilates, and military fitness are all available on the Common. Try Thrive to see if outdoor classes are your thing.
American football, basketball, cricket, frisbee, football, little league, netball, Quidditch, rollerblading, rugby, skateboarding, softball, tennis, and volleyball are just some of the sports on the Common. If you like a little competition with your social fitness, the common is your place.
The fresh air is also great for personal training sessions. Although the equipment may be a little more limited than a fully equipped studio, many personal trainers offer sessions on the Common.
This area is where the big gym chains are represented with Anytime, Better, Puregym, Virgin Active among others (there are actually two Puregyms!). Each is slightly tailored towards its own audience, and it’s definitely worth reviewing your options for general gym chains. There are also several small chain or independent gyms that are well worth looking at. The Train Yard, Lift Studio LDN, and Gymnasium are great examples of general gyms with an emphasis on strength training.
There are two main reasons why Clapham has the quality and variety of activity and fitness choices that it does. Firstly, it is often the starting point for people moving to South London. This means that the average age is lower than the national, and younger people are on average more active. So a large number of active people can support a lot of fitness businesses. With this influx of people, there is a lot of interest in group or social activities to meet new people. Gyms, studios, and classes are a great way to meet new people if you are new to an area.
The constant influx of active people combines with Clapham’s amazing transport links to make it a bit of a hub of interest. This interest is well catered for with multiple options for strength training, swimming, pilates and Crossfit in Clapham (among many others). The constant influx also means new fitness ideas and styles are brought to Clapham quickly and often. In addition to the more general gyms, there are Olympic lifting studios, female-focused gyms and spin studios among your options.