You'll Actually Want to Work Out at Melbourne's New Luxury Gym

Once voted the best gym in London, and called the King of Gyms by GQ Magazine, 1R has just opened its first Australian outpost. In the Capitol Grand building in South Yarra, Melbourne, 1R is the city’s most luxurious gym—by a long way.

1R, which started life as 1Rebel, was founded by James Balfour, heir to the Fitness First empire, in 2015. The concept behind 1R was that of a gym where members pay as they train, rather than locking them into contracts: A revolutionary idea that gym-goers everywhere applauded. The popularity of the idea was borne out in the chain’s swift global growth into eight countries around the world.

Game-changing concept aside, it’s an extremely good-looking gym.

The first level, where you’ll find the reception desk and a coffee and smoothie bar, was designed by Melburnian design firm Foolscap Studio and is flooded with light and a sense of calm—a stark contrast to the neon concrete aesthetic of the basement gym below.

But to refer to it as "the basement gym" is probably understating it. Polished concrete, neon lights, thumping music: In many ways, this space feels as much like a nightclub as it does a gym.

There are three rooms, each purpose-built for one of the three fitness concepts 1R offers:

Reformer bills itself as HIIT meets Pilates, a forty-five-minute class that burns 500 calories and builds strength and tones while increasing flexibility. There are four class styles to choose from, all using high-tech reformer machines.

Reshape promises "The Ultimate Full-Body Workout"—forty-five-minute circuit training sessions that incorporate high-speed rounds of treadmill sessions mixed with bodyweight and dumbbell work. It promises to burn up to 800 calories in what 1R calls their most gruelling workout.

Rumble is a HIIT-infused boxing class that will see you break a sweat, burn calories and walk away with a serious dose of endorphins. Expect high-energy music and flashing lights. This is not for the faint-hearted.

When you’re done with your workout, you’ll find everything you need to freshen up in the "Repair room". Showers have Grown Alchemist products for your use and Dyson hairdryers and GHD straighteners are available. There’s even a phone you can use to place your coffee order so it’s ready at the bar when you get upstairs. If you’re there on a Friday night, you can finish your workout with a free prosecco. It’s a tradition.

1R offers packages of single or multiple sessions, and they’re currently offering launch pricing for a limited time. The best value is the First Timer Triple Threat, which is three classes for $30; after that, one class is $25, a five-class pack is $115 and a ten-class pack is $200.

Alternatively, you can opt to get a 1R zero-commitment monthly membership. At launch pricing, you can get eight classes a month for $160, twelve classes a month for $220, twenty classes a month for $260 or twenty-eight classes a month for $320.

Prefer working out at home? Check out the best home spin bikes, here.

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