Should you try BLOK fitness classes? BLOK Manchester review

I recently visited BLOK Manchester and tried a couple of their fitness classes. Here’s everything you need to know about this boutique fitness brand and my honest review of BLOK Manchester.

About BLOK

BLOK is a boutique fitness brand known for its unique blend of fitness, design and lifestyle. With locations in London (Clapton, Shoreditch and Leyton) and Manchester, these award-winning studios emphasise not only fitness but also community and creativity.

Housed in stylishly converted spaces like warehouses and tram depots, Blok studios feature exposed brickwork and industrial aesthetics that differ from your regular boutique fitness studio.

What type of fitness classes can you find at BLOK?

BLOK offers over 20 different types of classes across several key disciplines, including yoga, Pilates, barre, boxing, strength and conditioning, HIIT, calisthenics and restorative practices like breathwork.

They focus on skill-building, progression and cross-discipline training. With unique classes like BLOKfit circuits and even handstand workshops are available, reflecting their mission to make fitness a skill-development journey rather than just exercise.

How much does it cost?

Classes can be booked individually or through packages. At the time of writing this post, it’s £19 for a one-off class in Manchester (or £27 for a Reformer class).

A variety of flexible memberships are also available, for instance £65 per month for 5 classes.

I personally use ClassPass to book BLOK classes whenever I’m in Manchester.

BLOK Manchester studio

BLOK Manchester is located in Ducie Street Warehouse, in the Northern Quarter.

Upon arriving, you’ll be greeted by the friendly front desk team who will check you in and give you a quick run down if it’s your first time at the studio.

You can grab a mini sweat towel at the front desk, however if you need a large shower towel, it costs £1 to rent. If you’re planning to shower at the studio after the class, you may as well bring your own towel.

Use the water fountain to fill up your bottle before heading to the changing room, where you’ll find electronic lockers to safely store your belongings.

The studio also includes a cafe where you can order a post-workout shake and they stock some beauty/wellness brands such as Mission C and Haeckels.

BLOK Manchester classes: my experience

I have tried 2 different BLOK classes so far: BLOKmove and BLOKstrength. I’ll make sure to update this post whenever I try a new one.

Both were small group classes by design, due to the size of the studios. I personally much prefer this set up with up to a dozen people, over huge studios with over 30 people.

BLOKmove class

It’s a mobility-focused workout designed to improve flexibility, core strength and balance. It’s a mix of exercises using your bodyweight, resistance bands, barres, bloks and light dumbbells.

Each session is geared towards working on a skill but it always targets every muscle in the body and includes specific drills aimed at enhancing the function and mobility of key areas like the hips, shoulders, and spine.

The class I attended focused on the split, with a good portion of the session focusing on hip opening exercises and hamstring flexibility. The lovely instructor provided variations for every fitness level and really ensured that nobody felt out of place.

This was a very different workout to what I usually do and I enjoyed the novelty. It was a different type of challenge for the muscles, which were rather sore for a couple days afterwards!

BLOKstrength class

This one is a strength-training workout that emphasises proper lifting techniques. The exercises are focused on strengthening muscles and developing power so that you reap the benefits of resistance training. You’ll train with dumbbells and kettlebells.

This class is equally great for those who a new to weights and want to learn how to lift properly, and those who are experienced but push themselves more when in a group setting with an instructor.

The class I took followed a tri-set format, where we did 3 exercises back to back. After warming up, we did 3 sets of a full body tri-set with exercises such as KB swings, then 3 sets of an upper-body tri-set (think Arnold press and bent over rows) and finally 3 sets of a lower body tri-set (including DB Romanian deadlifts and sumo squats) before post-workout stretches.

The instructor provided variations to make the sets more challenging as we progressed through them and we were always able to pick up lighter or heavier weights to ensure we were getting the most out of the workouts.

I personally really enjoyed this class. I’ve been lifting weights for years and had fallen into a monotonous gym routine, not really challenging myself as much as I could.

Whilst I’d love to try other BLOK classes, I’m looking forward to being back in Manchester for another BLOKstrength session.