BlackBx, the newest dopamine destination in Bengaluru for fitness enthusiasts

As a city that hosts joggers, walkers and yogis in its sprawling Cubbon Park almost every Sunday, Bengaluru has long led the fitness game in the country. Up for new challenges and innovation at all times, folks here, as you know, do not settle for the second best and some of the finest pilates, conditional training and MMA studios are evidence. The latest addition to this list is BlackBx, a one-of-a-kind bootcamp studio that combines interval cardio with strength training for a session that typically lasts for 50 minutes.

Bootcamp, a term that made its way to everyone’s workout dictionary post the pandemic, features exercises that are great for building strength, improving cardiovascular health and getting that sweat glow last all day. To experience this fairly new form of training first-hand, we found ourselves at BlackBx Studio for one of their evening sessions earlier this week. Led by a trained professional, this new fitness destination aims to break the monotony of conventional workout routines and make training fun again. In each session, a minimum of 13-15 people are trained at the same time and personalised attention is given to posture and technique.

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At our arrival, coach Angela Tamang walked us through the facilities such as the in-house fashion store and cafeteria where we quickly grabbed a black coffee to rev up our metabolism and take every exercise head on. Before the warm-up, Angela explained the exercise circuit and prepped us mentally for the workout intensity. As we walked into the studio where the workouts take place, we could not help but obsess over how the team has managed to encapsulate the spirit of a black box with its setup. Unlike regular studio classes, the sessions here are conducted with dark lighting and the neon LEDs add an interesting and fun dimension.

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After a stretching routine, we hopped onto the treadmill for two minutes of walking followed by one minute of running at the highest capacity and a one-minute brisk walk to catch our breath. We trained at this pattern with relevant changes to speed and inclination for 10 minutes and could already feel those calories burn. Our first set of exercises was all about strength work. We trained alternately between high-intensity movements such as squat jumps, jumping jacks, kettlebell swings, mountain climbers and a couple of core exercises to get that abs crack.

With a 30-45 second break in between, we moved to a second round of exercises such as butterfly kicks and raised leg and knee touch crunches which were all the more core-oriented. It started with a similar treadmill routine as the first one with running at 8 mph and coach Angela motivating us on the side. It is worth noting that at the beginning of the session, she pointed out that we will feel better towards the end and we just have to wait for the dopamine to kick in. She was right.

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Towards the end, we got comfortable with our breath work and paced up for two rounds of kettlebell sumo squats, high pulls and dumbbell pullovers with repetitions varying from 10-15. While the exercises can seem challenging for those who are new to the scene, the programme is designed to make fitness fun again. What kept us going even when we were running short of breath and double-guessing our stamina was the adrenaline-boost- ing playlist.

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Plus, with group classes, you feel all the more accountable and motivated to stick to your exercise and push your limits. At the same time, the competitive spirit goes up the roof and you do not mind doing an extra rep here and there. Founded by Sheena Hinduja, who launched The Pilates Studio in the city in partnership with Namrata Purohit and Samir Purohit, BlackBx is the place to go to test your limits and ‘move different.’ 

1,000 onwards. At Kasturba Road. Sessions last a minimum of 45 minutes but do consult the trainers there