UPDATE: THE CLOCK GYM LONDON IS NOW PERMANENTLY CLOSED
A gym where you can get fit in 15 minutes that’s more of a private members’ club? The Clock Gym Notting Hill sounds like our kind of place.
The Clock Gym
The Clock gyms in Notting Hill, Barnes and W1 are certainly a unique concept. The idea is that you can get fit in just 15 minutes. We headed to their Notting Hill gym club to find out more.
Charming co-founder Zana Morris explained the thinking behind the clubs to us. It’s been proved that exercising for too long puts unnecessary strain on the body, yet short, sharp bursts of exercise are the most effective.
High Intensity Training is ideal for those like me who want quick results to keep them motivated. Here it centres on the use of weights to increase intensity and help protect your bones. From age 30 our bone mass starts to decline but with appropriate exercise it can be brought back to optimal levels.
The gym itself is a stunning building. A former synagogue, it’s located just off Portobello Road and has beautiful stained glass windows.
Decorated with books in keeping with the library theme, it’s a light and spacious place with a punch bag, pool table and relaxation areas.
There’s a first floor gallery where yoga lessons take place and where the luxurious changing rooms are located, and lots of quirky little design touches.
Outside, there’s a lovely little courtyard where you can take a break and enjoy a complimentary glass of refreshing mint or cucumber water.
Before embarking on an exercise programme here, Zana will assess your current nutrition and make personalised recommendations to help you achieve your goals. She’s a nutritionist, fitness instructor, yoga teacher and the creator of Strong Nutrients.
No amount of exercising will compensate for poor nutrition and that’s why The Clock gym place so much emphasis on the correct fuel for your body. Strong Nutrients are a range of supplements for those whose busy lifestyle means they can’t always eat the food that their body needs.
We found the ‘chill pill’ or B12 and the amino-slim pills particularly effective. The chocolate flavoured protein powder is also a godsend if you’re feeling hungry mid afternoon.
Not only that, she’ll also take your measurements, check your weight and assess your body fat with calipers. That way, you’ll be able to benchmark your progress as you go along.
Your first few sessions will be one to one with a trainer who will show you each exercise and even set up the machines in the correct position for you. As we generally avoids the weight training area of the gym, we found this help invaluable.
They also give you an exercise card on which to keep track of the weights you have lifted and what exercise you’ve done on which date. After that you’ll be training with one or two others each time, with the instructors still talking you through each exercise and correcting your posture where necessary.
To avoid muscle strain, you’ll alternate between exercises for chest and back on one session, shoulders and arms on next and legs the time after that. However it’s safe to work the abs each time so those exercised are incorporated at the end of every session.
We soon saw ours toning up! Some of the exercises were new to us, including one where you lower yourself up and down in a ‘chair’.
It’s very effective for working arms and shoulders. We also found the ladder great for toning calves up, once you’ve done the recommended amount of exercise on this you’ll definitely feel it.
The trainers themselves are a great bunch. They’ll push you as hard as you can go but always with good humour.
It was fairly easy to stick to the exercise programme and on the days when we were travelling we tried to do the abs in our hotel room. We got a bad cold at one point so had to stop for a couple of weeks but surprisingly our muscles sprang back really quickly and we only put on a small amount of weight during that time.
You should start to see results quite fast if you train at least 3 times a week and stick to the dietary recommendations. Our arms and abs in particular soon looked more toned.
By the end of my programme we’d lost three quarters of an inch on my waist and a considerable amount of body fat bringing us close to our optimal weight. The benefits weren’t just in terms of weight though, our clothes felt a lot looser and we were no longer breathless walking up several flights of stairs.
The chill pill seemed to have made us more relaxed and we’d picked up some very healthy eating habits.
The Clock Gym also has a flagship private members’ club in W1 that is conveniently located close to Oxford Street.
It’s an elegant Georgian townhouse spread over three floors in Marylebone.
Decorated with original antiques, some of which come from The Ritz, it promises to nurture your body and soul.
If you’re someone who doesn’t normally like gyms or if you simply want quick, lasting results then we’d highly recommend The Clock, formerly the Library gym.
Have you ever tried High Intensity Training? What did you think of it?
The Clock Gym, 206-208 Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill, London W11 1NR and in Barnes and W1
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A gym in a converted synagogue! How cool. I’m a firm believer in short bursts of high intensity exercise, it’s a method that real help me tone up.
