Bulletproof X Workshop Sets Londoners Up For The Day

No one or nothing has ever convinced me to get up early on a Monday morning. Any other morning of the week – not a problem, just not Mondays. Mondays are for staying in bed until the very last minute, preserving the sweet memories of the weekend just gone for as long as possible.

I do however consider myself an early morning person. To have a lie in on a weekend until 8am is real treat. I tend to get up at 6am five mornings a week and use this time to catch up on my to-do lists (and life in general). Whether it’s yoga, writing or sorting out paperwork, you name it. But Mondays have always posed a challenge no matter what I’ve tried.

I am not really sure what got into me when I volunteered myself to attend a workout class at 8am on a recent Monday morning. Dressed in my best gym attire, I ventured to the very exclusive Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge for a very special workout session with celebrity personal trainer Lee Mullins. I wasn’t going to let the Monday blues get in the way.

Lee, the founder of Workshop Gymnasium has worked with clients such as David Walliams, Claudia Winkelman, Zoe Kravitz, Cressida Bonas, Rita Ora and Mollie Kind, and has contributed to Vogue, Glamour, Grazia and InStyle magazines to name but a few.

Lee has teamed up with Bulletproof, the brainchild of David Asprey, to unveil the Bulletproof X Workshop Gymnasium fitness class at the Bulgari Hotel in London.

I arrived at the prestigious Bulgari Hotel and was lead into an elevator, which took me few levels down into the hotel’s Ballroom, transformed into an exercise studio. The room was lined with bright orange mats and props, a small stage and a big presentation screen on the wall.

Before starting the morning workout, I indulged in a cup of Bulletproof Coffee – a blend of Upgraded™ Coffee, unsalted grass-fed butter and Upgraded Octane Oil. The potion promised to enhance my performance by removing “performance-robbing mould toxins”. Other benefits are said to include improved focus and energy boost, faster metabolism and the ability to burn fat faster.

I was a little dubious about having a cup of coffee before a morning workout, but somehow it did the trick. It made me feel more energetic and full, and what’s more, it tasted deliciously creamy.

Lee’s session was a combination of movements including yoga and Pilates, with emphasis on the breath. We started with gentle stretching to warm up the body, and slowly and surely transitioned into a ‘proper’ workout, ever so smoothly that I hardly noticed. We didn’t use any weights or props (except a foam roller for the warm and a rubber band for a couple of the moves); instead the focus was on our own body weight and strength.

Lee’s team was on hand to offer any adjustments and guidance needed.

We finished the session lying down in Savasana, and with the help of music we did a five-minute breathing exercise to help calm our mind and body.

After the class we were offered a ‘Bulletproof’s Upgraded Collagen Protein’ shake to aid the recovery and the repair of the muscles.

I left the session smiling, full of energy and on verge of skipping, ready to face the day. And I think Lee’s Workshop Gymnasium session with a shot of Bulletproof coffee had something to do with it. It was just the right ammunition I needed to kick-start my week.

• * The Bulletproof X Workshop Gymnasium classes will run every Wednesday morning starting 31st May until 19th July in The Bulgari Hotel with a maximum of 10 people per class. The classes cost £30 per session and include Bulletproof Coffee, Post Workout Shake and a Bulletproof goody bag to take away. Or signing up to all eight classes will cost £200. For more information about the classes and bookings visit www.bulgarihotels.com/en_US/london/whats-on or call the hotel on 0207 1511 010. Location: Bulgari Hotel, 171 Knightsbridge, London SW7 1DW; Nearest tube: Knightsbridge