Feel good factor: Freecross

10 April 2012
FREECROSS

What? Freecross, a brand new piece of equipment, like a cross-trainer on wheels, invented by two Germans but used in and around Soho Gyms in Waterloo.

How hard was it? The initial challenge was just in co-ordinating my various body parts. You must train your brain to imagine you're on a normal cross-trainer, thus holding onto the handgrips and simulating a walking or running movement, while at the same time tilting your body weight to turn the bike. After 10 minutes of practice circles — thank goodness for brakes — I soon got the hang of it. As the Freecross is fully licensed to work on roads, we then wheeled it out onto Waterloo's back streets to practise outside. Luke issued some simple instructions and let me loose. Flying along, it felt about as challenging as trundling to work. Come the 25-minute mark, however, and my arms and shoulders were aching and my legs well-worked. The following day, it was painful to lever myself out of a sitting position. Freecross is an effective strengthening exercise — if not one in humility (wearing a bright white helmet and whizzing about on a Jetsons-style spacebike turns quite a few heads).

Calories burned? 290 in 40 minutes.
Ready for more? Yes, it engages most of the muscle groups and is, dare I say it, addictive.

Try it out: Now available exclusively at Soho Gyms (branches across London), an hour free for members, £10 for additional hours or for members' guests (memberships from £46, sohogyms.com/freecross).

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