Reebok workout swings into action

By Rob Virtue on March 5, 2009 11:42 AM |

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It's the next big thing in group exercise - and Canary Wharf's Reebok Sports Club will be the first to get it.

Flying through the air on ropes has previously been only for trapeze artists in the circus or children in playgrounds, but not any more.

In the coming months, the Reebok will offer its members the chance to swing from the ceiling as a new way to keep fit.

The group workout is being launched in connection with the world-famous Cirque du Soleil.

Reebok's fitness manager Lucy Johnson said she believes the sessions, which are aimed at women, will be hugely popular.

She said: "Every now and then there's something which comes up in group exercise that gets you excited.

"So many fads come along but after a while you get to realise which ones will stick. The last big thing was spin sessions, but I'm sure that in this we have another.

"We've never had something like this, which works from the ceiling down - it's a really fun exercise."

The workouts are for women of all fitness levels and are run on a specially-designed piece of equipment called a Flyset.

The health club, based above Waitrose in Canada Square, will be one of only 11 across the globe with the equipment. Munich, Madrid and Krakow are the others in Europe.

Lucy flew to the Reebok headquarters in Boston, USA, last year to see the sessions in action, as well as to take part herself.

She said: "I'm quite fit but after a 20 minute session I was aching in new places like my stomach.

"There are muscles you haven't used since you were a kid that you use for this."

The kit will be installed in one of the studios at the Reebok over two weeks, ready for use early in the summer.

Attached to the ceiling, it allows classes of up to 12 to take part in the sessions, which will be called Jukari Fit To Fly.

Lucy is planning to hold a number of sessions in the evening for club members, as well as at lunchtimes and at the weekend.

Announcing the deal, Mario D'Amico of Cirque du Soleil said: "Reebok understands what women want from fitness and what products work best, while our performers are renowned for athleticism, choreography and artistic flair.

"The challenge to bring these two skill sets together to create a new gym workout was very exciting for us."

Go to reeboksportsclublondon.com