Studio Spotlight: Lee Mullins Does Classwork In The Workshop Gymnasium

In the basement spa of the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge is where you’ll find Lee Mullins, founder of the Workshop Gymnasium, putting clients through their paces with foam rollers, resistance bands and primal movement – in his innovative new Classwork.

The studio offers a stunningly intimate experience with low lights and a small fireplace to ensure you sweat throughout. There’s only space for 6-10 people so there’s no chance of feeling lost up the back or getting away with taking it easy.

The exercises take a back-to-basics approach. Only two different types of equipment are used – a foam roller and three different resistance bands. Lee emphasises these as staple items for your workouts and can be used anywhere. Whether you fancy working out in the park, in the gym or even in your hotel room when jetsetting, a resistance band will add that extra level of depth to your workouts.

“There’s a reason why yogis always look so young,” explains Lee while we stretch muscles we didn’t even know we had, “it’s because they’re continually stretching to ensure muscles stay loose and supple, keeping collagen levels high.”

Lee will take you through a series of foam rolling exercises to loosen muscles, and boost collagen levels. Yes, he insists during those painful points, foam rolling will keep you looking younger than all of those collagen pumped up beauty products combined.

So far it might sound like an easy-going session of stretching… but here is where the real workout begins: resistance bands around your wrists and your ankles, doing combinations of crunching and raising to set your glutes on fire. And forget giving your core a rest when you put bear-crawls into the equation. Hovering your knees just above the ground, and alternating steps with opposite hand and foot, it’s a signature move of Lee’s sure to get your core activated.

“When you’re a child you crawl, it’s what comes naturally to you, and as you grow up you forget how to do it,” says Lee. It gets your abs, shoulders, arms and hips working all at once – and you can feel your body toning in front of your very eyes as you work.

“Every magazine and website says so-and-so is the best move for your core. But this is the best move for your core – and you can quote me on that.”

Under Lee’s watchful eye you’ll keep your form on point, making no compromise on your neck or lower back while doing any of the movements. The intimacy of class means that getting a sweat on doesn’t equate to getting an injury because there were too many people to receive proper instruction.

Classwork is a delicate balance of intense muscle strengthening, recovery, and stretching. We can tell you now, once you’ve experienced Classwork, you’ll be adding resistance bands to your own inventory, and incorporating them into at-home workouts too. That’s if your glutes have forgiven you yet. Happy bear-crawling!

www.workshopgymnasium.com