If you’d told us 10 years ago that we would one day be frantically searching Class Pass for an open space at a boxing class, we probably would have fallen off our elliptical machines laughing. In fact, until recently, the thought of partaking in any workout that wasn’t Pilates, barre or pure calorie-burning cardio was utterly ridiculous. But as the body positivity movement has gained momentum and our fitness goals have pivoted to ‘strong not skinny,’ we’ve become much more amenable to the thought of a heavier-hitting workout.

Beloved by Victoria’s Secret supermodels including Gigi Hadid and Sara Sampaio, boxing promises a high-intensity, full-body workout with serious results. Working to improve strength, cardio and conditioning, as well as refraction time, balance and agility, a good boxing class is one of the best ways to keep your body and mind healthy – plus it’s fantastic for a dose of much-needed stress release.

Whether you’re a beginner looking to learn the basics, or an experienced boxer hoping to perfect your right hook and uppercut, London is home to a host of luxury gyms offering top-tier boxing workouts. So, if you fancy channelling your inner Million Dollar Baby, these are the best boxing classes to book in London for an all-out workout.

Rathbone Boxing Club, Fitzrovia

Channelling a low-key vibe inspired by the downtown gyms of New York, Rathbone Boxing Club teaches authentic and traditional boxing techniques in its bespoke 16ft ring. Led by Adam Booth, a renowned professional boxing coach best known for training heavyweight champion David Haye, the club follows a fun and flexible curriculum to teach both novices and seasoned boxers. The studio is community-driven too, opening up on off-peak hours to its Rathbone Amateur Boxing Club where locals who take their boxing seriously but cannot afford West End prices can train and compete. 

Pick from an array of group and individual classes, from HIIT-based Fighting Fit including bag work drills and body weight exercises to Boxing Tactics where you’ll discover three fundamental strategies: ‘stick and move’, ‘same side attack’ and ‘fight a southpaw’. There are also self-training sessions and ringcraft lessons which will help you get one step closer to perfecting your sparring skills (working on punches, footwork and defence without competing). There’s a lot on offer here, and it’s a great option for those looking to take boxing seriously. 

From £22 per class, visit rathboneboxingclub.com

Jab, Mayfair

Jab, the elite Mayfair boxing club which has quickly gained a cult following, was founded by former England boxing team captain George Veness – so you can trust this club knows a thing or two about the sport. Each 50-minute group session offers authentic boxing training including a mix of bag-work and ground-work, programmed to teach the fundamentals and skills that boxers use in their everyday training routines. You can also book private sessions too (even a few spots with the founder are up for grabs at £220 an hour) so you can learn from the professionals. Just don’t expect them to go easy on you, this is serious stuff… 

From £27.50 per class, visit jab-box.com

Box Fit at Frame, across London

Guaranteed to work up a sweat and get pulses racing, Frame’s full-body Box Fit class combines intense high-energy cardio, bodyweight exercises and punching combos to get you fighting fit. Helping to improve stamina, agility, hand-eye coordination and muscular endurance, this is one workout you’re sure to feel the next day.

From £16 per class, visit moveyourframe.com

Kobox, across London

Billed as ‘where fight club meets nightclub,’ Kobox aims to bring fun back into the gym. With three trendy locations across Chelsea, Marylebone and The City, you’re welcome to pop in for a solo spar to work on your jab and hook technique, but Kobox’s classes are where the real workout is. For a real all-rounder workout, the Full Body class can’t be beaten. Promising 50 minutes of high-intensity cardio and strength training, the class begins with a walk-through of the studio’s signature six-punch combinations before moving to mat exercises designed to target your core and lower body all while lights flash overhead to a stimulating soundtrack. 

Fancy something a little more challenging? Book Heat, where you’ll be boxing in 30 degrees so you can tap it out and sweat it out, proven to improve overall fitness levels, enhance performance and build mental strength. Plus, it will make your next KOBOX class feel like a breeze…

From £22 per class, visit kobox.co.uk

Rumble at 1Rebel, Broadgate and Oxford Circus

If you’re looking to burn hard during your workout, 1Rebel’s 45-minute HIIT Rumble class is the one for you. With a choice of strength and power, speed and conditioning or re-building classes, you’ll go toe-to-toe in a boxing match with your own punching bag as you cover the foundations of boxing from stance and form to punching combinations and conditioning bodyweight circuits. Incorporating rapid speed, footwork and strength, this is as much a workout for your willpower as it is for you.

From £25 per class, visit 1rebel.com

Sweatbox at Sweat by BXR, across London

Put your trust into the hands of BXR’s elite team of boxing trainers – one being Anthony Joshua’s former coach – at the high-octane Sweatbox class that combines traditional elements of boxing with conditioning training to sharpen your skills and improve speed while raising your heart rate and working up a proper calorie-burning sweat. Structured in two parts, this 45-minute class consists of two rounds each of boxing and floor work, with drills including lunges, mountain climbers and squat burpees, set to an uplifting soundtrack of motivational tunes.

From £30 per class, visit sweatbybxr.com

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