As workouts go, you’d be hard-pressed to find a sport that will exercise your full body as thoroughly as boxing. You already know this; just look at Anthony Joshua. But while we might not all have enough talent to become one of the best boxers in the world, everyone can reap the benefits of boxing, whether you’re looking to build muscle, increase your stamina, lose fat or simply get a little bit fitter. Boxing truly is the sport that does it all.

While boxing can be both physically and mentally gruelling, there are gyms all over the capital manned with some of the best instructors in the world, on hand to guide you through the sport whatever your ability level may be. From the swish new boxing studios designed for the Instagram generation to the old haunts of some of the sport’s legends, these are the best places to practise your jabs and hooks in London.

Jab

Jab is looking to bring back the “old school to London’s fitness scene”. But while it draws on the heritage of boxing in Britain and London’s East End, it twists it and zhuzhes it up for those of us who want to get a great workout but with instructors and a really lovely studio.

The interiors, designed by AvroKO, draw on the clubs of the 1960s and 1970s – think antique leather furniture, wood paneling, brass metalwork. Like if Guy Ritchie were to design a gym. There’s a reception area and a café and the entire studio is designed to foster a sense of community: if you’re looking for a new class to try out once, Jab might not be your speed.

Instead, you’ll find incredibly intense classes taught with vigour and expertise by Jab’s team of experts. It’s the brainchild of former England boxing team captain George Veness, so you know that this is a rigorous, efficacious workout. This is tough, sweaty work designed to keep you fit and healthy. You have to stan.

32-34 North Audley Street, London W1. jab-box.com

Kobox

© David M. Benett

If you're looking for the gritty Rocky Balboa experience, then Kobox probably isn't the place for you. But if you're after an approachable introduction to the sport with a glossy, Instagrammable sheen, then this gym chain ticks all the right boxes. With branches in Chelsea, Marylebone and the City, Kobox runs classes that target either your upper body, core or lower body, but if you're feeling really brave, you can also opt for their full body and bodyweight sessions that will really push you to your limits.

When the classes start, the lights go down and the only thing left to illuminate the sweat trickling down your forehead are the UV lights. This is not all style over substance, however; although Kobox welcomes beginners – most of its classes have a few newbies in them – its sessions are just as rigorous as its more traditional counterparts. We recommend diving straight in with a full-body class and then you can decide which muscle groups you'd like to start targeting from there.

107 King's Road, London SW3; 16 Baker Street, London W1U; 85 London Wall, London EC2M. koboxboxingclub.com

North London Boxing Club

You can often get a good idea about the quality of a gym by the kind of clientele it attracts and, over the years, North London Boxing Club's founder, Sedat Sag, has trained everyone from the APB world champion Adem Kilicci to James McAvoy and Denise Van Outen, making this unassuming gym in Southgate a go-to for any budding boxer.

With 90-minute classes that centre around Sag's unique circuit training technique, each lesson involves sparring, shadow boxing, skipping and punch bag drills, all intertwined with more traditional circuit training exercises to maximise the benefits you'll reap from the session. Each class ends with a "cardio blast", which sounds scary but is worth it if you're really looking to up your fitness levels, as it targets all the muscle groups that might have had it easy during the circuit training portion of the class. Long story short: you will ache the next day. Everywhere. But isn't that such a satisfying feeling?

4-6 Station Parade, London N14. northlondonboxing.co.uk

BXR London

There are basic boxing gyms and then there’s BXR. Launched in 2017, the boutique boxing concept in Marylebone is of course a “boxing gym”, but that descriptor itself doesn’t do it justice. Backed by Anthony Joshua, with Mark Ronson and Eddie Hearn on the committee and Victoria’s Secret models as members, the 12,000-square-feet space feels more like a luxury hotel or a gentleman’s club than a gym.

Split over two floors, BXR has an in-house clinic – complete with a multidisciplinary team of world-leading experts – three pay-to-train "Sweat By BXR" studios, and then a gym floor set around a professionally sized boxing ring, vintage leather punch bags and more state-of-the-art equipment than you could possibly use in a full week of workouts. The BXR mantra is “train like a champion”, but that’s not to say that boxing novices aren’t welcome. No matter what level your sparring skills are at, if you’re ready to work hard – and have fun while doing it – you’ll fit right in.

For all the unbelievable interiors (we especially like the massive Muhammad Ali mural) and cutting-edge kit, it’s the boxing trainers that make this the place to practise your punches. If you want to work on your technique, try a one-on-one session before getting stuck into the classes, which cover everything from technique to boxing conditioning.

