We are so excited to be able to share with you our new strength and conditioning classes! We think they’re fantastic, both in terms of the fitness benefits and in terms of the training knowledge we hope to impart.
In our sessions we teach participants how to perform exercises correctly and with good form. The easiest way to think about them is as personal training sessions, just with a few more people present. This means we really encourage interaction as our coaches are there not only to lead you through the workout, but also to answer any of your training questions.
Each session is different but the common theme is that all our sessions are concerned with building functional strength, muscular balance and improved mobility.
We also do not use tonnes of equipment. This means that all of our sessions can also be joined from home online with minimal fuss and a bit of resourcefulness.
What equipment do you need to join online?
Some of our workout classes don’t require any equipment at all, such as our Full Body Conditioning classes and Strength Circuits classes.
For the sessions that do require some form of weights, generally speaking, the following will be sufficient:
– a heaver pair of dumbbells for doing leg exercises, such as squats, lunges and deadlifts
– a lighter pair of dumbbells that you can lift above your head for upper body exercises
– a miniband such as this one from Sundried. (use code ‘RIAK’ to receive 50% off all your Sundried purchases)
– a set of resistance bands of varying strengths
– some form of stool or chair
What if I can’t get hold of some of this equipment?
That’s not a problem, you just might need to be a bit innovative and identify things around the house that you can use SAFELY to perform exercises. In our experience, items such as the below work well as alternatives:
– A rucksack filled with books or similarly weighted items. This can be used for leg exercises requiring heavier loading or to increase the intensity of normal bodyweight exercises.
– A big bottle of some kind. Remember that 1litre of water equals 1kg, so if you can scrounge a large bottle of bike cleaner or even old gallon milk containers you can use them instead of dumbbells.
– We all have cardboard boxes and storage containers lying around, these can be filled and held to add loading or you could try wrapping a ribbon round them to create handles.
Session Types
Swipe to see more session types
Dumbbells & Kettlebells [In-studio & Online]
In these sessions we add in a bit of loading and look to challenge you. However, our key focus is still on building muscular balance and mobility, so expect lots of single limb exercises and moves that will challenge your balance and coordination as well as how many reps you can do or what you can lift.
In order to minimise the amount of equipment in use (for hygiene reasons) we will only be using one or two forms of loading per person depending on the exercises and session focus.
If you are hoping to join this session online, you will need a set of light dumbbells/kettlebells or be innovative in what similarly weighted objects around the house you can use safely,
Strength & Conditioning Workshops [In-studio & Online]
Our Strength Workshops are predominately designed for endurance athletes as they are focused on the key muscle groups and joint movements used in cycling and running. However, because their focus is on building muscular balance and inherent strength, in reality, they are beneficial to everyone as they will build strength in the areas you need it. So even if you run or cycle on a limited basis, these sessions will help you stay injury free, which is a real risk for inexperienced runners in particular.
Mini-resistance bands and some form of step (chair/stool) will be required for the online session.
Full Body Conditioning [Online only]
Here we hit you all over and we hit you hard! Full Body Conditioning sessions are largely circuit based and concerned with building overall fitness, strength and mobility.
No equipment is required for this session, so they’re a fantastic introduction to the way we work as well as a cracking workout!
Strength Circuits [Online only]
Our new Friday evening online sessions are a mash up of our Dumbbell & Kettlebells classes and our Full Body Conditioning classes. Essentially a weighted circuit class that aims to get your heart rate up while building strength. They have been designed so you can join whether you have weights at home or not. Join this 45 minute session and finish the week strong!
Isolation Classes [Online only]
In these sessions we hit specific muscle groups and we hit them hard!
The fastest way to build strength and stamina is to overload specific muscle groups and then afford them plenty of recovery to develop.
If you are keen to really get stronger, we recommend hitting each of our three isolation classes to ensure you are building strength and muscular balance:
– Legs;
– Chest & Back; and
– Shoulders, Arms & Core.
Gym Drop-ins
We have all the essential weights and equipment that you could need for a cracking workout! Hit the squat rack, get rid of some angst with a slam ball or simply enjoy a weights session in a clean and safe environment.
All our equipment is cleaned immediately after use and we only allow one person to train at a time. As a result, you will essentially have use of your own private studio!
There’s only one catch with the drop-in gym use. To be eligible, you must either be a RIAK Fitness PT client or be following one of our strength programmes. The reason for this is we need to be sure that you know how to perform exercises with proper form. We are unable to provide advice whilst you are using the gym (albeit we will be there in a supervisory capacity and we do like to chat) and so we need to be satisfied that you know what you are doing.
To book a drop-in session, head to the Drop-in Sessions Booking Page.
Personal Training [In-studio & Online]
We have some fantastic and experienced trainers working with RIAK Fitness. Currently Rich & Tanya offer personal training services from the studio but each of Rich, Tanya and Sophie can also offer online PT for those unable to make it to the studio.
Check out our Personal Training page for more info.
Please send your enquiries to Info@Riak.Fitness and we will ensure your enquiry is picked up by the right trainer for you.
Joining our sessions
Step 1: Book onto a session
Once you are ready to join a session and have checked the Timetable for when your chosen session is on, it’s time to book!
There are two ways to gain access to our sessions:
1) purchase an online membership (In-studio membership coming soon) from our Shop and follow the booking instructions you will be provided with; or
2) go straight to the Strength Class Booking Page and book onto and pay for a single session using the appropriate in-studio or online option from the drop-down.
Please note, booking for all sessions closes 1-hour before the relevant session start time.
Step 2: Join a session
In-Studio
If it is your first time attending the studio, there are a couple of things to note:
1) You will need to fill in an Athlete Questionnaire in advance of attending the studio. Unfortunately, we cannot allow entry to anyone that hasn’t filled in a questionnaire; and
2) You will need to be familiar with our Stay Safe Rules; and
3) You will need to bring a few things with you:
– a face mask (can be removed once the session starts);
– a water bottle;
– a sweat towel; and
– depending on the weather, dry clothes to put on for afterwards.
Athlete Questionnaire
Staying Safe Page
Online
Shortly after booking has closed, you will receive an email with a link to the live Zoom coaching feed. Open the email on the device you have Zoom downloaded on, click the link and it will open the app and take you to the correct meeting page.
Download Zoom here
