Yourzone is brand new ultimate fitness wave taking London by storm that promises you will burn 1000 calories in an hour
Power walking my way out of Colliers Wood tube station and into ‘YourZone’, the brand new heart rate fitness training that is taking London by storm, I am feeling pretty confident and excited about my first class. I enter stating confidently that ‘I’m pretty fit and healthy’. Yes, I do hot yoga four times a week, weight training two – three times a week and maybe the odd run a few of times a month; I don’t think I have too much to worry about.
Seeing the ‘BURN 1000 CALORIES IN ONE WORKOUT’ sign provokes a slightly apprehensive feeling…how could it make me burn that many calories with only one workout?
Yourzone owner and fitness enthusiast, Danny, explains to me that yourzone works in a series of high intensity interval training (HIIT) with each 55 minute session split equally between cardio and toning, resistance moves. Throughout the cardio workout you will spend roughly six minutes on the bike, running machine and rowing machine. You sprint on each for five seconds, slow your speed down for five seconds, sprint for 10 seconds, relax the speed for 10, sprint for 15 then slow down again for 15. Thanks to my bragging, I landed myself with 15, 20 and 30 second intervals over the five minutes, and a very sweaty face.
The toning half of the session was split between two sequences of three workouts. The first sequence included 12 bicep curls with low weights whilst in a wall sit, 15 throws of a 5kg weighted ball onto the floor, followed by a burpee and finishing with 12 TRX push ups. The second segment of the class was split between numerous different planks on the Bosu ball (a balance ball that works your core), squats and weighted V-Sit Ups both over five minute periods.
I tend to favour toning workouts over cardio normally but I found both equally demanding and the cardio workouts showed my heart rate was working harder than it seemed to be in the toning session of the class.
Each participant’s heart rate and workout level is shown on a screen so you can always see which level you are working within
The zones are identified in colours from red and orange which are at the higher level of the spectrum to green which is an average/good level all the way down to blue and grey which is when the body isn’t working itself hard, whether it has stopped moving or is simply recovering quickly.
Being unashamedly ultra-competitive I was ready to get my level in the red and orange categories throughout the workout. Danny said staying in these zones, especially the orange zone will burn the most fat. It is possible to work up to 50 calories off per minute. Conversely, I was in for an enormous shock. The fitter you are, the harder it is for your body to remain in the higher zones due to the fact your heart rate drops very quickly. Great news for all gym goers who have only recently started or are looking for the fastest possible way to lose fat; but bad news for little Miss Competitive here.
The average age of yourzone’s clients are between the ages of 25-45 and are primarily women and I can see the calorie burning factor has a lot to do with its appeal.
You finish your workout with a five minute stretch, followed by an assessment of how you performed throughout the workout. Sadly, I did not spend my entire time in the red and orange zone, but let’s just put that down to being so fit that my heart rate drops so quickly…
I burnt just over 400 calories and was told I would burn around another 500 calories the next day as long as I ate healthily.
yourzone class prices vary depending on location (you but monthly blocks):
- Braintree: From £59.95 per month
- Colliers Wood: From £69.95 per month
- Harrogate: From £59.95 per month
They are available all over London, you will learn about correct nutrition at the beginning of the classes and will be able to track and measure your progress. Yourzone state that you will get the most out of your session from attending four classes a week rather than seven, what’s not to love?
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