I find it very effective too as when I used to run, my body got used to it and I couldn’t shift any weight after a while despite running long distances
Definitely a concept that I will remember! It looks like an interesting place to work out at. Will be curious to hear about it on Sunday! 🙂
www.luxessed.com
So looking forward to our meet up Anouk! Ages since I had a good afternoon tea too
I love that the gym is in an old synagogue (so pretty)!! And a 15 minute workout sounds like one that I would love!
http://thecourtneydiaries.com
I know, what a great location! Fits in really well with Notting Hill’s quirky vibe
OMG This place looks unreal! So excited to hear of the W1 branch opening soon, will be rather near me and I have a feeling that I’ll never be more excited to hit a gym than with this one. I’ve done a bit of high intensity training in the past – it’s quite strenuous but I love that its so impactful and time-efficient.
I can’t wait to visit the W1 gym too. I can see why you like high intensity training, I’d done military fitness but never weight based HIT which is great
I haven’t seen a gym like that before, such a unique place! High intensity training is something I haven’t got courage to do, maybe I should give it a try!
Ela BellaWorld
You should give it a go, it’s not as bad as it sounds and it’s over so quickly!
That’s so true, Lu – nutrition counts for so much!
This place looks unreal! Stunning – it almost seems to pretty to be getting sweaty in!
Erin xxx
islandbell.co.uk
It’s actually great as you almost forget you’re in a gym 😉
True! Definitely one to add to the list! x
What a cool idea! Love the idea of a gym called The Library. It looks like so much thought was put into the decor and the program. Great photos!
Http://leftbankgirl.blogspot.co
That’s very kind, glad you like them and I agree, they’ve put a lot of thought in
wow, talk about a chic gym
xo
www.laurajaneatelier.com
I know, it makes working out much more tempting!
I am a big fan of High Intensity Training (HIT) but I never saw it in such a beautiful setting!
I can see why you like HIT so much Miriam
“It’s been proved that exercising for too long puts unnecessary strain on
the body, yet short, sharp bursts of exercise are the most effective.” – music to my ears!!!!
Polly xx
I’ll be interested to know what exercises you do post-baby, Polly
A gym and a library?
That’s pretty cool.
I would love to try it.
Have a great day!
http://www.thebandwagonchic.com/
Great combination, isn’t it!
Oh wow what a great place! I would love to go there sometime. Gemma x
www.jacquardflower.uk
I’ve really enjoyed it and I’m sure you would too
Woow wonderfull idea and great place 🙂
Do U Know Luigi Borbone?
Brilliant idea isn’t it!
What a cool idea! Loving the photos- such a gorgeous space!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
I know and the new additional gym should be equally cool!
I was quite tempted just to watch the others exercising but sadly the trainer wasn’t having any of it 😉
What a fun and unique gym, I would definitely like to try a workout here someday. Wish we had something like this in Toronto.
http://www.mintnotion.com
I think every city could do with one of these places!
I love how equipped the gym is and the interior decoration of the place, Can I move in in there already?? It’s like a palace or the white house!
www.fashionstylemogul.com
It would make such an amazing place to live wouldn’t it!
What a lovely place, it does not look like a gym at all. Would be happy to work out in a place like this
It certainly made my work out a lot more bearable, Ali!
This is so interesting. I do love the short work out idea haha
Ash | Liakada
It means more time down the pub 😉
Great facility there. I think this gym is well equipped enough at the library. I like the decorations.
Yes the equipment is great and some of it was completely new to me. Thanks for stopping by
So this isn’t your average sweaty gym is it? 😉 I can’t even believe how beaut this looks, if it was as far away from me as it is I’d definitely look into going here!
Elle
www.theellenextdoor.com
xx
They’ve got a few London gyms so there might well be one near you – I agree, it’s beautiful!
What a stunning venue for a gym I love the light and airy feel. The environment definitely helps the workout Lucy x
What a lovely setting for a gym, and doesn’t have that ‘hardcore’ feel to it! Coincidentally, I just read Michael Mosley’s “Fast Exercise” based on the HIIT principle . I do HIIT workouts as well, but not as short as what the theory suggests. It’s very interesting to read the scientific findings, but somehow our bodies seem to be trained to “like” or believe that longer workouts are better for you! I’ll keep reading on the shorter, higher intensity bursts , perhaps there’s salvation after all 😉
I’ve mostly done quick, high intensity training, after my husband got us a book on the topic. Not just because it’s more efficient, but also because it suits our schedule so much better than several hours of low intensity training. Looks like a really lovely gym.
Great concept for a work out in style!
-MorethanMedia | Media House of Luxury | www.morethanmedia.org