Top Fitness Classes to Help You Glow from Inside Out

Forget chasing that fading summer tan – the best glow comes from within.

We all know exercise isn't just about sculpting a beach bod (although that's a perk, right?), it's also about improving your mood, reducing your stress levels, and giving you an energy boost akin to an espresso. But here's the exciting news – exercise can also be your skin's best friend.

Think of your workouts as an internal irrigation system. Exercise pumps nutrient-rich blood throughout your body, delivering oxygen and essential building blocks directly to your skin cells. This keeps them healthy, promotes repair, and leaves you with a refreshed, youthful glow. But the benefits go deeper. Exercise also revs up your cellular powerhouses, the mitochondria, which fuel your skin's optimal function. With consistent workouts, you might be giving your skin a self-repair and collagen-boosting advantage, keeping it plump and youthful.

Sweating isn't a bad thing either! While it doesn't detoxify your skin (that's the liver's job), it does help eliminate cellular debris, giving you a clean slate for a radiant complexion. Plus, exercise is a natural stress reliever. By calming your nervous system, it can help reduce flare-ups of chronic skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Exercise can also regulate sleep patterns, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep. During sleep, your skin repairs itself and produces collagen – essential for a healthy glow. Remember, consistency is key! Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week to see a positive impact on your skin.

Now, with all these amazing benefits, the only question remains: which fitness class will make you feel most radiant? Stay tuned as we explore the top options that go beyond the burn, leaving you glowing from the inside out!

Paola's Body Barre

Paola's Body Barre offers a unique fusion of ballet, Pilates, and yoga-inspired workouts known as the PBB Method in the heart of Fulham. Beyond sculpting a robust body and enhancing flexibility, these classes promise remarkable improvements in posture and a more positive mindset toward movement.

Founder Paola Di Lanzo explains: “Barre is all the rage at the moment and rightly so, but one of the lesser-known benefits of Barre and exercise in general is its ability to create younger, more radiant-looking skin.” She goes on to say “The mindful nature of Barre, coupled with controlled breathing, helps regulate cortisol levels. By managing stress hormone production, Barre promotes a more balanced and relaxed state, positively impacting overall well-being and slowing ageing."

With a commitment to providing invigorating and ever-evolving classes, Paola's Body Barre aims to assist individuals in crafting a joyful, healthy life, whether in-studio or through their on-demand app.

Individual classes are priced at £30 each. However, discounted class packages are available for regular attendees. For newcomers to Paola’s Body Barre, there is an introductory offer of £60 for 5 classes, effectively reducing the cost to £12 per class.

Find out more at Paola’s Body Barre.

Barry’s

Barry's is the original high-energy cardio and strength interval training workout that pioneered the boutique fitness movement. Since its founding in 1998, the signature Barry's method has remained unchanged for 25 years because it delivers results: a 50-minute class can burn up to 1,000 calories, increase lean body mass, and boost metabolic rate by up to 15%.

Every Barry's class, no matter the location, takes place in the signature Red Room: a dimly-lit studio designed to help participants concentrate on motivating cues from top-notch instructors and immerse themselves in the collective energy of those around them. Barry's signature schedule alternates muscle focus daily to ensure a balanced workout and adequate recovery time.

With over 80 locations worldwide across 14 countries, Barry's boasts 9 UK studios, including 7 in London, as well as studios in Manchester and Liverpool. Barry's first UK studio, Barry's Central, opened in 2013.

An individual class costs £26, but new clients receive a 50% discount on their first class, paying only £13. Weekly memberships start at £54, and monthly memberships begin at £160.

Find out more at Barry’s.

Heartcore

Heartcore’s mat Pilates classes are a unique blend of physical exercise and infrared heat therapy that can significantly enhance skin health, as well as our overall physical and mental wellbeing. By incorporating these classes into your workout routine, you can experience improved blood circulation, detoxification, stress reduction, and a boosted metabolism, making it a holistic approach to wellness.

Founder of Heartcore Jessie Blum tells us: "Sweating induced by infrared heat helps to eliminate toxins from the body,"  which reduces the burden on the skin, the largest organ in our bodies. Considering that "a single square inch of skin has about 300 sweat glands," regular sweat sessions are an excellent way to cleanse pores and remove impurities, resulting in "fewer breakouts and clearer skin over time."

