So in a bid to increase my irrelevance to these pages I have descended from regularly doing triathlons, to less regularly doing triathlons, to running for a club but still cycling and swimming a bit, to then most recently really just running.
With a pretty major goal (sub3) out of the way I’m considering what to do with my limited free time next year but in the meantime seem to have stumbled into the world of The Fitness Class Bunny. For the past 3 mornings I have been squatting, lunging, dead lifting, mountain climbing and burpeeing my way through ‘F45’ classes. These seem to be a slightly higher tempo and more accessible version of CrossFit. Working in the city I have the choice of many of these types of class but F45 seems to be working for me. I am aware at 45years old (no connection to the F45 brand) that I need to start working on my strength a bit more and also that my lack of cross training was seriously neglecting some major muscle groups as well as potentially leaving me more exposed to injury.
So far I have basically been chewed up and spat out every morning and i now have some nice achy quads, glutes and everything else all ready for the first cross country of the season on Sunday. Oops.
Although I was cross training a bit earlier this year on my own , this seems far better tbh and is combined with a major cardio workout too so I’ve actually surprised myself at how much I’m enjoying it. Plan is to stick with it for a couple of months 3-4 times a week and then maybe drop it back in the new year if I start running more again. I think 1-2 sessions a week would actually be really complimentary to running.
So … anyone else have any experience with these kind of brands/classes and more specifically, any experience with Cross fit?
What does the F45 stand for. Fitness for 45mins? I know everything needs a letter/number brand!
You’re probably right about S&C training, and I don’t do enough; strangely I’m 45 too.
That’s my understanding. There’s one near work, and another that I run past fairly regularly. I think the F officially stands for functional fitness, or something like that.
General functional fitness is probably the thing I now struggle with. I’m very one dimensional. Compared to when I used to play American football, I’m now ridiculously different in terms of aerobic fitness, but am structurally rather weak. I’d be tempted to give this a go in the new year and add in once a week as a more general S&C type thing
Yes I think so. It’s a big Aussie success story that seems to have been franchised around the world. I’ve been conscious for a while of the need to do more varied and strength training and my relative performance in these classes has underlined this 
If you can get through the cheese, and it is CHEEZYMACCHEEZEFACE, then it actually seems very good. The classes do vary a bit but I have an idea, after trying 3, of which ones to do and when. I wouldn’t recommend starting off with 3 in 3 consecutive days like I did though…
Check out their website, they have a very cheap £20 for a first week introductory offer. Does get pricey after that though.
Yeah, I was just looking. Seems to vary by site. The one near work is £20 per class if you buy a pack of 10, you have three months to use them, so that works out at about one a week. Not outrageous. No way would I be able to justify the unlimited memberships however. Not a chance I’d get value for money from that.
The F is for Functional
Have done a few classes as we have one next to my office. Not cheap at all where I am but I can access them with one of these monthly subscription gym passes that lets you access lots of different gyms for a much lower price, so didn’t mind going.
Like you - they chewed me up - I remember getting to the point where I couldnt even do a single more press up where you’re on your knees, such was the nature of some of the classes. Should probably go to a few more sessions through the winter, but think I’d rather get fat instead
I came to the conclusion that they aren’t really doing what they’re selling, too much aerobic and not heavy enough to make you strong.
I’m doing StrongLifts 5x5 which doesn’t have any magic to it, and is basically a well known protocol for getting stronger wrapped up in a free app and web content.
And only 30mins 3x per week.
Seems good so far anyway. 
I do similar classes in my gym. 30 mins at 6:30am on Monday & Weds. just me, 1 guy and 7-8 ladies in the class.
Different session every time but always a lot of leg work and mixed upper body/core with some short sprints mixed in
They are free with the membership. (£43pm for gym, classes, pool, sauna etc)
£20 for a 45min class, is that right? 
I’m pretty sure if like me you already pay to belong to a Nuffield gym , why would you do this on top? Just do the gym classes surely. Have I misunderstood something?
True - that will be my first port of call.
F45 Bristol Central is £160/month 
I’ll stick to my Nuffield with a 25m pool/spa all the fitness facilities & spinning studio for £50/month with discount. I might take my kids swimming there too, usually for free!
I’m pretty convinced that more functional to life forms of training that aren’t either sports or aerobic junk, especially as we get old, no idea if any of the many classes are good, they all seem way too wanky for me to go close to!
I’d be quite keen on Obstacle Course Racing as a way to get more functionally fit too, but that’s all tough mudder wanky shit too, so that has no attraction either.
So mostly I just stay completely unfit and do a bit of running and cycling.
I did some due diligence on Google. Apparently the Founder of F45 says that the high membership cost acts as an incentive, because in ‘normal gyms’ that charge a fraction of the fees, most people don’t bother going. But if you’re paying a lot of money, you will be motivated to get value from it.
One way of looking at it 
Yep… so I would agree, it isn’t the heavy lifting that I maybe need and is pretty aerobic… although 2 of the classes are more strength based compared to the other 3/4 and it’s these 2 which I will try and do most.
Regarding the cost, I agree, it’s a lot. I paid £350 for 20 sessions so £17.50 a session. The trial week worked out £4 a session x 5.
I have free membership of a gym under work but the classes didn’t impress me as much, and were a little awkward time wise whereas the 06.50 F45 class works perfectly. Which is pretty much how they got my money.
Don’t get me started on my DL membership and the various kids lessons at home. There is a great pool there and decent looking gym classes but again… timings…
My tri club does a weekly session at a CrossFit gym which is tailored for us skinny weak triathletes 
40-45 mins of functional strength focusing on the posterior chain glutes and hammies so lots of lunges, dead lifts, kettle bells etc then the last 10-15 mins is some sort of “AMRAP” with some cardio involved alongside strength work e.g. assault bike, Concept 2, even some running! Usually the hardest 10-15 mins of training I do all week.
It’s a lot of fun and must be working as I can now do the sessions and not be walking like a cowboy for the next 3 days!