24 Paddington Street, London W1U. bxrlondon.com

Legends Boxing Gym

It is an inescapable fact that East and South East London are far more fertile grounds for boxing gyms than the West.

This isn't to disparage the quality of West London clubs, merely to note their relative paucity. So when a good boxing gym emerges away from the capital's traditional pugilistic heartland it should be celebrated. Legends offers two evening boxing workouts every weekday but Fridays, and personal boxing coaching on a daily basis.

If you'd rather train in company, small group training is also available for two to four people. Free training is available for those willing to participate in the gym's White Collar Boxing shows. Meanwhile parents might be interested in the children's boxing that runs Monday and Wednesday afternoon and Saturday morning.

4 Kew Road, Richmond TW9 3AW. legendsboxing.co.uk

12 Rounds Boxing

Clapham Junction may seem a slightly upmarket location for a boxing gym (normally associated with the more downbeat areas of a city) but 12 Rounds Boxing is a sign of the sport's growing renaissance. Founded by John and Kat Bryson, the gym emphasises the fun aspect of fitness, and makes a real effort to reach out to the uninitiated. 12 Rounds even provides morning childcare for parents eager to hone their fitness but unable to shift the kids. There are four levels of experience: Boxing Fundamentals, Contenders, Skills Skool and Warzone. Bespoke training programmes and memberships are also available. And, if so inclined, you can Train2Fight, ultimately testing your skills in the ring.

1 St John's Hill, London SW11. 12roundsboxing.co.uk

Left Hook Boxing Club

This wonderfully authentic gym in the boxing heartland of East London offers something for everybody. Left Hook was founded in 1992 by professional boxer Enzo Giordano and amateur boxer Oner Avara; over two decades later and it's still going strong. Left Hook celebrates the love and art of boxing, a reminder that the sport is far more than just a fitness regime. This is reinforced by the images of legendary fighters plastered on the walls; like Islington, you could spend hours drinking it all in. Boxing training for everyone runs throughout the week, while competitive boxing is on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 6pm to half seven.

1 Martha Street, London E1. lefthook.co.uk

FighterFit

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Originally of Old Street, FighterFit was founded in 2008 by Francesco Tavormina, former alumni of Islington Boxing Club. Rapid success caused the gym to make the short move to Shoreditch in 2014. FighterFit offers a range of different classes: there are summertime workouts in Shoreditch Park as well as classes in boxing, strength and conditioning, and sparring clinics for the bold. A modern outlook is signalled by the nutrition and protein products on sale, perfect for post-workout consumption. And you can even do yoga: power yoga for boxers, vinyasa flow to relax the muscles. Anthony Joshua is among yoga's many boxing advocates.

9 Gales Gardens, London E2. fighterfit.com

The Fitzroy Lodge

Like many boxing clubs, the Fitzroy Lodge is nestled beneath railway arches – these ones in Lambeth. However few can match the Lodge for history and renown. The original club was founded in 1908 to "encourage and provide facilities for athletic sports and physical recreation, among persons of the poorer classes..." The original site was bombed in 1939 but in 1946 the Lodge found its new, current home. Despite its venerable age, the modern Lodge is formidably well-equipped, with two rings, over twenty assorted punch bags, running and rowing machines, cross trainers, stationery bikes and even a sauna. Pippa Middleton is an unlikely regular.

180 Lambeth Road, London SE1. fitzroylodge.club

Double Jab ABC

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A relatively new boxing club in New Cross, Double Jab prides itself on its communal ties and inclusive, welcoming attitude.

Classes are incredibly cheap: Recreational Boxer (for the casual pugilist) costs £5 per session or £10 for the three-session week. None of the extra classes exceed a fiver; under-18s and students cost even less. You have no excuses not to lace up the gloves and burn some calories. Get four mates together for an hour of personal training and you're looking at £5 each: ridiculous value. Laudibly, Double Jab runs a Women's Boxing class every Tuesday (£3!) with an all-female coaching team. Whether you aspire to be the next Nicola Adams, or just fancy getting in shape, you won't find a better place to start.