The infrared heat also "helps to increase blood circulation," which is crucial since the average adult has nearly 21 square feet of skin containing roughly 11 miles of blood vessels. Enhanced circulation delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the skin, "promoting a healthy glow and aiding in the removal of toxins." This improved circulation can "bring oxygen and nutrients to injured tissues," promoting healing and reducing stress-inflicted skin issues such as acne, eczema, and psoriasis.

Together with the numerous physical and mental benefits of Pilates, infrared heat therapy can "help to ease pain, relieve inflammation and protect against environmental stress." Less stress often translates to better skin health. Exercising in infrared heat also leads to "overall better movement," as the body relaxes and stretches more effectively in the heat, improving muscle tone and potentially firming the skin.

"Our body is made of 30 – 50 trillion cells," all requiring fluid to maintain their structure and function properly. While sweating can dehydrate the body, post-session hydration with electrolytes is crucial for replenishing the body from the inside out. Regular sweaty training sessions encourage conscious and frequent hydration, making well-hydrated skin more resilient, supple, and less prone to dryness and irritation. This, combined with the heat and detoxification processes, leads to "clearer, brighter skin over time."

With individual classes priced at £25, and discounted packages available for regular attendees, Heartcore ensures accessibility to its revitalizing fitness offerings.

Find out more at Heartcore.

Bondi Rise

Bondi Rise is an Australian-inspired boutique Pilates, Yoga, and Barre studio founded with a vision to seamlessly blend Down Under wellness practices into a comprehensive fitness experience. Lottie Anderson, the visionary founder, aimed to create a haven where individuals could discover balance, strength, and mindfulness in their journey towards wellness.

"Barre workouts have surged in popularity due to their effectiveness in providing a total body workout. With an emphasis on mindfulness and breath control, barre classes offer participants improved flexibility, posture, and mental focus," explains Lottie. She further elaborates, "This class provides an all-body workout, toning and strengthening the legs, butt, thighs, and arms, whilst enhancing posture, flexibility, balance, and overall fitness. Its focus on mindfulness fosters a strong mind-body connection, while the cardiovascular component boosts heart health and endurance."

The studio caters to diverse preferences by offering both mat and reformer classes, ensuring a tailored fitness experience for every individual.

Classes at Bondi Rise start at £20, with monthly membership plans offering discounted rates for dedicated practitioners.

Find out more at Bondi Rise.

Remedi London

At Remedi London you experience the transformative power of Kundalini yoga every Tuesday at 6:15 pm. Dive into a 90-minute session designed to enhance emotional balance, strengthen the body's systems, and reduce stress through a blend of mantras, kriyas, mudras, and meditation.

This form of yoga emphasises the flow of energy (Prana) through the body using dynamic movements, breathing techniques (pranayama), meditation, chanting of mantras, and specific body postures (asanas). The practice is often characterized by its rapid and repetitive movements, which are designed to release energy blockages and awaken the Kundalini energy. It is known for its powerful effects on both mental and physical well-being, promoting emotional balance, reducing stress, and enhancing overall vitality.

Discover how aligning with universal energy (Prana) can uplift your mental and physical well-being, offering a holistic approach to health and inner harmony from £20.21 per class.

Find out more at Remedi London.

AMP x Corinthia at ESPA Life

Corinthia London has parented with AMP in its gym offers cutting-edge fitness facilities and a variety of cardio and resistance training equipment from leading brands, including Peloton, Technogym and BLK BOX.

Expert coaches from AMP can also deliver safe, effective personal training sessions to help you build, bolster and maintain your strength and fitness levels with dedication and consistency. AMP offers complimentary Small Group Personal Training (SGPT) and yoga sessions to hotel guests and spa members. SGPT is centred around Strength, Endurance and Body Composition. Coaches mix strengthening workouts to improve athleticism with high-intensity activities that boost results.

Memberships start at £580 per month and include access to spa, swimming pool, unlimited PT sessions.

Find out more at ESPA Life at Corinthia.