Au Pear

The Silver Pearl building at Waterfield Road, Bandra has become rather bottom heavy in the last few months, with Fro-Yo, Saks Salon, Urban Shore and the indulgent San Churro Chocolaterie occupying its burgeoning ground level. Saving it from this pear-shaped predicament is F2 Fitness, a new exercise studio that’s opened up on level one, with a legion of instructors ready to whip it into shape.

Studio 54

Expect to walk through a lonely corridor of a largely unoccupied level to get to this fitness studio, which in stark contrast to the silence outside, is reverberating with music and energy. While the space itself isn’t super impressive – Bandra has fancier gyms and studios – it attempts to introduce a new fitness regime to the city. It's called Les Mills, a group exercise routine designed in New Zealand that offers a series of programs – Bodyjam (dance and cardio workout), Bodypump (strength training), Bodycombat (inspired by a series of martial arts), Bodyattack (high energy training) and Bodybalance (involves yoga, tai chi and pliates).

These are taught by certified instructors in a glass paned room that looks more like a '90s discotheque than an exercise studio; there’s colourful lights, loud music, a stage and a room full of dancers. That the Les Mills workouts focus on music and choreography only reinforces the disco feel. We were there on Sunday evening to observe the Bodybalance class and were quite tempted to join in.

In addition to the Les Mills programs, they offer TRX, a suspension training technique and are open to freelance instructors teaching other classes.

Training Day

F2 Fitness even houses a mini gym where they offer personal training. At no point, we were told, will there be more than two clients in the gym at the same time. What’s really cool though, is that even if your trainer doesn’t work at F2, the two of you can rent out the mini gym for Rs 1,500 a month. Now this pair shape we can handle.

Getting there: F2 Fitness, 106, Silver Pearl, Waterfield Road, opposite China Gate, Bandra (W), call 9223434343 or visit www.f2fitness.com, Rs 2,500 for two types of  programs (unlimited classes) a month, free trial classes until the end of the month.