Moonshot Centre, Fordham Park, London SE14. doublejabboxing.com

Miguel's Boxing Gym

Like many boxing gyms, finding Miguel's is half the battle – it's tucked away under the railway arches on tiny Hardess Street: two minutes' walk from Loughborough Junction, and ten minutes from Brixton Tube. The sparse, sharp interior speaks of a gym that knows its business. Weights are downstairs; go up for numerous punch bags and a training ring. The trainers are the friendliest people imaginable but God do they work you hard. White Collar Boxing runs from 7.00pm-9.00pm on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Half technique sharpener, half endurance test, these classes are well populated and sweat-drenched. For a more tailored workout, the one-on-one personal training program includes workouts, weight management and a nutritional guidance system. Just what the doctor ordered.

Railway Arches, 261-262 Hardess Street, London SE24. miguelsboxinggym.co.uk

The Ring

The Ring Boxing Club opened on 14 May 1910. Originally a chapel, the building had no 90-degree angle where its twelve walls met, ensuring no corners for the Devil to hide in. Although this Devil-defying structure is no more, The Ring was reincarnated in 2003 only 100 yards from the original site.

The Ring today is a formidably equipped facility that runs a Cityboxer programme for aspiring pugilists of all abilities. On select nights the gym transforms into a showpiece venue for its White Collar events.

Participation is open but not for the faint of heart. After a rigorous assessment, you embark on a three-month intense training regime before fighting a handpicked opponent: complete with ring walk, entrance music, robotic lights and a presumably well-lubricated crowd. Now take five minutes to decide your entry soundtrack. Ours is the classic Dido anthem, White Flag.

70 Ewer Street, London SE1. theringboxingclub.com

Islington Boxing Club

One for our North Londoners. Located ten minutes' stroll from Archway (or five minutes' jog for the hardy), Islington Boxing Club is a pleasingly old-school kind of place: you can almost smell the sawdust. That isn't to say it's underpowered: three boxing rings, 15 punch bags and plenty of equipment should keep you occupied for the foreseeable. Incidentally, the artwork around the gym is incredible. Numerous portraits and collages of past greats decorate the walls, and you could easily spend half a session drinking them all in. (The painting of caricatured champions – Ali, Tyson et al – is a particular distraction, trying to identify each cartooned face while you work the pads.) IBC has a great amateur tradition and proud record of promoting young boxers.

20 Hazellville Road, London N19. islingtonboxingclub.org

Repton Boxing Club

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The oldest established boxing gym in England, Repton Boxing Club once counted the Kray twins among its fighting patrons. The Repton motto is “Non Viscara...Non Gloria” or “No Guts...No Glory”, which encapsulates the sport of boxing perfectly. And you certainly need guts: the Repton is for serious, competitive boxers only. No Beginner or BoxFit classes here. While other clubs might modernise, the Repton takes pride in its 'retro' look and is basically the same venue as when Ronnie and Reggie traded blows. As a result, the club has been used for films such as Lock, Stock And Two Smoking Barrels and music videos for the likes of Plan B and, um, Take That. If you fancy yourself a bruiser, this is the place to test that theory.

The Bath House, Cheshire Street, London E2. reptonboxingclub.com

Stonebridge Boxing Club

Stonebridge Boxing Club nearly folded in 2012 before community support, and backing from the likes of Amir Khan and Audley Harrison, helped keep the club afloat. The gym itself is styled on the Kronk Gym of Detroit, where fighters such as Thomas Hearns were trained by Emmanuel Steward. Stonebridge is no place for the fainthearted. No words can match the wonderfully evocative – and uncompromising – self-description on the Stonebridge website: "With the windows shut and the heating on full blast, the gym turns into a furnace and the blood, sweat and tears can be tasted and smelt. When a session is in full-flow; the rhythmic beat of skipping, the thud of punches on the heavy bags and footsteps in the ring create this amazing, electric energy and atmosphere. This is not the place to have fun or a laugh, only the truly committed and dedicated survive the SBC experience." Daunted or inspired?

37-41 Winchelsea Road, London NW10. stonebridgeboxingclub.org

Peacock Gym

Peacock Gym is renowned throughout the boxing world. A charity founded in 1978, Peacock, like Stonebridge, is a testament to the communal work a good boxing gym can provide to an otherwise deprived region. Numerous fighters, from Lennox Lewis to Ricky Hatton, have sparred in its many rings. A certain Floyd Mayweather enjoyed a public workout at the Peacock in 2009. To quote Floyd, "It was like being back home. The place is top class, the people there know boxing and those fans were fantastic."

The extraordinarily well-endowed Peacock boasts a Pro boxing and Cardio area, an Amateur Room, an Aerobics Hall and separate zones for fixed and free weights. Get round the place in a day and you'll be eating steel for breakfast.

Peacock House, Caxton Street, London E16. peacockgym.com

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