F45's training methodology documents their functional approach. England Boxing's participation growth data shows boxing growing at 43% year-on-year, outpacing most boutique fitness formats in the UK.
F45 is one of the most successful fitness franchise models of the past decade. The circuit-based, high-intensity format with changing workouts appeals to people who want variety and social training without the monotony of conventional gym sessions.
Boxing is older and less glamorous but produces a different set of outcomes. Here is the honest comparison.
What F45 Delivers
F45 sessions run 45 minutes, mixing cardio and resistance exercises in a circuit format. The workouts change daily. The team environment is deliberate - you are working alongside other members, sometimes with partner exercises.
Six months of consistent F45 attendance produces: improved cardiovascular fitness, some strength development, body composition improvement, and the consistency benefit of a structured class format with social accountability.
What it does not deliver: skill development, a learnable physical practice, or the specific mental health benefits of something that demands genuine technical concentration.
What Boxing Delivers
Six months of consistent boxing training produces: all the cardiovascular benefits of F45, more targeted strength development (particularly upper body), significantly better coordination and motor skills, and the neurochemical mood benefits of high-intensity exercise combined with skill acquisition.
The skill element is the critical differentiator. Boxing is a learnable practice. Six months in, you can feel yourself getting better at something specific. The jab that was sloppy is now clean. The footwork that was awkward has developed. You have a skill.
F45 does not give you a skill. It gives you a workout. The difference matters for long-term motivation and for what you carry away from the training beyond your current fitness level.
The Community Comparison
Both offer community. F45 studios tend to have strong, deliberately cultivated communities - the brand identity is partly built around this.
Boxing gyms offer community that is less branded and more organic. The relationships form through the training itself, through shared physical challenge, through working closely with coaches over months.
Neither is objectively better. They feel different. F45 community tends to be high-energy, group-identity based. Boxing gym community tends to be more personally specific - relationships form with particular training partners and coaches rather than with the group as a whole.
The Cost Comparison
F45 in London: typically £100-£160 per month for unlimited sessions, or £25-£35 per class drop-in.
Honour and Glory Adult Recreational: £10 per session. Two sessions per week costs approximately £80-£90 per month with no contract, no joining fee.
For equivalent session frequency, boxing is approximately 40-60% cheaper. The cost advantage is significant over a year (source).
Who Should Choose What
F45 suits people who primarily want a fitness workout, enjoy variety, and are motivated by the group class format with changing content.
Boxing suits people who want to learn a skill, who prefer technical development to workout variety, and who are interested in the cultural context of boxing alongside the fitness benefits.
Neither is superior. They serve different preferences.
The question is: do you want to get fit, or do you want to get fit and learn something? If the latter, boxing is worth trying.
The Adult Recreational class is where most members begin.
H&G Team
Writer at Honour & Glory Boxing Club, a community boxing gym in Kidbrooke, South East London.
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