There are thousands of gyms all over the UK, but a select few gyms and fitness studios offer something truly unique to their clients.
We’ve narrowed down the five most amazing boutique gyms across the UK in 2021. See what you think of our selection and which gyms are your favourites.
Maybe you could pay one or two of these gyms a visit. And who knows – if you’re a gym owner, you may gain some inspiration for your business after reading this article!
Table of contents
1. TRIB3
2. Barry’s
3. BLOK
4. CaveFit
5. Graft Häus
1. TRIB3 (Bristol, Edinburgh, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, and Southampton)
TRIB3 stands out for several reasons.
Firstly, the look and feel of its signature luxe-industrial gyms. When you step inside, you’ll notice the homely vibe, rustic interiors, and custom lighting, among other features. There are also luxury changing rooms, a shake bar, and a retail shop.
Secondly, the intensity of its sessions. If you like a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, then TRIB3 is the gym for you. TRIB3 doesn’t do things by halves – as its website states, sweating is not an option, and you’ll burn up to 1,000 calories per session. Its TRI training system (Treadmill, Resistance, Intensity) will challenge you in all sorts of ways, working muscles you never knew you had.
Finally, its international appeal. As well as the above UK locations, you can also find TRIB3 gyms in China, Spain, Russia, and Finland. You can even open your own TRIB3 franchise if you have a spare £300,000 or so knocking about!
2. Barry’s (London, Manchester)
Formerly known as Barry’s Bootcamp, Barry’s is renowned for its cardio and weights workouts.
These take place in its trademark ‘Red Rooms’, and their ambience is hinted at in their title – each studio features red mood lighting and bumping music to get you in the zone.
When you take part in a Barry’s workout class, you’ll exercise for 50 minutes, and your time will be split 50/50 between a treadmill and strength training on the floor.
Your workout will take place against a backdrop of disco lights, with a carefully curated playlist to imitate the atmosphere of a nightclub – only, you won’t feel quite as relaxed as if you were in a nightclub! You’ll burn up to 1,000 calories per class and, if Barry’s reputation is anything to go by, you’ll savour every burned calorie.
With gyms in London and Manchester, across the US, and sites in 12 other countries around the world, Barry’s is another boutique studio with a global footprint.
3. BLOK (London, Manchester)
This award-winning fitness studio has something for everyone, providing ten disciplines under one roof, including yoga, boxing, and callisthenics.
As BLOK’s website states, you can strengthen both your body and mind, whether you fancy boxing and brunch or yin and juice.
BLOK’s signature cross-discipline sessions are led by high-calibre instructors in its industrial chic gyms.
Depending on whereabouts in the UK you’re based, BLOK has boutique studios in Manchester and London. The studio in Manchester features Scandi pale wood and stainless steel, while one of BLOK’s London studios is housed in a former Victorian tram depot in Clapton, with a café and gallery space.
There are plenty of other perks, too. When you purchase an Annual or Flexible membership at BLOK, you can also enjoy free access to BLOKtv, a digital fitness platform featuring on-demand training classes.
In summary – if you’re looking for aesthetics and variety, head to BLOK.
4. CaveFit (Edinburgh)
We now travel north of the border, and this next entry is perhaps Scotland’s finest boutique gym.
CaveFit has two studios in Edinburgh – one along the waterfront in Granton, in the north of the city centre, and one in St Andrew Square in the New Town. The latter studio contains some incredible aesthetic features, including metro tiles and a striking orange theme throughout.
When you visit a CaveFit studio, you’ll train with the very best. CaveFit’s team includes former Olympic athletes and Rugby World Cup players, with each coach specialising in different areas.
But, despite the variety on offer, one thing remains consistent – CaveFit’s core philosophy. This philosophy is founded on the seven foundational movement patterns that allow you to train like an everyday athlete – squat, lunge, push, pull, rotation, hinge, and brace.
This gym holds a 4.9-star rating from more than 5,000 reviews on ClassPass and a 5-star rating on Google. Considering the above, these stellar reviews are hardly a surprise.
5. Graft Häus (Leeds)
There’s no doubting what’s in store when you visit Graft Häus – the clue is in the title.
One look at its Instagram page tells you that this place means business. Its training space is huge, and the walls and flooring are awash with a distinctive black, reflecting the bold nature of its branding.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this means that it’s an intimidating environment – quite the opposite, in fact. The customer reviews pay homage to the friendly, collaborative, and edgy environment, which is key to how Graft Häus operates.
Located in Burley, one mile north west of Leeds city centre, this gym is stocked with Primal equipment and contains a functional area with 180-degree tyre flip, Stairmasters, and a curved treadmill.
It’s a powerlifting gym, but if this isn’t for you, it also contains high-end cardio kit like rowers, cross trainers, and curved treadmills.
It was voted the Best Independent Gym in the North East at the UK Fitness Awards in 2019, which reflects its high standing within the fitness industry.
Specialist sports insurance from Insure4Sport
If you’re a personal trainer, we provide specialist personal trainer insurance to protect you if a client claims against you for an injury they’ve suffered during one of your sessions. This insurance also covers your equipment for loss, theft, and damage.
If you own a facility like one of the gyms we’ve listed above, we also offer facilities insurance. This safeguards your sports facility from disruption and includes cover for your building’s contents, the building itself, business interruption, and much more.
Find out more about the different types of insurance we provide by clicking on one of the links above or get an instant online quote here.
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