If you’ve not heard of UBX Training before then let’s start with the basics. This is a HIIT gym with a difference, putting more emphasis on form and movement than many of the other names in the sector. Launched in a bid to “give everyone the opportunity to train like a boxer”, management proudly tell us their success has been down to “rethinking boxing and rethinking group training in an ultra-flexible format.” That means no class timetables or bookings, simply turn up and get involved at the start of the next round — which brings us to what you can expect from your time here.
Situated in the heart of MediaCityUK, Salford’s UBX offers 45-minute sessions of 12 three-minute rounds, with a 30 second rest in between. Workouts focus on offering a combination of boxing and strength training, and this mix is as fun as it is moreish. Everyone attending learns technique, skill and pad work through hands-on experience and support from the highly approachable and famously friendly coaches, which means it really doesn’t matter if you’ve boxed before or not. Ultimately, you’re going to get just as much out of it, and over time improve in a number of different areas — both boxing related and in overall fitness terms.
“We have a small team of coaches but a vibrant community of members from 21 to 65, all with their own goals, joining us at different training levels,” we’re told. “There is a real community environment where everyone can work out in a place they feel comfortable, where the sessions are fun and where they can achieve their goals. One of the most important things for us is that our members can see and feel the difference in themselves within the first few weeks of the journey and that we can help them stay consistent and motivated.”