Train hard at Train Yard this New Year

What makes Clapham, Clapham? Easy. Coffee shops, the Common, dogs, Infernos… We could go on (and on). But something that often gets overlooked is the wealth of really fantastic gyms that we have in SW4. There’s a gym for everyone here; the yogis, the MMA fighters, the boxers, the spinners. Whatever gets your heart rate spiking, there’ll be a place in Clapham that does a class in it.

Train Yard is one of the gyms that makes up our neighbourhood, and we love it. It’s a boutique gym in the arches by Clapham North station and it’s a fresh take on a traditional gym. They run 4 types of classes: strength, circuits, sweat and pilates which rotate depending on the day. You turn up and, no matter your fitness level, you’ll be able to join in with whatever programme they are running that day. The idea is you can go day in day out and you’ll never do the same workout twice plus you get a balance of both cardio and weight workouts to condition your body really effectively.

We sprung over on a Saturday morning to take part in a class. Saturdays mean circuits and our class was led by founder and instructor Jasmine. And did she put us to work! We loved her way of instructing; she managed to be motivating at the same time as checking everyones form to make sure we were all doing the exercises safely. We made our way around the 10 station circuit which included the rowing machine, a skierg, squats, planks, bike…. The class was certainly tough- we were aching for two days- but we felt so strong and accomplished afterwards. What we especially appreciated was how well organised the whole thing was. The instructions were clear, Jasmine made light work of all the demos she was performing, there’s a big digital timer on the wall, there’s music that’ll get you pumped and moody lighting so you don’t need to worry about anyone looking at your sweat patches.

Another thing that we noticed when we took part was the sense of community spirit that’s been built at Train Yard in it’s 2 years of being open. It’s a hugely characterful place that makes it a special space to workout in. There were all levels of fitness in our Saturday morning class and, as complete beginners and new to their community, we felt incredibly supported; mid-circuit our partner offered to help us readjust our bike height and it was a flurry of high-fives and back slaps at the end. It’s non-pretentious and welcoming, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. The classes are a challenge… but you can’t help but feel a little smug on your way back from a class. We can see why this place can become addictive.

Train Yard have some offers running at the moment that you’re going to want to make the most of. There’s 50% off all memberships for the first month if you sign up in January or, if you want to test the water first, there are 2 different intro offers where you can either get your first 3 classes for £29 or bag two weeks of unlimited classes for £49!