Beautcamp

Beautcamp sells itself as the next evolution of pilates.

Think pilates with copious sweating. There’s no lying around, feeling each vertebrae unfurl on a yoga mat. Sure it strengthens your core muscles. Sure it helps improve your posture, but it also gets your heart beating like a hummingbird’s wings. 

The exercises are done on a bench called a Reformer. The Reformer has a sliding bit and a static bit (the platform) and then there are some straps and various other bits. It all looks rather complicated at first glance, but is actually quite simple once you get the hang of it. 

Beautcamp pilates was originally conceived in LA by some French guy (hey, this is a blog, I’m not meant to research stuff). Over there it’s called Systeme Dynamique and apparently it’s very popular with the likes of Ben Stiller, Jennifer Aniston and other A-list celebs. The system was introduced to London by Dominique Day. There are two studios: one in the West End and one in the City. I attended the one in the West End, just off Bayswater Road. 

I arrived ten minutes before the previous class ended. It looked like fun- a bit of gliding back and forward, standing up, lying down, holding onto straps. 

Matt, the instructor, is a good ad for his product. He’s a well toned, 20-something year-old. In fact, most of the class were well toned 20-something year-olds. I was the token man-with-a-midlife-crisis.

The first exercises didn’t involve the bench (other than lying on it). It involved squeezing something that looked like a giant teething ring between my knees. I couldn’t do it for more than two seconds at a time. 

‘Come on, squeeze your ring,’ Matt said. I wanted to laugh, but I was too busy crying. 

Everyone else in the class seemed to find it effortless. At the end of the first exercise, my adductor muscles rebelled and went into uncontrollable spasms. I never really recovered. And the Reformer lived up to its sinister name. It reformed every muscle in my body.

It was the longest 55 minutes of my life. Judging by the longevity of the muscle ache, I would say that Beautcamp is pretty effective. And men, don’t be put off by the poncy name. This is a seriously good workout. I’m writing this blog post four days after the class and I’m still walking like I’ve got rickets. 

Beautcamp
The Colonnades
34 Porchester Road
South Suite, First Floor
Bayswater
W2 6ES

Tel: 020 7034 0000