Fall back into fitness with VWell Studio’s New Springwall™ Class
An exercise which can be done mainly sitting or kneeling – surely, it’s too good to be true? Now we have lured you in, we should tell you that it’s not as easy as it sounds but if you are looking to refresh your gym routine, Springwall™, could be the one for you.
THE MISSION
The wheels came off in the Summer when it came to exercise, so it was time to hand myself over to the experts to introduce myself to my abs once again which were sadly last seen many moons ago.
Where better place to start than at VWell studio, which landed in Hythe in 2023, and try one of their very popular Springwall™ classes which are designed to target individual muscle groups plus address your postural, movement and alignment needs.
Despite my selfish wish to enhance my body’s aesthetic appeal, I also know the importance of looking after your body from a practical point of view, so this type of class appealed from the get-go.
For those of you in the dark, Springwall™ is a reformer-style unit, mounted on the wall, adorned with springs, handles and bars that adjusts to create varying tension and resistance. If this sounds not too dissimilar to a torture contraption from the medieval times, then you are not too far off from the truth considering my body is still aching four days later.
But as the saying goes: no pain, no gain.
THE LOWDOWN
VWell is led by founder Victoria Pack, an advanced STOTT Pilates instructor, who has an amazing team of experienced specialists working with her including Pilates, gym and yoga instructors, dance teachers, holistic therapists, personal trainers and sports therapists. Whatever your exercise calling, chances are VWell will have an option for you.
You can try Dynamic Pilates, Feel Good Flow Yoga, Hatha Yoga, TotalTone Fitness, Barre or a ‘Sound Bath’ to name a few so you can see why it is pitched as a wellness studio, as there is a wealth of options there designed to look after your body and mind.
Sometimes it can be daunting visiting a new gym, but this is not the case at VWell as there is a very welcoming atmosphere from the moment you step through the door due to its homely feel. Situated in a pretty mews, pot plants are dotted around and there is also a very stylish shower room that deserves an Instagram profile of its own.
Having said that, you are still there to be put through your paces, so the studio has all the latest equipment including stability Barre, arc barrels, ultra soft mats, weights and blocks so all bases are covered.
THE LOCATION
So where is this wondrous place I hear you ask? VWell is situated in the seaside town of Hythe tucked away in a quiet mews in the heart of town.
There is no onsite parking, however, The Paddocks Car Park is a one minute walk (parking charges apply 8am-6pm) and Waitrose is a 2 min walk (2hrs free parking for customers) so I used the opportunity to stock up the fridge for a week following my work-out.
THE EXPERIENCE
Springwall™ is led by Victoria who is full of energy and humour accompanied by ‘Dave’, her pet name for the robotic voice counting you down on the musical soundtrack with pop classics galore. Whilst you might start to loathe Dave, you will like Victoria’s approachable style as she gently guides you through each step.
Classes are limited to eight clients, so you do get the benefit of a more hands-on approach especially whilst getting to grips with the springs, handles and bars on your first session but it is a swift learning process, so you don’t lose any time working your way around the equipment.
As Victoria said, it’s not a peaceful class as there is a lot of clanking around as you move your away around the Springwall™ working on new areas which means that there is no clock-watching here as every piece offers a different form of torture, sorry exercise, to distract you.
I was apprehensive about how much damage a few bendy springs could do but oh boy, was I wrong. The repeated exercises, although simple to execute at first, can become unbearably hard after the tenth repetition and there might have been a loud grunt that emerged from me at the end of the class.
I am with the other first-time Springwall™ clients who have said to Victoria, ‘That was f**king horrible, but I will see you next week.”
ANYTHING ELSE?
Make sure you keep your eye out for specialist classes at VWell along the way too as they host workshops throughout the year with guest speakers. We like the look of the sports performance one taking place on Saturday 12th October in special collaboration with Vitae Vi (12:30 – 4:30pm).
You can learn how to harness the power of breathwork, cold exposure, and mental focus to push your boundaries and achieve peak performance which is ideal for swimmers, cyclists, golfers, and anyone looking to boost their mental and physical game. Limited spots are available, and tickets are £129pp so book your spot asap. Light lunch included and 10% discount for VWell members too.
Or you can choose to get ready for the slopes with their specialised Pilates workshop kick-starting in November. This four-week course will help you enhance your strength, flexibility, and balance so perfect for skiers and snowboarders looking to improve their performance and prevent injuries so you can hit those slopes with confidence.
THE MUDDY VERDICT
GOOD FOR? Springwall™ can be used in all areas of training from elite athletes to rehabilitation clients so it has a broad reach – not just a toning exercise.
It’s all good to know that even though my muscles were raging inside, I did not break into much of a sweat so you can carry on with life as normal without a beetroot face to accompany you on your travels. But you do have that stylish shower room at your disposal should you need…
NOT FOR? If you like your exercise to be high-impact, VWell may not be the place for you as the emphasis is on contemporary, anatomically based Pilates, fitness, and yoga practices, as well as Holistic therapies.
THE DAMAGE
The Springwall™ class cost £15 for a one-hour session but it is worth looking at the discount packages and the increasingly popular membership system so you can make the most of the range of classes on offer on a monthly/yearly basis.
11A Theatre Street, Hythe, CT21 5LD, vwell.co.uk, victoria@vwell.co.uk, +447591 416438
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