13 TRAINING AT KOBOX CHELSEA

THE WHATSAPP WORKOUT

THE CONCEPT

The ultimate way to get fit is to have a personal trainer (PT) who guides you through targeted workouts, adapting them to suit your needs and capabilities, ultimately keeping you on a clear path to fitness success. The downside? A PT would basically bankrupt the majority of us. Enter 13 training, which bridges the gap between personal training and solo gym sessions with a boutique gym studio space and Whatsapp support system.

‘We understand that having a PT is, for many people, too expensive to be sustainable,’ explains founder of Kobox and 13 Training, Shane Collins. ‘Whether you’re looking to sign up for a single session, or a 12-week plan, our E-PT programme will give you a bespoke plan, sent directly to your phone. You’ll get demo videos to follow so you can see how the exercises should be done and we have some of the best young talent in the industry on hand to guide you if you get stuck. You’re getting 80% of the value of a PT at 20% of the cost.’ Then, whether you choose to workout in the 13 Training studio space – with PTS on hand for guidance and a capacity limit of 10 people – or elsewhere, is up to you.

THE JOURNEY

I have an inconsistent relationship with exercise – when I do it, I love it (particularly the endorphin rush that keeps me on a high all day), but it’s the getting round to it and, most importantly, sticking to it that I struggle with. I’ve historically favoured workout classes over gym sessions as I need to be told what to do, how to do it and how long to do it for to get anything tangible out of it; so this innovative concept is intriguing.

I kick-start my plan with a personal training session. After taking my measurements – including body fat percentage, visceral fat percentage (the kind that hangs around your organs), muscle mass and hydration – we move on to assessing my capabilities, from cardio to weights. Sounds scary? It’s really not. This isn’t a ‘lose six pounds in six weeks’ scenario, which assumes a primary weight-loss focus. Instead, I’m asked what it is that I want to achieve from my workouts, to which I reply strength and a general feel-good factor. From thereon out, ‘strength’ is what we focus on in this session and the Whatsapp videos and GIFS sessions that follow.

My second and third workouts are done in hotel gyms, while I’m travelling for work. While they are places I’d usually avoid in favour of the breakfast buffet, having an accessible routine to follow means I stride into formally uninviting sweatboxes with more confidence than I’ve ever had before. For me, this is a key aspect – the confidence that comes from having a set plan to follow, to feel like I know what I’m doing and the sense of achievement that follows. Then there’s the flexibility element – even when I’m back using the 13 Studio Space in London, I don’t need to work around a favourite instructor’s schedule, but rather book in for a slot that suits me.

After eight weeks I feel stronger in body and mind (doing moves I couldn’t even attempt on my first session, but can now do for more than a minute). ‘People react well to focused periods of training and that’s what we’re trying to do at 13; give people a short, focused timeframe to achieve real changes. Once the course is complete, you don’t have to come back and the plan is yours to keep. However, should you need help again you can return and we’ll adapt your plan and go again.’

A solo workout of sorts, the ‘tribe’ element is still prevalent throughout. The Whatsapp Hotline to your trainer, the PT help on hand at the 13 Studio Space, the fellow 13-ers (it’s a thing ) who encourage you on your way. It feels like you’re in it together – something I’ve never really experienced before in a gym environment.

THE COST

£20 for a single session; £200 for four weeks; £375 for eight weeks; £525 for 12 weeks. Location: KOBOX’S new flagship Chelsea studio, 107 King’s Road, London SW3 4PA.