The best private gyms in London for distraction-free workouts
Solo workout spots for those days when you don’t have the time to wait for a spot at the squat rack
You are never too far away from a gym in London, but what about one where you don’t get onto the gym floor and wonder what equipment you can get on? Truly private gyms are starting to appear across the capital, letting you get to the machines when you want to and concentrate on getting fully into the zone without someone tapping you and asking you how many sets you’ve got left.
If your current gym spot is starting to feel a little crowded or you like the idea of being able to squeeze in a workout with minimal admin, these are the gyms you can book into that hand you the digital keys to your very own fully stocked workout domain.
Solo60
Various locations
Solo60 now has private gym spaces dotted across London, including its latest in Moorgate. Once you’ve downloaded the Solo60 app, you can book a session, which needs to be a minimum of an hour.
At each location, you can see what equipment is available to make sure it’s suitable for your planned session. You can also book in available treatment rooms if you need to grab a massage or a massage gun to deal with your DOMS. You pay for credits to make bookings and can even bring a +1 at no add
GYMPODS
Putney and Dalston
A private gym currently with two London locations, GYMPODS lets you train solo or bring a training partner with pods dedicated to different types of workouts. You can lift and squat in the strength pod or hit some cardio on a Peloton or the stairmaster.
Holistic and Treatment pods can be booked to work on any niggles. Booking is done through a credit system where you can choose to pay monthly or stick to using credits per session. 30-minute or 60-minute slots are available, and you can try 2 sessions for £15 to see if these workout pods are fit for you.
Paddington Gyms
Various locations
If you find yourself in the Paddington area looking for a healthier way to kill some time or need to tick off a Hyrox training session, Paddington Gyms gives you access to its private workout spaces day and night.
With locations in Talbot Square, London Street and Praed Street, every gym includes both cardio and strength machines, TVs are included to provide a distraction during your treadmill pounding, with towels available to wipe the sweat from your forehead and machines. As the gyms are set inside hotels, you also get special rates in rooms if you’ve gone so hard that you need to take a lie-down after.
My Fit Pod
Kingston and Hackney
As well as offering private gym spaces outside of London, MyFit has two spots in London to train solo too. Each location offers equipment including a treadmill, Peloton, squat racks as well as yoga mats and foam rollers.
There’s places to get changed and shower off with rates included to let you bring a friend or a group of friends to work out with. Solo sessions start at £15.99 or you can subscribe to unlock credits that also let you book multiple sessions in advance. So you can lock in those sessions and make sure you’re committed to that training regime.
Elysium
Aldgate and Seven Dials
Elysium currently has two London locations where you can book hourly sessions and just use your smartphone (and the Elysium app) to get in and start getting to work. Each location is fully kitted out with strength equipment from gym-grade equipment from Blk Box as well as
cardio machines from Concept2. You’ll also find a massage gun to warm up or start the recovery process before you head off. Sessions can be booked in the Elysium app with prices currently set at £25 an hour.
DropGym
Various locations
DropGym doesn’t actually give you a gym to yourself. What it does do across its locations in North West London is limit the number of people who can train during your booking. The capped capacity differs across locations, with numbers varying from 8 to 15.
Those small numbers of fellow gymgoers should still mean you’re not having to join a queue to get on your preferred gym equipment. You'll find weights, cardio equipment, as well as dedicated stretch areas in all locations. You can also pick up a post-workout snack once that hard work is done. Memberships are not cheap, however, starting at £125 a month or £1,200 for the year.
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