Written by Anushay Mazhar, 3rd year BA Linguistics
The Union's Project Active initiative has been in full swing recently. With a myriad of options ranging from Barre to Kickboxing to Vinyasa Flow Yoga, I opted for the Box HIIT class.
To be completely candid, I’m not a fan of HIIT (or any form of cardio for that matter), so I went into the session prepared to regret my decision. But it turned out to be one of best decisions I had made that week. An hour-long session went by in what felt like 10 minutes. This has never happened during a workout; I know I was quite surprised myself.
I would give most of the credit to Davy, the session’s instructor. Her energy and enthusiasm filled the room and made its way into us. She explained each set fully before and during the exercises, ensuring each one of us was on the same page. The exercises in each set complemented each other effortlessly – 30 seconds box, 30 seconds cardio. Davy had warned us the exercises were high intensity but followed it by words of comfort: “Do what you can do”. Davy gave easier (and harder) alternatives for each exercise, such that individuals of each fitness level were appropriately challenged. There was no pressure, just encouragement to do our best. And I did. And it felt amazing.
Another highlight of the session was the 10-minute stretch that followed. Although Davy gave us the option to leave, I decided to stay. The stretches were your usual yoga poses – but better. There’s no other way I can describe it. Those 10-minutes left me feeling even more refreshed (which I didn’t think was possible considering how I felt after the HIIT session). The rehearsal room where the session took place added to the calmness experienced. Although it is tucked away on the first floor of the Bloomsbury Theatre building, its floor length windows, and spacious layout put it on a par with any fitness studio.
My subjective experience aside, there are many objective benefits of attending this class. Firstly, its super cheap! For just £3, you get a full workout and stretch, and you leave the session feeling great. Secondly, it’s quite fuss-free; all you need is a pair of trainers (which honestly, someone did without). It’s conveniently during lunch time, with plenty of time for you to arrive wherever you’re coming from and leave in time to reach your next commitment. The only downside is you’ll need to book online since spaces fill up quickly, and that you’ll have to wait a full week for the next class (I know I am).
So, take this as the sign you were waiting for, the sign to start working on yourself. 2020 has just started, let's invest in ourselves and give something for future-us to be grateful for. Sign up for Box HIIT, every Tuesday from 13:00 - 14:00 at Bloomsbury Theatre, first floor.