People profile
Hannah Lanel
"With two instructors per class – one devoted to correcting form – we fix people, and this creates clients for life"
Boutique concept The Fore has opened in London’s Kings Cross with a new signature class concept using bodyweight training and treadmills. The Fore promises two trainers per class, to deliver a personalised experience and check form and technique.
The boutique is the brainchild of Hannah Lanel who has a ‘whole human’ approach, designed to make everyday access to wellness so ubiquitous it becomes a natural part of daily life.
The destination boutique focuses on functional fitness and wellness and at 5,500sq ft over two floors, offers personal training, classes and access to alternative practitioners.
There’s also a shared workspace, a café, juice, smoothie bar, retail area and workshop space for events and pop-ups.
Fit for life
Lanel has identified four pillars of wellness around which she’s build the brand: physical, emotional, social and intellectual. “We deliver an inclusive and enriching shared experience that helps people get fit for life by making access to every day wellness so compelling that it simply becomes a way of life,” she explains. “We break down barriers to exercise and get people moving properly.
“They get fit fast, and the strength this brings gives them confidence and peace of mind. This intelligent approach to training means people quickly come to know about training frequency, intensity, and functional fitness.”
The signature class uses the Technogym Skillmill. Lanel says: “This combination allows us to train people through resisted rotation and proper posterior chain running. We designed the class so people understand the key elements of each move. They learn about individual patterns of movement, and can apply it to how they move in everyday life.”
“We chose this treadmill for the quality of the movement,” she says. “The long, steep curve means you run with a natural stride, using your glutes, hamstrings, and calves to drive the belt underneath you. You’re actively running against resistance and this trains your true running style. It’s different from a standard treadmill.”
Personalisation
Lanel has extensive experience in the market and was previously involved with Equilibrium in West London, where she trained celebrities and pro-athletes.
“The boutique market is huge, and offers customers a lot of choice and variety,” says Hannah. “But with that comes the risk of a depersonalised experience, where the customer feels like a number. At The Fore, we’ve set out to offer the complete opposite to this. We treat customers as individuals. You’ll be greeted by name, but we’ll also remember how your most recent class went. We’ll know about past injuries and any aches and pains. Our classes focus on the way the client moves, and we progress them from there.”
Achieve the impossible
“Nobody else has two trainers per class, with one devoted to correcting customers’ form,” says Lanel. “Once you train this way – with rotation, body weight, and resistance running – you’ll build a better body.
“We’re helping people achieve what they once thought impossible. And that gives them confidence and self-esteem,” she continues.
“We fix people, and this creates clients for life. Our level of care and service breeds loyalty and community. People just want to be recognised, and that’s what we do.”
