The Fore, a fancy workout studio which means business, is one of the newer additions to the King's Cross development. When you walk in you’ll feel like you’re in a lovely, tranquil lounge. The workout studio and co-working space is a place of true beauty. A smart juice bar area, plush sofas, plumped-up cushions and swathes of natural light welcome you in from the outside. But don't be fooled. You're about to walk up some steps and straight into London’s toughest exercise class.
Some context: I’m a self-confessed exercise class addict. I've tried all the major London studios: Another Space, 1Rebel, Digme, Barry’s Bootcamp, Frame... the lot. I love a good HIIT session and those places mentioned are all great in their own right. However, The Fore is the first exercise class I’ve ever done that I couldn’t actually finish because it was that exhausting. I’m now a regular and I still have to sit down at the end of each session to catch my breath. So in short, if you’re looking for a proper challenge, you’ll be in the right place here. Each class is 45 minutes and you’ll wish every single time that it was 30 because it’s honestly that hard.
Every session is broken down into three distinct elements. Firstly, you’ll get to know the ‘rip-trainer’ – a sword-style instrument that works your abs. Secondly, there is the TRX system. This is a mix of straps and stirrups to elevate your squats, lunges, planks and more. Last but not least is the Skillmill, a self-powered treadmill upon which will teeter you towards cardiac arrest several times during each session. You’ll use a range of these three tools each time: expect sprints, high intensity and to sweat. A lot.
Am I tiny bit addicted? Absolutely. If it’s the hardest class in London, it has to be doing something good for me, right?