Review: Vertue Method; the Hottest New Class in Town

Vertue Method is a fusion of yoga, weighted circuit training and meditation, designed by London based, Australian Yoga Teacher & Personal Trainer Shona Vertue. With classes booked up months in advance, we snuck into a class to see what all the hype is about.

The class starts off gently, lights dimmed and lycra-clad bodies stretching out all around. Shona had already laid out the equipment and I couldn’t help notice the paradoxically girly bright pink yet intimidatingly sized kettlebells. ‘How on Earth am I going to lift those!?’ My mind was put at rest slightly when the girl in front turned round to the room and expressed her fear at not being experienced enough. Our fear was unwarranted though, well, somewhat.

We warm up with full body yogic movements to help mobilise joints. We then move on to a series of timed circuits using resistance bands and weights. While Shona made walking back and forth in the bands look like a movement of grace, I couldn’t help feeling a bit like a waddling duck as I checked my posture in the mirror. I could definitely feel my glutes working in a way that they hadn’t before though. Close grip push-ups to work the triceps, I thought, would be the death of me.

The focus then moves to our core, with Shona taking inspiration from both pilates and gymnastics for the moves. Just as I start to think I am going to have to slip into a silent child’s pose and hope no one notices, Shona leads us through a slow yoga sequence taking us into a very welcome shavasana meditation. She tells us this is to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, aiding in recovery.

Shona had the class in giggles throughout with her quips and self-depreciating humour. She is one of those people who you instantly want to be best friends with and I found myself wanting to push myself just to hear her say that I’d 'nailed it'. I left feeling stronger, with a spring in my step and affirmation that girls are seriously badass. I laughed, I dripped with sweat, I hung out upside down, what more could I want from a fitness class. It’s now the morning after and I can feel it in my arms, shoulders and most of all my butt.

Vertue Method classes are held exclusively at Studio by The Detox Kitchen at 10 Mortimer Street, London. Classes are 55 minutes and are held on Tuesday evenings at 6.45pm and Thursday evenings at 6pm. Modifications are provided throughout the class to cater for all levels. Classes can be booked at detoxkitchen.co.uk/studio.

Words: Ellen Tewkesbury